Sept. 3: Rode the 6:16AM non-express bus back to Guilin. The bus conductor didn’t seem to want us to get off when we saw a much faster bus that passed by. Got an upper-deck seat on the train and chatted with a 74-year-old lady who sat with us. Both actions didn’t last long. As soon as we reached our first stop we were booted out of our seats. Turns out the train ticket was good ‘til we reached Nanning (the transit point to Kunming), but not the seats. Luckily we found some on the lower deck, but I thought this is the last time we ask Lisa for anything. The shang dang streak continued when, while killing time at the local KFC in Nanning, my wallet was stolen, and D realized that we left the cakes and candies gift bag on the train! This has been one expensive stopover. Good service from the hotel receptionist and taxi driver, though.
Sept. 4: At 6:20AM I woke up to pee. An hour later I woke up, period. An hour after that our train arrived in Kunming. An hour later we were panicking because we had to choose between a 40-hour train ride from Kunming to Beijing or a 3-hour plane ride. The choice was easier for me since I was the only one that brought a passport. Finally I got the plane ticket (borrowing money from D) while D and Mens bought a train ticket to Xian, about 5 hours less than the Kunming-Beijing trip.
We barely made it to the a10AM bus ride to Dali. D, on the other hand, barely survived the bus ride. Some of the roads we so bumpy we saw a passenger on another bus puking amidst the dust storm the buses were kicking up. Five hours later we were at Dali. Two hours later we reached the Guesthouse. Had lasagna and cream of potato soup for dinner.
Sept. 5: I’m broke. Losing the wallet and buying the plane ticket wiped me out. Had to borrow money from D and Mens to pay for the tour and the guesthouse.
Breakfast buffet wasn’t bad at the Guesthouse. Accompanied by the tour guide and 2 recent graduates from Bejing Geological University (across the street from BLCU’s South Gate), the whole day was spent touring Dali. Old Bai minority houses. Bai ceremonies onstage. A spectacular glass house in a SuanNan fishing village with Japanese European influences. Traditional (read: handmade and expensive) tie-dyeing. A short boat ride to Putuo island, with its Buddhist temple situated in the middle (almost) of Ear-Shaped Lake. Lunch at GuanYuan village. Photo-shoot (and costume wearing for D) at the TianJing Pavillion. And a final boat ride across the lake back to the city of Dali-- only to get on another boat to witness cormorant fishing. The birds were tied by their necks to keep them from swallowing the fish they catch. Freaked D out when they started jumping onto the boat. The drizzling didn’t help, either. Dinner at eight.
Sept. 6: Got on the 10AM train to Kunming. We sat with a family of three. Their 19-month baby was exceptionally bright. Passed the time doing animal sketches for her. Reminded me of my niece Jasmine.
At 4:40PM I parted ways with D and Mens as they caught the time to Xian. I walked around downtown Kunming (used a Hotel bathroom and had fastfood for dinner), killing time before taking a cab to the airport. Flight was delayed by 40 minutes.
Upon arriving in the Bejing (around half-past midnight) I almost rode a gypsy cab with a bunch of teenagers who thought picking up strangers at the airport would make for a good living after college. One of them even asked me for some pesos to add to her collection. I passed on both the request and the ride when they wanted more than 60RMB. Ironically I ended up paying 83 RMB for a cab, though I would’ve paid 10RMB less had I not asked for “fa piao,” which the driver seemed to interpret as “pseudo lotto ticket.” Sigh. Shang danged at 2:30AM. The only pleasant surprise I received was the newly cleaned bathroom at my dorm, as well as a replaced toilet seat. You take your bright sides where you can.
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