Yunan provice was our first introduction to China. We immediately headed north to escape the heat we had still not fully grown used to. Our itinerary took us from sea level to 5000m in 10 days:
Hekou-Kunming-Dali-Lijang-Tiger Leaping Gorge- Shangri la- Deqin.
Hekou,
was a nice border town, noticably different to Vietnam because of the public bins and general cleanliness. We met a really nice Danish couple on the way from Sapa and we shared a hotpot full of various mystery vegetables picked out from a table (most of them turned out to be bamboo) for 21Yuan (2 pounds). We hung out all day and visited the wierdly pornographic/ outrageous cartoon-like sword markets (maybe this is where all the S&M Vietnamese come to stock up) and stocked up on money. We left the couple to go on to Kunming.
Kunming
was the first real place where we realised that speaking our obnoxious 'world-English' wasn't going to work. Convinced by the lonely planet description that the train station was only 1km away we argued relentlessly for cheaper prices with the obviously bewilded taxis. In the end we took a public bus for 2 yuan and it took over 50 minutes. We didn't stay in Kunming, so a description of at as passing through would involve pollution and industry. But at least it was cold. We took from there a train to Dali. We shared a hard-seat with a bunch of Chinese-students and a guy who had taken our seat. The man refused to leave and so we cursed at him in our supposedly 'secret' language. Turns out the whole compartment understood us. The man returned a few times. I'm glad he didn't know what we were saying.
Dali Old Town
was really nice, picture-esque traditional Chinese architecture and really cheap accomodation- (with free laundry! As you can imagine we washed everything conceivable in our backpacks. ) We spent our time walking around the city as the attractions are quite (ridiculously) overpriced. Which was fine enough we needed sleep after our 36 hour slog up here. After Dali we made our way to the 'tranquil' (another Lonely planet description) Lijang.
The Bus ride
up to Lijang was a experience. The scenery was amazing. The crop teraces that were carved into the mountains were phenominal. Another weird event occured near the end- an english movie played on the bus, weird in itself, but it was also one of the most graphic (non-violent) films I have ever seen. It didn't help also that the noise was deafing and therefore unavoidable. The bus that when we first got on had a low hum of conversation was completely silent and was silent leaving the bus.
Lijang
's surroundings were amazing but the city was anything but tranquil. An earthquake destroyed the city and the Chinese government rebuilt it according to the Naxi style of Architecture. What was created was a kind of theme park atmosphere on crack. The streets were full and lasers+loud music pumped out of the bars into the square accompanied by the regular cuisine of Pizza Hut and KFC. We were seriously wondering about our decision to come here. It was like being in a rat maze and your the only one wondering what the hell youare doing there. Luckily we managed to get some help in a guesthouse where the owner lead us over to Mama Naxi (some people have renamed her Mama Nazi- she is very tenacious) Guesthouse- she's a very influencial woman. It was definitely different there and the next day we decided to give Lijang a shot instead of heading up to Tiger Leaping Gorge. It was also that night that we met Julie who we ended up travelling all the way to Shangri la with.
The Black Dragon Pool Park is another attraction that is turning out to be worth an arm and leg to get into. we paid the 20 pounds apprehensively. The park was very nice, the first pool was where people seemed to spending most of there time as it had the best view of the mountain. But 'most people' is always a bit exacerbating so we headed north into the park. The mountain was a bit more obscured so i tried to climb onto a rock to get a better shot. As i was climbing i stumbled upon a group of locals boys about our age drinking and playing cards in a hiding spot hidden by the surrounding rock. Kind of shocked to see me they immediately reached out a handed me a beer. In the end Rosie and I ended up staying with them for the next 3 hours drinking beer they refused to take money for, listening to hotel california and playing cards. It was one of those unexplainable circumstances you often have while you travel. In the end it was nice knowing that although we are halfway around the world kids our age on a sunny day still go to the local park, enjoy cheap non-establishment beer and have a good time. They named us the equivalent (in chinese) of beautiful and monkey. I guess you may be able to guess who was who. (Leg hair is rare out here). Although the park was meant to be cultural, so is Hyde Park, Richond Park and Hampstead Heath. It was nice feeling not like a tourist for once.
Tiger Leaping Gorge
We organised to go to Tiger Leaping Gorge the next day. In our mini-van/bus we met Jo, Roger and Georgia. Along with Julie we spent the next couple of days doing the trek together. We couldn't of picked a nicer group to do it with. Although we were a diverse group in terms of Age we got along like long-time friends. By the end it was sad to leave the group. Pictures will only describe the craggy peaks and gushing rapids. I don't think i am equipped enough in English to do it Justice.
Shangri-la,
aptly named for tourism was like Lijang without the tourism, but also without the scenery. We spent a few days there recovering from the trek and enjoying local Naxi food and occasionally scrambled eggs/heinz baked beans on toast. On the way up we had an interesting naturally blond and pale chinese driver, who marvelled at Julie's guitar playing in the back and plucked at my leg hair. He also kep a machete, for "those who don't pay."
Now
we are in Deqin, further north and about 3500m up. Passes between mountain ranges of 5000m lay along the bus journey here. It is also my birthday, so it probably seems weird of me to be devoting time to this, but a storm just hit so the mountains we saw this morning are obscured and walking in the torrential rain isn't a nice birthday prospect. We hope to make our way to Sechuan soon, maybe trekking, but it seems more likely we'll follow the cliff straddled road back down Shangri la.
China is turning out to be more effort than Southeast Asia. But it is also rewarding in that aspect. We're using our long journeys catch up on reading, even if it is Gordon Ramsey's Autobiography (which is actually really good by the way- it makes you think he is a bit less of a prick), and learning Chinese. Our laziness with just speaking English has definitely got to go.
