Cloudy with drizzle,
Kunming is full of roads blocked with construction and puddles of rank water.
The Hump hostel, which I have previously stayed in, hasn’t changed much at all.
I got my bed in a dorm and wander to a nearby restaurant to see if they still
have my favourite dish of spicy fried tofu and bacon bits, but alas, they
didn’t. I ordered some garlic beans, tofu and rice and head to the terrace of
the hostel to eat. There are many travelers, but I was not quite in the
cheerful mood of socializing with strangers, so downstairs I went in search of
whiskey to calm my nerves.
The Hump bar has changed lots, it is less inviting
and more damaged looking than ever. The bartender knows the friends I inquired
after, but they too have moved on or are out of town, so I sat at the bar to
drink. Soon enough a young group of students from Boston crowd around the bar
buying huge numbers of crazy shots, I was invited to have a Scooby snack, and
then an alien brain, both sweet and dangerous. I stuck with my whiskey and
inwardly reminisced at my memories of being 20. Talking with strangers at the
bar was great; I met a cool guy from Vegas, and his Kiwi friend, both living in
Kunming indefinitely. We drank, and then went to get street food, one of the
best things about Yunnan. Around 2am I went to bed, I have a big day of organising
the next few weeks ahead of me.
Today
I woke and went straight to the Vietnam consulate to apply for a tourist Visa.
Easy as pie. Done. Back to the hump to shower pack and check out, with the
intention of taking a late bus to Dali, to the ancient Chinese town that
captured my heart two years ago. Filling in time I walked half an hour to the
big lake park, which was surrounded by construction walls, so moved on to my
favourite restaurant, which was closed today. Stopped for an ice coffee in a
French café then walked some more along the edge of the deserted construction
around the big lake park, feet started to throb, I headed back to the hostel to
peruse the markets downstairs. I still have hours to wait without internet, but
at least the hostel and bus is booked for Dali, my visa waiting for me at 5pm,
I can breathe for a bit. Not all is lost.
