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Published: October 23rd 2009
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Making new friends...
...first the baby cried...then he laughed...whew The Long Way Round
China is big. This is something that I had known, in an abstract kind of way, before I had ever decided to descend onto its proverbial doorstep. The fact crystallized even more when I began researching the provinces and cities that I wanted to visit during my 3 week stint here. But it wasnt until I had my first 18 hour train ride that I began to really understand just how massive this country is.
The word colossal comes to mind.
Trying to "do" China in 3 weeks would be like trying to coax a tiger into a tutu. Utterly exhausting, potentially painful, and absolutely futile. Rather then wear myself ragged dashing across this vast landmass, I decided to confine my focus to the Southern provinces. This plan looked good on paper, but lacked something in the execution.
For example, in order to get from point A (Dali) to point B (Chongqing), I had to take a 1 hour public bus from Old Dali to New Dali, an overnight train to Kunming, and then a 20 hour train ride from Kunming to Chongqing. This added up to a grand total of 31 hours
Eating in style..
...in the dining car....soooo much better then my box of biscuits of almost uninterrupted travel time, plus the inevitable tedium of waiting in crowded train stations and bus stops. My previously laidback and lazy travel style was about to go into overdrive.
The local bus to New Dali went smoothly, but I almost missed the overnight train to Kunming as I found myself inadvertently sitting in the wrong waiting room. The language barrier once again reared its ugly head as I attempted to sort out the error minutes before my train was scheduled to depart. This resulted in me staggering onboard with seconds to spare and dripping with sweat. I am surprised that my frantic features and abrupt appearance didnt send the little girl in my coach straight into hysterics. But eventually the adrenaline faded away and I was able to drift into sleep.
The next morning I arrived at the station with just enough time to board my next train. This time I was sharing a coach with a friendly looking Chinese man who screamed "foreigner". Introductions ensued and I learned that he had been living in Canada for the past couple of years. Kindred spirits! We talked happily of home for the first few hours of our
Chongqing Hot Pot
Pig Intestines smothered in very spicy sauce journey, and when he learned that I was traveling alone I could practically see him take me under his wing. I had brought my usual fare of dry biscuits and water on board, but he insisted on treating me to lunch and dinner in the dining car. When he asked whether I liked spicy, I bravely replied yes. I am not sure what I was thinking. I was probably trying to impress him. The result was that he ordered the spiciest food on the menu and watched with amusement as I nonchalently chugged down water after every bite.
The train pulled into Chongqing early the next morning and my newfound friend insisted that I let him and his wife find me a cheap hotel. It felt very strange to get into a vehicle that was not a taxi, tuk tuk, or train and allow myself to be escorted through the crazy city streets of one of Chinas largest cities. He took me to a small hotel on the outskirts of the city and proceeded to negotiate a good price for the room. The staff there spoke absolutely no English and so I was glad to have a translator handy.
Newfound friends...
Hanging out at the family restaurant After the bargaining was done, he told me that he would swing by in 2 hours and take me out to lunch. Despite the fact that I had been on the go for approximately 36 hours and wanted to do nothing more then sink into oblivion, I agreed. I reasoned that I would have the rest of the night to rest and recover.
He arrived at the stroke of noon with his young niece who was studying English in school. The three of us drove to his sisters restaurant and ordered Hot Pot - a local specialtly. Needless to say it was very very hot. And very very local. I am fairly certain that I ended up eating pig intestines as my inquiries into its origin was met with some very vague responses.
During the lunch, my friend decided that he was going to help me book a ticket on a local cruise ship down the Yangtze river. This is something that I had decided to do during my time here, and after seeing the overwhelming size of the city, I figured that some help navigating it would be much appreciated. He told me that he had a
Desperate times call for desperate measures...
...some of the delightful bathroom facilities that I experienced during my trip friend who was a captain on one of these ships and was sure that he could find me a good price. Afetr lunch, he shanghaid me into the city center and we spent the next 3 hours marching from tourist office to tourist office as he tried to find me the best deal. The Chinese LOVE to bargain. About an hour into this ordeal, I began feeling decidedly ill. I wasnt sure whether it was pig intestines for lunch, the brutally long couple of days, or was just a simple flu. But all I wanted to do was crawl into a hot shower somewhere and take some antacids. But I tried to stick it out and keep a determined smile on my face. Eventually he got ahold of his friend and managed to get me on board a 3-day Chinese cruise ship down the Yangtze river for a price that was easily half of what I would have paid had I investigated on my own.
The only problem was that it was leaving in a mere 2 hours.
This meant that we had to race back across to the other side of the city so that I could pack my bags, check out of my hotel, and hit the bank before racing back to the pier and catching my bus. I didnt have time to send an email to my parents. I didnt have time to get some medicine for my aching head and uneasy stomach. I didnt even have time to pick up any food for the next 3 days. I made my bus with moments to spare, clutching my box of dried biscuits in one hand and a bag of fruit that I had hastily purchased from a nearby street vendor in the other. Feeling guilty for the amount of time and effort that my newfound friend had exerted in order to get me on my way, I gave him a big hug and promised to treat him to dinner the next time I was in Ottawa. And then I boarded yet another bus, knowing as I did so that I would not see another white face, or hear another word of English, for the next 3 days. It was going to be an interesting trip.
Signing out,
Jen
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