Fall Break - National Day and the New Moon Festival (Days 1 - 2)

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We caught the train October 1st (National Day) at 10:45...and rode for about 10 hours to Zhanjiang (a city on the southern coast of Guangzhou province). The views were both beautiful and surreal, but the ride was crowded and uncomfortable. A hundred or more people crammed into the train car in Guilin, and most of them rode for 6-7 hours, leaving us only a few precious hours to stretch our legs out in our seats. We played several rounds of musical chairs with the people sitting near us in order to be close enough to talk to one another. Every once and again I caught glimpses of what I can only assume China looked like 40 years ago...save for the power lines cris-crossing the fields. The last couple hours we practically had the train car to ourselves. There were a few sleeping parents, and a few screaming children, but apart from that, we were able to lie out across the seats without fear of encroaching on someone elses personal space. When we arrived in Zhanjiang, we thought that we could catch a cab to the other side of town to catch a different train direct to Sanya, but the train station was far away, and these cab drivers offered to drive us to the ferry port (2 hours away) for 60 kuai a person. We reluctantly agreed and split into two groups to go to Haian (the port city). I will admit there were times when I thought we were being abducted and I would be sold to the sex trade or my organs would be sliced out of me one by one and sold on the black market. We took dark, gravel roads and our cab driver rarely drove slower than 100km/hour. Obviously we made it in one piece. We made it to the ferry port after about a 2-hour cab ride...then we took the ferry at 1am to Haikou, the capital city of Hainan Island. When we arrived in Haikou around 3:30, there were all kinds of bus drivers offering seats on their busses to Sanya, so we hopped on the first available bus, left immediately, and made it to Sanya before 8am on the 2nd. The bus reeked of urine. I had never seen a bus like this one before. We climbed a small flight of steps, and there were rows of bunk beds each stocked with a tacky blanket and pillow. The bathroom was halfway back, (right behind my bed), and you had to descend a small staircase. I never used the toilet on the bus, but I heard it was not pleasant. A squat toilet on a bumpy bus cannot nice. I slept almost the entire way to Sanya.

We deboarded the bus a little before 8, and caught cabs to Dadonghai (the district in Sanya that specializes in restaurants and cheap hotels). We wandered around aimlessly for about an hour trying to find BLUE SKY, the hostel that is mentioned in Owens copy of "The Lonely Planet." Finally we found it - a WONDERFUL hostel 5 minutes from the beach. The six of us were able to get a dorm-style hostel room together for only 80 kuai a night per bed. We spent the better part of the day lying on the beach and drinking Chinese beer. It was a bit overcast, but the waves were fantastic. We swam in the South China Sea, and people watched from what became "our spot" on the beach. Later, we met up with 5 international students that are studying in Guilin (Teresa of Mexico, Caroline of Poland, Chris and Mikael of Amsterdam and Jonas of Germany) when their bus arrived at about 3 that afternoon.

The 11 of us traveling from Guilin grabbed a late dinner together at a restaurant just off the beach. Sanya is like Honalulu of Russia. Many restaurants menus are printed in Chinese and Russian. There are Russian bars all along the beach, as well as restaurants, hair salons and clothing stores tailored to the needs of the Russian regulars. The restaurant we had dinner at printed their menus in Chinese, Russian and English...thank goodness. While we ate, a number of young girls approached us and tried to sell us roses. Mikael and I broke down and each bought one in hopes of getting the girls to leave us alone. Purchasing their wares actually had an adverse affect, and they clung to us the rest of our time at the restaurant. After everyone had eaten their fill, we decided to continue our night with a few beers on the beach while we listened to the waves hit the shoreline. Mikael and I were left at the restaurant alone for a minute. We had paid a Chinese man 10 kuai to serenade us with "Moon River." He wound up singing an interesting rendition of "Yesterday" by the Beatles while a particularly pushy little girl hung around trying to sell more roses. We grabbed a few beers and met the group at the beach under one of the hotel cabanas on the beach. After a few drinks and an hour of deep, thought-provoking conversation, Chris, Mikael, Jonas and I decided to go for a night swim. The boys stripped down to their boxers and dove into the waves. I, on the other hand, stayed clothed and waded in the shallows. The waves lapped at my feet and got my dress kept getting more wet. Eventually I gave up and joined the boys out in the water. We swam in the sea for about half an hour before re-joining Steve and Tyler under the cabana. The rest of the group had decided to call it a night. We stayed out and talked until about 2, then headed back to the hostel for the night.

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Photos

Medical Warnings Affect Travel
Several train passengers wore medical masks when they traveled home for the holiday. Warnings were released to travelers to take necessary precautions to prevent the spread of illness.

Standing Room Only
The train was so full for the first 4-5 hours that if we wanted to stretch our legs, we had to sacrifice our seat for a stop or two. About 6 or 7 hours into our trip the train car was practically deserted, so we got to lie out across the seats.

The Views From the Train
We passed some beautiful, and also some depressing scenery on the train down to Zhenjiang. (October 1, 2009 - National Day)

Scenes from the Train
Just off the train tracks, a farmer walked thier waterbuffalo to the rice paddies. (October 1st, 2009 - National Day)

Midnight Ferry
The boys wanted to be \"Chinese\" so they took off their shirts. On the ferry we realized that we were looking at the constilations from a completely different perspective. Orion\'s belt, (which is usually somewhat horizontal across the Western sky), was lying vertical over the South China Sea.

Blue Sky Hostel
The guys and I finally found the elusive hostel and were more than pleased with the place. Everyone there was wonderful.

Dorm Room
The six of us were able to get a room together on the 5th floor. It was a nine-bed dormitory room. (October 2nd, 2009)

Creating a Panorama of the Beach
The view of the beach to the left of "our spot."

Creating a Panorama of the Beach
A view of the beach to the right of "our spot."

Creating a Panorama of the Beach
Caroline (Poland), a student at Guangxi Shida in Guilin, catching some sun on our little stretch of beach.

Dinner Time
Mikael and I at dinner with a rose we bought from a pushy little girl. (October 2nd, 2009).

Chris (Post Night-Swim)
Chris apparently had more than he could handle and passed out on one of the beach chairs while Jonas (foreground), Mikael, Steve, Tyler and I stayed and talked.

Comments

[aunt annie]

keep em coming
wow. so fun to see the pics. and read your description of your adventures on your mini vacation!!! I love the fact you are keeping this experience well documented, clare. Your description of the swim in the sea, took me back to my youth.... (YIKES, aren I still young?). ... Keep on skyping and writing! it wasa delight having you at grandmas birthday party! She was very joyful about the entire eve, I know. Because of family, she is, as are we all richly blessed. Be careful, know you are deeply loved by many, and have FUN and LAUGH MUCH. aunt annie