Old town Dali and a Bad Monkey

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Current Mood: Happy to Be in Dali its an attractive place.

Well in Kunming we woke at a reasonable hour and i have a little hangover again!!! i am now prepared to hang up my boots on the Tsingdao (because i dont think they sell it in the north hehehe) so my usual morning Breakfast of the Free bee (stale bread and jam) and a fruit plate with yogurt splashed all over it i head in from the roof top Terrace to see that Henry is up and accompanied by our now new travel companion.... ONKEY from Indonesia!! hes 53 and looks 35 (just about Tims age actually hahahah ) and is on the road heading to unknown destinations and has been for six years! Tim is still sleeping!

After a further hour of waiting i go to get Tim out of his pit.... he gets showered and we hit the dirt track once again! this time to Dali of the Yunnan province.

The Bus trip was an experience!! a long old way is five hours when the seat infront is pretty much hitting your nuts! (yep thats Chinese leg room for you!) there were the local kids Pissing on the deck of the mini bus of 30 people (exagerated by 2) and many of the locals throwing up left and right of the isle!!!! ooh dont i just love China hahahahah Yeah i do!!!!!

So we arrive in Dali to a polite surprise of new and old! We arrive in new Dali which is typically like any other city with a few minor characteristics that seperate it from elsewhere!! After a quick trip to the cashpoint we jump on the bus to find out what the crack is with Old Dali town!

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOh i love Chinese Women............ this bus is packed with them but as i was loaded up like a donkey going to a far away place on a religious hill i wasnt prepared to work my limited magic! ( i also don't speak Chinese)

Off the bus and a quick glance back at the talent im at the walls of the Old town with nothing in mind other than ditching my bags and eating plenty!! Old Town Dali is nice!! infact after being there literally two minutes ONKEY splurts out 'I think im going to stay here Three months'. yeah its that nice!!!

Resembling Pingyao but not as picturesque Dali Sports some great Restaurants ( quaint but great) a few wicked Bars ( THE BAD MONKEY IS A MUST, Joe schmoe ude love it son!!! the tunes are top! )

The first evening and night we head out after meeting some new gals..... Lauren and Sarah, both from the states who are really cool girls and Jordy Steve of course!! We arrive in a place i can only remember as Collins Place that nocked up a great bit of grub inbetween me and Sarah playing some crazy Paper scissors, stone game with the locals in which the winner would get to move further down the street by jumping as far as you possibly could!! i got involved as the local guy i could see was on his own at least a hundred metres behind the gang and he looked unhappy!!! obviously my talents allowed him to catch up hahahaha or was it Sarah's?!?! We then hit the Bad Monkey until early hours before heading back to the digs!!!

The second day in Dali we went out on a tour of the fields and surounding villages in direction of the Great lake which is bigger than the one i grew up by for sure!!! we stroled through many sleepy towns and met some funny locals who really do make the experience of china something else!!! i hope the Olympics dont change the attitudes of the locals and the settings of these untouched towns!! eventually finding the lake myself, young Henry. not so young Timothy hahaha Lauren and Sarah all get involved in some picture taking before making our way back to Collins place for food and then the hostel 'Number 5' for drinks and the end of white chicks the movie hahahah its funny man the girls laughed hard and Steve even found it ammusing!! (Good luck with your future choices buddy....... keep in touch) After the movie we head out once again for an even better night in the Bad Monkey!!!! Great night cheers guys and girls!!!

The third day was a bit of a piss off!! we had planned to get out of Dali to head further north to Zhongdien just south of the Tibetan opening but Very Tibetan in style and culture apparently?!?!!!? but as per..... and without the assistance of Cara and Ashley's unbelievable knowledge of getting transport correct, we cocked up our plans so had to spend another night in 'Number 5'. So undetered we head out to find something to do and take on a little retail therapy (where i bought the best Tibetan, Patch worked Hemp, reversable Techni coloured Coat you will ever see!! i assure you its the muts!! the reverse side is Black) we also went up to (on the mighty Hugh Grants advice) the opening gates of the three pagodas hahaha we never went in or did i take a picture of them as they aint my cuppa tetleys if you get my drift!!! Out side the gates however was a hoot and we haggled a few tat shop vendors before jumping in our ten minute ride, 5 yuan cab back to the main Drag!

The main town at night is worth a visit as its so colourful but this is where i realise that the Character of the old town is loosing its appeal as any old feature is drownded out by illuminous lighting!! I think on the whole if the Trip to China is a short one and Dali isnt somewhere you really want to see...... miss it out until you come back on an extra long trip!!! From here we went back to the digs to say good night and good bye to the girls and ONKEY ( who by the way found a house for his three months at 450 yuan a month) and out to a bar local to the digs and upsettingly not the Bad Monkey!!

Tomorrow morning we head out to Zhongdien at 6.45am so im off to bed!!! i hope you all are plenty of fun at home and for those on the road where are you im on my way!!!!??!!!!!

love from a Brummy

Miss ya kids!!!!

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