Blogs from Kunming, Yunnan, China, Asia - page 35

The Stone Forest at Shilin was one of the most amazing places we've see so far on out travels. We took over 200 photos so here's a few of the best ones....... read more

I dont think its a coincidence that pronouncing Kunming sounds like hocking up phlegm. Phlegm decorates the filthy streets like little yellow green flowers in a field of debris. I hated Kunming from the minute I got off the train. It was dirty, noisy, smelly and busy, but even more so. The road was the footpath and the footpath was the road and no matter where I stood I was pushed and shoved and beeped at. The touts were aggressive and persistant, grabbing me by the elbow and trying to pull me in the other direction. And some bastard stole my wallet right out of my bag. I tried not to get angry about it. I only carry minumum cash (about $30) in my wallet, and they could have taken my camera, or, gulp, my ipod. ... read more

After the gorge we are looking for somewhere to sit back, relax and chill out for a few days, the guide book swears this place is Dali. What a disappointment! China's 'hippest' town boasts one main street, dubbed 'Foreigner Street' that obviously stole the building plans from Magaluf but failed to attract any customers. Before long we get the itch to move on again. Kunming is the provisional capital of Yunnan Province, again another place that does little to inspire us, maybe we've been spoiled in the previous 3.5 weeks! It's a nice enough city, but a lack of sights means it just resembles any average city! However the main reason for being here is, the World Cup and England v Paraguay are playing tonight GTFI! We find the biggest TV we can find and plant ... read more

I reached Kunming after midnight. After five hours of a "good" night's sleep on what is referred to as a bed (planks with padding are somehow grouped into this category), I woke up early and hopped the bus to Shilin. What's in Shilin you ask? Well, the Stone Forrest. Until the day arrives when I can take a stroll among the craters of the moon, this will probably be one of the closest things to doing just that that can possibly be done. The scenery is out of this world. Of course, this is not lost on the Chinese. That's a great reason to put up a fence, bring in tourist busses and make !@#$loads of money. The price of admission is 140Y. This, for perspective, is equal to about four days of quite decent food ... read more

So we're in China! Hopping off the minibus in Lao Cai we decided that it was time to move on. So after a deal or two on the black market we hopped across and were in China. Immediately we could feel the difference, and not only in the street signs which all looked kinda pretty but meant relatively nothing. Straightaway people were friendlier and willing help us despite our bumbling Mandarin. We grabbed an overnight sleeper bus that night (think the Harry Potter bus gone horribly wrong) and ended up in Kunming, the capital of the Yunnan provine yesterday morning. We checked into a hostel which is super clean and has wicked showers and have spent the last two days exploring the city. It's HUGE! Everything is HUGE, the roads, the shops, the signs... it's just ... read more