Kunming

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Once in Kunming, similar to Hekou, it seemed that no one cared we were there! We could see no obvious way of getting into the centre of town and the people I asked in the station didn seem to know much either! Instead we followed our trusty guide book and searched outside on the main roads for a bus 64. Luckily we saw one drive by, our eyes following it, and we waited at the same bus stop for the next one. Next mission was finding the hostel which happened to be hidden down a quiet street of course! It was worth it though - the HI Cloudland is a good hostel and provided us with a much needed breakfast after our night on a bus and trek into town!

I spent the day walking around Kunming in gorgeous sunshine - blue skies and no humidity! I liked Kunming, it has a nice feel to it, and isn too overcrowded, and a little quieter than the places I have been recently. The electric motorbikes are silent - they creep up and make me jump! It was strange to see more modern things again, such as those annoying golden arches (McDonalds), KFC, Pizza Hut, and a few familiar electrical and grocery shops from Hong Kong. I loved walking round, nothing was too built up and the streets were wide with many trees. There were many Chinese flags around, from the recent sixty year anniversary of the PRC celebrations. It is interesting to see a different side of China than I have before - I am clearly nearer Tibet now than I was on my recent China trip. I haven been to Tibet, but from photographs, I can recognize some similar clothing styles and prayer flags around. Around Kunming, I particularly enjoyed visiting the West pagoda which doubles up as a social hub; there were card games and Chinese chess games going on, ladies gossiping, it was great for people watching. Green lake park was lovely as well, with many families out enjoying a Sunday stroll.

I managed to find myself attempting to walk through a military restricted zone, and being thankful for not being arrested and just being sent on my way, I passed by a forecourt in which military soldiers were sitting at tables and appeared to be taking some sort of exam with officials keeping watch. It all looked very formal and military.

There were some interesting sights on the streets of Kunming. Men and women advertising guns for sale, one of which quickly dodged a photograph as she caught me snapping! It seems that the pavement is your workbench, as people spread out onto the sidewalk to fix motorbikes, dry the laundry or do the welding! After having witnessed a basket full of brains and a lady selecting the ones she wanted to buy, I was not put off my lunch..a sign I have been in Asia long enough I think! I found a fantastic looking chilli potato dish being eaten in a tiny cafe so after inquiring of the price, I sat down to enjoy a delicious 2.5 Yuan lunch, being the only westerner there.

All around town, people stroll around pushing carts full of sweet potatoes on the stove, and there are many more locals munching on bright orange lumps. Ironically the lady I saw cleaning the streets, was also spitting on the streets herself, Oh China! Kunming was relaxing ot walk around, and I wasn once hassled for anything!

From Kunming, we traveled by train to Guangzhou, a 24 hour journey! One thing that baffled me as I watched people board the train, why did one man feel the need to carry two trays of eggs on board? Im pretty sure they have eggs in Guangzhou no? Just one small snippet of the daily bemusement I feel in China. One fascinating country thats for sure.
We bypassed the offer of shrink wrapped chicken feet for sale on the platform, and found our beds up on the top bunk of three beds. The journey started off very scenically as we sped past the hills and rice paddies of Yunan with more mountainous terrain in the background. It was really pretty and gave me the urge to return and see more of Yunan province. It was a strange sensation to be on board watching the vast countryside of China go by, whilst the train speakers were playing a soft traditional Chinese melody with lots of pling pling pling plings! I felt very awe inspired to be traveling across the vast land overnight and making my way to my second home, Hong Kong. It stirred up lots of feelings and memories from my three weeks traveling China prior to my South East Asian trip, and I thought about the numerous travel opportunities in China. Im sure I will return. With both its positives and its negatives, China is a unique travel destination.

I have to admit that I had saved my pennies in Kunming because I knew that Guangzhou station had a Starbucks! Sure enough, once we arrived a train was due to depart soon so I left Ben in charge and grabbed a frappucino to go, and thoroughly enjoyed it! It had been a while! Although Vietnamese coffee is excellent, there is something comforting to me about a Starbucks, and with that feeling of nearing home, I was one happy passenger on the train from Guangzhou to Hung Hom in Hong Kong!

Now I can enjoy a relaxing time in Hong Kong catching up with friends before beginning the next adventure!

J x

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Photos

Tree lined streets
Chinese flags were everywhere due to the recent 60th anniversary of the PRC.