Kunming to JingHong

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I arranged to take the overnight sleeper bus from Kunming to JingHong for the night of Nov 27th, to leave the bus station at 10pm. Although I usually arrange my tickets directly from the train or bus station, this time I bought it through the hostel, the Hump. The charge a small fee, 15 RMB for the service or in my case the lack thereof.

They failed to tell me that the long distance bus station had moved from directly next to the train station, about 10 min away by cab, to a location several km out from the city centre. I was in the hostel having a couple of beers that eve with other travellers when I asked at the front desk how soon I should go to the bus station. It was 9.10 pm and I was told I had to leave right away and I risked not making it! I caught the first cab I could. I enjoyed the ride - I was drunk enough to believe that my mandarin had improved and I made a lot of simple jokes with the cabbie. We had a great time and he drove like a mad man to get me to the bus station.

So I arrive at the bus station, the cabbie directs me the quick back way to my bus, I pass several check points that check my ticket and I am there in front of my bus! A sleeper bus has three rows of narrow double bunks, two against the sides of the bus, and one running down the centre. Each bunk is like a body shaped lounger rather than a flat bunk. Your feet are pressed against the metal back board the headrest of the bunk in front of you. I gave my ticket to the bus attendant, got on and found my bunk. But someone else was in it! I argued with the fellow in it and he finally gave it up. A few minutes later the bus attendant came to kick me off the bus - the hostel had booked the ticket for the day before, Nov 26!
I again argued that I had asked for Nov 27, but the attendant was unsympathetic. I kept complaining loudly in Mandarin while getting my stuff together - remember I was a little drunk. Eventually the driver came over and said he would take me to JingHong. Lucky save!

I wouldn't suggest that Canada consider the sleeper buses for long hauls. My feet hurt from constantly pressing against the metal backboard everytime the driver braked and my hips were bruised from the metal bars that kept me in the bed when he cornered. Sorry I didn't take a picture of the bus interior when I arrived in JingHong at 8 am - I was too tired and bruised to think about much more than finding a hotel.

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