back to Yunnan

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21 Apr 2003



almost got myself killed today!!! it was so hot last night especially in that hotel room, to top it up...mosquitoes!!! hadn't been bitten for a long time. can't sleep...don't know how but all I know when the house keeper woke me up at 6am and told me the bus will leave soon. strange in this town, bus leave on time but...they like to circle around town looking for more people. it start at 6 and when we leave town at 7, it was full...I think they know what they are doing! but for me...it was kind of city tour since I hadn't see the town last night, and yes...it is big, even has 2 bus station, and for me big town mean not only one single street, here they has couple of main street and couple of supermarket, many restaurant with name...I mean a sign broad, interest name too...like...WouWou rice(I have no idea what it is)...king of ChongQing fat intestine...I'd forgot some. anyways...the plan for today is to get to the JinShaJiang where there is a rapid which said to be the most dangerous rapid under this sky, no boat/ship has ever sail through it, of cause...except the great China national rafting team back some years ago. so...the bus winding through the mountain, now here we got some rice terraces scene(hadn't seen it for a while) got to the village call LuHe by 11am. got invited by the driver to share lunch in the only shop which open in the village. I took the chance to research for my forward journey, finally come up with the plan....walk down to the valley where is a village call HuangChaoPing, and from there I can hire(looking for whoever has a boat) anything to cross the rapid into Yunnan, from there walk to a village call TanShan then there will be transportation to a big town. ok...sound easy to me. quickly fed myself, stock up with water and off I go. only one track down the valley it seen, sky was clear and very hot, and I met a man who is from TanShan and is going back there also, great...so...I just follow him all the way through a lot of short cut. the track are full of loose sand and stone, very slippery, even my guide slip for couple of times(no need to mention about mine). half way down I can see the LaoJuanTan rapid, and since the water was low, so...no dangerous feel can be detected. so...I decided to give it a pass once we get to the village down the valley, and press on to the other side of the river. hot and windy, there are huge sand bay by the river, I feel like walking on Sahara, my mouth is fill with sand and dry...I'd down 1 bottle of water already. since Mr. Lee is local, and he located the boatman in no time, and he paddle us cross JinShaJiang, I try to took a picture of him, and the boatman kind of said*NO*, I thought he was angry, but in fact, he want to put on his cloth and trousers since he only has his underwear on at that moment. and happily he kind of post for a few shot! 3 yuans each for the ride. and from there is all the way up hill, once we started climbing and I know something was wrong with my physical condition, I need to take a break every 10 steps or so, my mouth was so dry, there was no shade all along the trail, the sun was so hot, it was burning! Mr. Lee was far ahead of me now, and suddenly I saw a small cave on the right side of the trail, I gingerly got in, I almost past-out when I let off my backpack, really...I felt short of breathing, my feet has no energy, I just lied there even there is no flat ground inside the cave, thought I heard Mr. Lee shouting at me from a distant but I had no energy to answer back, just close my eye and rest, luckily there was some wind and I don't know how long I'd been lay there, honesty I was scare, I only had half bottle of water, I wish Mr. Lee will come back and save me but he had long gone. but what can I do...I try to stand up but my feet was trembling....I was scare! only word came from my mind...OLD...I'm not that fit anymore, so....no more free beer anymore to whoever tell me that I am look like 25 year old later!!!! I began to do some Qi(breathing) and calm my emotion, perhaps an hour later I finally gather up some energy to push on up hill. by surprise.. when I walk pass the corner and I saw a village which I know is XiaoTianBa half way to TanShan. I should had struggle up here before for a better place to rest..but...do you think I can manage???? find the only shop in the village...but no water, ok...whatever can drink as long as it is not alcohol. amazingly find a church there and they said they are all Christian, by the way, it is a Yi village. I just seat outside the church, and all the villager came with curiosity. an old man even got me a cup of tea, I just stay there try to wait for sunset and then start up again. someone suggested that I can hire a horse to bring me up the hill, but I proudly say no since my pride say I can walk(stupid!!!) find out there still a long way to walk to TanShan, can't wait until sunset cause it will be too dark later. so...seen like my body is fine after some rest and 3 liter of liquid. load my backpack on my back and follow the direction they gave me...the word still in my head....UP UP....! I find it is not really a track, a lot of unclear tee off, and less than 10 minutes later I was tire like before. and I dame myself for turn down the deal about hiring a horse. and then I saw a young man coming down from the mountain who turn out to be my saver, I stop him for direction and as usual he start to ask me all the same questions. and suddenly he offer to bring me up to TanShan with a horse, I was over with joy secretly, and we agreed for 30 yuans(even if he ask for more I would accepted with rice gush out from my mouth), so he said he will going down to his house and fetch the horse, I was worry he will no coming back up so I ask him to promise me 2 times so I wait there. 45 minutes later he show up as promise with a horse. loaded my backpack on the horse and I walk only with 2 bottle of water in both of my hand. I tell you...still I was so tire iwith every step I make, luckily it wasn't that hot and the higher we climb the fresher the air. we got to TanShan just before dark. went straight to the government office, explained to them who I'm and why I came here. got myself arranged in a spare room. ate an instant noodle, wash myself with a bucket of cold water then instantly went to sleep. what a day....!!!

on my way to Kunming
22 Apr 2003



now I'm in KunMing district, LuQu area, at the northern most area by the JinShaJiang next to SiChuan. can't believe last night I still couldn't sleep well, perhaps there was too nosy in the building there, wonder why people still walk up and down all night, it was supposed to be a government office building, perhaps they are coming to watch me sleep from the window, it was dark outside and I don't feel like open my eye to find out. anyway...people talk or speak excitingly outside and I check my watch...it read 05:35. yeah....people are gathering for the truck ride to ZheHei for the market(that's where I'm heading today), so...I got up and made myself ready. there was 3 trucks outside and I find out later I pick the worst one. it sound like a dying buffalo all the way, everytime when it was on the curve up hill, it dead...and the truck began to roll backward, standing on the back of the truck and I can see the cliff from below...no joke! finally it broken down, luckily not took long to fixed it, then the truck engine was over heat and the driver need to go looking for water to cool it down, what a ride to start the day! finally we get to ZheHei by nine. still early and thing start to heat up. yeah...the market in Yunnan side are different, more seller here, I can see some Yi people in costume, kind of like the Zhuang people in eastern Yunnan. but with a funny hat like a bucket on their head. also they has a sheep skin sleeveless jacket, it is a whole piece of sheep skin, very nice. here even some Han women wear costume. market getting busy by the time I left(noon), go further south for another 50km to a town call SaYinPan for better accommodation. and corrected, a good room for 30 yuans even has seat toilet! and of cause...I hadn't use internet for 2 days...haaa.... strange thing here...I guess there never been any outsider into this town, why??? I was into a internet place less than 2 minutes and the police came(informed by the shop owner), he need to check my passport/ID, in China...travel alone mean strange...not normal.(later realised just because of stranger show-up during SARS peroid would raise alarm) stay in small places...want to see minority....no one will understand or believe you. I think they just want to save their ass if ever something will happen to me(in case), so...I do as he advise to register in the police station. stupid...! I need a good rest for tonight and think I will finish this trip 2 days later via Kunming and back home!

MaLuTang market
23 Apr 2003


went to MaLuTang for the market. they really start late, even though the seller arrive early, same as me...8 o'clock, they just sit together playing card, or just lay down and sleep, no one seen like to unpack their goods. there are many truck loaded into the village. all they sell are daily thing as what you will see in any market in Yunnan, here they do had a big market for fire- wood, load of horse/donkey cart full of branch wood for sale. same...dominated by Han and Yi here, with the same costume like what I seen yesterday. they said they has Miao people in the area, but I couldn't spot any, perhaps here Miao people has no costume!!??? guess I caught a cold with those truck ride out in the open, too cold and windy. guess I will take a half day off. after the market tomorrow and I will heading to Kunming in the afternoon.


ended trip
24 Apr 2003



not much happening in SaYinPan market, there are some Miao people, almost similar to the one in MaNan, with only a white skirt. guess it was time to make my way to Kunming. dislike almost every bus driver and conductor, they treat people like shit and dishonest, and of cause...always want to squeeze more money out of your pocket. the more close to the city the more worst. finally got to the west station in Kunming(HuangTuPo), from there a short bus ride to the main bus station. I don't remember I saw so many people wearing a mask few weeks ago, in fact...I hadn't notice one last time when I was in Kunming. seen like the SARS really get to the nerve of people here. strange thing are no one feel embarrassing about wearing a mask, in fact...people thought it was kind of fashion, most people put on the normal clinic mask, but together with a cool sun-glass, here we go...! and heard there was some designer made mask on sale in the market, I saw a Hello-Kitty mask, and a young boy hand paint some design on his mask...cool...! like the old Chinese saying : when the homeward desire is activate, you want to travel like a speedy arrow. so....I brought the sleeper bus ticket for 18:30pm. and go looking for a mask...haaa...haaa...!!! unbelievable...out of stock in every shop! finally I find one in a kiosk which cost only 4 yuans, and it doesn't look clean to me, but...I want to try it, I never wear a mask in public like this before. fun....but after a while I gave up, hot and it smell. to hell with the SARS! ......finally bus left the station at 20:30pm and I finish my April trip in a sleeper bus fill up with boxes and people.

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