Guangxi to Bejiing, China 19/06/08

---

After the Longseng rice fields it was a 1.5 hour bus ride to Habicho followed by a 3.5 hour bus ride to Guilin. The waiting time in between for passangers however made me spend most of the day in transit and taveling. I didn’t have much time for Guilin and after purchasing dinner and breakfast (noodles and fruit again oh yea) I boarded my train. The journey was fun, and again I didn’t meet any other westerners. I met Yang Anfa, Chen and the chief they were teaching at English schools near Bejiing. Met Outlook Gao, who said to call him Gao. He worked at 2 jobs, 1 as a banker five days a week, the other as the director of a green energy company. We discussed interesting politics and developments in green energy in China. He was born in inner Mongolia in Hohhot. He was pretty well traveled having frequented Japan and Korea. He invited to show me around town the following day and meet his wife and son. I was really stoked. He also offered to take me to my hostel that night to make sure everything was ok. I said no but he insisted. We got off at the station and he said it was too late to get a bus or subway and I was better off getting a taxi.
I really had no chance to object because before I knew it he had ordered one for me. It cost 20RMB to get to Leo’s were I was staying (I also noticed Gao did not pre agree on a price either as I had grown accustomed to). He insisted on paying for the taxi, even though I objected he would have none of it. We found the hostel and he checked it out, and was satisfied it was decent. I ended up in a 4 bed dorm though I had booked an 8 bedder. It was good it was 55RMB a night. I met this really cool 72 year old Peter (from South Africa originally from Holland). He was retired and one day packed up his bags, took his car and drove from South Africa through Africa, to Europe and through Asia. At the moment his car was in Vietnam (he couldn’t bring it into China).

---