World China Yunnan Dali

Chelsea Champions 04/05, Love It, and soon to be again, for sure.

Dali Sep 14, 2005

Getting up early in a dorm sucks, as you have to creep round really quiet as everyone else is asleep, and try packing your bag without making any noise, its impossible. So after doing my best to be quiet I just sacked that off and went about my business, a few woke up had a little look, but didnt say anything.

Travelling to Dali today which is northwest of Kunming at the start of the Himalayas, its supposed to be a cool ancient city, with a good laid back atmos. Got to the train station with old Dongy in tow, and got to the right carriage through the stampede of Chinese, one lady got knocked down the stairs, it was chaos. On a hard seat for the six hour trip, again had real issues with the Chinese staring at me, this one bloke would not stop doing it, so I just stared right back at him saying what the fu*k do you want, obviously only as he couldnt speak english. Eventually he just got on with his card game and of course spitting in the aisles like the rest of them.

The trip went pretty fast really and we arrived in Xiagun the new town of Dali built after an earthquake ripped through this part back in the 60s destroying pretty much most things. Its funny I walk out of the station and I dont get harrassed at all as they cant speak to me, but they think Dongy's Chinese and start crowding round him, works for me I tell you, I just stroll on hassle free, love it. Got straight out of there and arrived in Dali about 2pm, left Dongy as he was staying in some Korean Hostel and got myself a decent joint for 15 Yuan.

Met up with the old boy later and walked round the old town, nice place full of Bai people wearing there traditional dress, with some trying to sell you the Ganja, as this town is reknowned for being some what relaxed about the whole weed thing, for Chinas standards of policing anyway. The Ganja grows everywhere here, literally its a weed you walk out of the main part of the city and you cant walk 5 mins without seeing a big bush of it growing by the path, never seen such a thing. So of course the town has a real chilled out vibe and its a beautiful place set between this huge lake and this massive mountain range, which is the start of the Himalayas in China and my ascent of them.

Ended up bumping into Young the other Korean who had met up with his Czech mate Roman, this bloke was crazy he had hitchhiked from the Czech republic through eastern europe, turkey, Iran, Pakisatan and into India crazy, plus he's been travelling for 3 years non stop and only spent on average 2000 US a year what a joke. That night ended up at the Korean GH with about 5 Korean girls joining us, weird night as they were drinking but its a Korean thing to drink and eat biscuits, well strange.

Thursday 15th September

Got up an believe this or not, I washed my own clothes, butmanaged to balls up somewhat as threw all the colours together, as the machine was ancient and there was no hot water. But a couple of t shirts are now a nice blue colour, they had started to go that way anyway from all the shoddy washes I had got done in Vietnam.

Went to meet old Dongy but the bastard was still asleep so thought I would bail on him today and go off on a mission on a bike round the the villages and down to the Er Hai lake. I got going and first stop was up this monster hill to go see some ancient temple, I eventually got up the hill without stopping and some old dude wouldnt let me in the bastard, to think he saw me riding up this giant hill all the way till I got right next to him and then he decides to say no entry, pissed me right off.

After a couple more hill climbs i thought sod this as it was roasting, so I headed for the monster lake about 6 Ks away, on flat ground I might add. Went through some cool villages of local Bai people, they were all busy sorting out the rice harvest, they are a lot friendlier then the Han Chinese they were all shouting hello as I past, unlike the Han who just stand and stare at me.

Later I was riding through some more villages and I got stopped by a bunch of kids one cheeky sod jumped on my bike and demanded I take him towards his village, he even started asking me for a ciggy. I gave him a lift much to the amusement of his mates who tried chasing us so I put the gas on and left them behind the kid had the cheek to demand I took a route out of my way near his village. Then rode through the village which was cool all the locals were in the streets drying out the picked rice and corn so as I rode past they were all staring and shouting out hello, it was awesome.

That night got some lush noodle soup and some questionable spare ribs, more ribs then any meat. After hit the supermarket where I could not believe what my ears were hearing, coming out of the public address system (not Tanyo) was none other than Blazin Squad and flip reverse it, in deepest China, what a disgrace.

Friday 16th September

Got up and ate this local specialty, Naxi bread called Baba, it had some random sweet filling in it but it was pretty good and you cant complain when your having breakfast for 1 Yuan (5p). Met up with the Koreans and we decided we would tackle the mountain and walk up it, a couple of girls joined us both mingin as that's all I seem to meet in China, one was British and couldn't face walking up the mountain so she hired one of the local horsemen to take her up there, lazy bitch.

It was a sweaty old climb but I managed to keep up with the horses, Dongy was last I think he was struggling as his carrying a few pounds. The view was awesome looking over Er Hai lake, Dali Ancient Town and the rest of the valley, bloody cold up there mind you so we came back to down after about ten mins. We stopped halfway to chill for about 3 hours, while Young tried drying is hand picked weed in the sun.

That night ate back at the same noodle joint had a lush noodle soup and fried noodles for 1 buck, probably the best food I have had in mainland China so far. In total I spent 30 Yuan today which is two pounds, that includes accommodation and everything, loving it.

Got back to the hostel and found I had a new bloke in the room a Chinese fella, he was snoring like a trooper, had to resort to the Pod to get me to fall asleep as I had to deal with some load Chinese birds next door too, the Chinese don't mind shouting when they talk I tell you.