Out of China as fast as a streak of paint drying

From Guilin onto Yangshuo, a small town nearby (maybe an hour and a half on the bus, blaring a horn the whole way) very very pretty, though still as cold. A post about those four days coming soon, but first on my escape from China.

I took a train trip to Shenzhen growing rich off the nutritious tourist and business stream entering Hong Kong. Instead of the 12 hours it was supposed to take, I waited at the station from 9pm to 7am waiting for news.

In all I prefer the honesty of the train station signs to those at an airport, where the flight time is put back again and again and again and finally is cancelled. All we were told was "no news" for 6 hours until it was hinted at the train would get in at around 6am.

The train got moving, very greatful to be able to lie down on my bed after sitting wrapped around my bags at Guilin station for so long. However when the train got to the source of the delay arriving it did what you would expect and stopped again. For about 16 hours. I was greatful for buying an expensive ticket, played chinese chess late into the night with various people and talked to an america guy trying to get home. After a total of around 40 hours we made it into Shenzhen, through imigration into Hong Kong (Xiang gang to the Mandarin speakers) with just enough time to find a guest house, sleep grab breakfast and head to the airport.

So here I am, roasting in the heat of a Manila evening in the north of the Philippines.

Watching the news in Hong Kong I saw how some serious bad snow storms (probably the worst on some record somewhere) where stranding tens of thousands of people trying to get home for Spring festival. Have a thought for those people next time the tube train takes 6 minutes to arrive instead of 3.




somewhere between Guilin and Shenzhen


Manila - Philippines

"Guilin's scenery is the greatest under heaven"

Well, id have to go for Iceland above Guilin, but maybe because its a tad cloudy? The ancient chinese didn't do a great deal of exploring outside China, so I am guessing they missed Iceland. Guilin is pretty good though.

Chinese Blues

Passing a bar - minor chord - 30 seconds from my hostel I heard a small band playing. I figure why not and go in and have a beer. Talk to the barstaff in chinese and english (mostly english) then talk to some of the people playing up on the miniture stage. They had great voices, good drummers and nice guitar work. They spoke next to no english so it was up to me to use my chinese, but we talked some and drank some.

Then a battered looking harmonica held together with wire was produced by one of them and I gave them a quick demo. I haven't played for 4 months but they were impressed and we had a jam on stage. It was a lot of fun though I couldn't get across the concept of one last time, so they didn't stop and round we went again with another 12 bar phrase.

After a slow and a quick i let them get on with it and sat and watched. They really were great, one guy from denmark or similar asked me to let them know how good they were and it was a great night.

Thanks the guys from Yunnan.

Shilin - the stone forest

If it hasn't been used as a set for a fantasy adventure film involving goblins, the occasional wizard and a magic sword, then it should have been. We are back in Kunming briefly to visit Shilin - the stone forest. The big black hole of a tourist attraction sucking everyone away from Kunming and pulling 140 yuan out of their pockets for the privaledge of visiting.

But it was worth it.

Get right inside the major forest, the huge slabs of stone forming archways and semi cave like structures. Trees and vines clamber and grip to the rock, with an occasional pool of still water.

Meet a couple of chinese students (kevin and perfect; no not a description, their names) whose English is much better than your chinese, then wander around some more.

Now admire the view

Orient Express

Well the name is half right. From Kunming to Guilin by train takes 18 hours, thankfully there are beds if you are prepared to pay a british sarcastic massive 25pounds for your soft sleeper ticket. Although express might not be exactly appropriate (though it is around a 1000km trip) it was on time, which after 18 hours is pretty impressive. It was also comfortable and warm, with wake up calls for your stops. And, like everywhere in China, a constant supply of hot drinking water for your tea leaves.


Guilin does have the scenery going for it though im back to wearing a hat and scarf etc. This was taken 100m from my hostel. Yes, that's a cormorant catching fish from that boat.

Warning: the following photos may produce feelings of extreme jealousy

Viewer discretion is advised, particularly if you are experiencing heavy rain.













Kunming, south China; plenty of noodles, lots of Chinese people and not a single hint of a cloud for a week. Nothing. Not even a faint wisp that's got lost or decided to run away from the big bully nimbus.

The most famous landmark in the area is the stone forest (visiting tomorrow) but a trip out to Xishan (western mountain or hills) was well worth it. After 3 or 4 hours walk depending on how often you stop to admire the view, or if you fancy some lunch at the restaurant along the way, you reach Dragon Gate. Here you have some spectacular views of lake Dian and Kunming itself.

The Cuihu park - mostly consisting of a lake with lots of walkways is great if you want to listen to random groups playing traditional chinese music. The hostel is warm clean and full of friendly people. Did I mention it is sunny?

QI things from China - Receipt Scratch Cards

Some quite interesting things from China are the receipt/scratch cards given at the end of a meal. To insure that the restaurant records the transaction at the end of a meal, the customers are given an incentive to ask for a receipt...

The receipts have a small scratch off panel which may reveal a prize of some money.

So far in the 12 weeks I have been here I have only seen them win twice (in both case 5yuan or 33pence) the most you can win is 100yuan (6pounds).