11:09AM My bus arrived and my plane left
for Ningbo at 12:05PM.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
December 20th, 2013 Kunming
December 19th, 2013 Lijiang
9:30AM I woke late today. I told the girl downstairs to take me up for a picture after I asked her how to say I love you in 納西. She said she would buy me tea later. I then left.
10AM I first took some pictures at 黑龍潭. I heard that it costs 40 CNYs but could be
had for 10 CNYs if someone local takes me through another route. I did exactly that: stepping on some rocks to
cross a stream.
11AM I started walking toward the north
entrance and it took me half an hour to walk to #11 bus station. I was told by someone to take the van
instead. I only spent 3 CNYs to get to
the front door of 束河. I took a small horse around (25 CNYs). I was offered to go to 茶馬古道 for an
additional 75 but I refused because I didn't think we had time. Still, I found late that I could've gone to it for 80 with food and additional sights.
2PM I shared a van back for 5 CNYs. I started walking toward 萬古樓 and spend
just 5 to take pictures on top of a restaurant.
3PM I toured 木府. I got back to her hotel but she left. I asked the front to call her. She told me to walk around and wait until dark. I took another look at 黑龍潭 until 7.
7PM I met her at 大水車. The noodle and 汽鍋雞 were horrible. They were bland. I didn't buy her flowers and songs. She made me feel like it was unnecessary
9PM We got to Bamboo Bar at 8PM. I
bought her a cocktail at Bamboo. She is
quite pleasant and kind, slightly traditional.
She is traditional but clever and righteous. She says she sees many tourist and obviously, everything is
unrealistic.
9:30 I kissed her on the cheek and said
farewell. I walked to the southern gate,
which was far and a mistake. There was
no sharing so I paid 30 CNYs myself. I
barely made it at 10:40PM.
10:55PM The train left and I had a fever
all night. This was the cause for my cough and consequently, hernia.
December 18th, 2013 Shangri-la
6AM I looked through some websites for restaurant recommendations. I left at 7 and got a shared taxi for 15 CNYs
and bought a ticket to Shangri-la for 61 CNYs.
1PM I arrived at Shangri-la and a bunch
of people got off at 虎跳峽, which I
skipped because I thought it was for sure boring.
2PM I took bus #1 to the old town and
then took an hour to walk through it.
Subsequently, I took bus #4 to
the 松贊寺. I couldn't get the
student's discount so I ended up paying 115 CNYs to get in. The tour guide was slow and I discovered
during his delivery that the 轉經筒 is at the
old town. He also found that I am
foreign.
3:45PM I took the #4 to the old town and
ran up to then spin it. I waited around
10 and finally did it with 8 people or so.
4:37PM I took a taxi for 7 minutes and
made it to the 4:45PM train. We arrived
at 8:30. The couple paid for my cab and
I walked to the 心驛. However, it closed because boss
moved. I tried 腊排骨火锅, which was
mediocre for 38 CNYs and a 酸梅汤 for 6 CNY
for a total of 55 CNYs with 1 CNY worth of utensils.
9PM I shared a conversation with a man
and 2 girls at that restaurant. I didn't drink until I was
on the way home.
11PM The bars were uneventful so I
returned, had my guava juice and slept.
December 17th, 2013 Dali, Lijiang
6:40AM I woke and tried to wake the girl
downstairs by 7. She didn't until 7:30
and led me out. Bus number 2 didn't come
so I asked to share a cab with a girl for 20 CNYs. 蒼山洱海 seriously
was not anything special.
9AM I got to 崇聖寺. It wasn't anything special either. It was especially annoying to find most of it being new.
11AM I finished and went back to the old town for some 耙肉餌絲. It was basically 米线 with the same soup. The meat in 米线, I was told, is spicier while the meat in 餌絲 is more blended. The noodle here is more chewy.
12PM I got back and left Luxi's home. I was too lazy to listen to her advice, telling me to go all the way back to old town again to buy the ticket there. I thought there would be a train leaving from Kunming at 8, which would get here around 3. I guess it gets here and stays until 5 and goes with the same 10 o'clock train I took yesterday. I took a bus for an hour to the train station. Unfortunately, the only train leaving in the afternoon is at 5:10PM. Reluctantly, I bought the ticket for 77.5 CNYs. I couldn't bear staying at the station for four more hours. So I paid 2.5 CNYs to store my luggage and took a bus back to Dali.
2PM I got back in just about an
hour. I went and stuffed myself with
street food on the walking streets.
3:50 PM I waited for about 10
minutes. The third bus was the charm
with the same driver that took me to the station 3 hours ago.
4:20PM I got to the bus station in an
hour and the train left at 5.
7PM My train arrived. I waited for 30 minutes with a couple of
girls at the bus station and arrived at Lijiang at 9PM. They were thinking about sharing a car to
Shangri-la but because they were taking a 2 day trip, I declined.
9PM I settled on a nice room for 100
CNYs. They said it is a discount from
120.
11PM I had a beer at the bar
street. There were a lot of bars so I
didn't know which one to go into. They
closed at 11:30PM. I went to this
underground bar and was basically forced into buying 2 drinks for this
girl. The waiters were trying to
embarrass me when I was going to buy for
myself. I had to feel bad for this other
guy who bought over 1200 CNYs worth of drinks for the same girls. I left after finding out one of the girls was
married. There were a lot of hookers
available because I kept getting asked that.
December 16th, 2013 Dali
1AM We arrived and each got 200 CNYs as
compensation. Well, some people weren't
happy...
3AM They sent us to the train station to
look for hotels but I went to look for a train ticket. There was one at 8AM but it takes around 8
hours. I opted to follow a man who said
there would be a 4 hour bus for 140 CNYs.
I agreed and walked with him for several blocks. After paying, I went to look for 福照樓. It was closed until 9AM of course. I walked back and took the bus, which didn't
leave until an hour after at 7.
9AM I woke up, finding that we were
asked to turn back 40 minutes onto the highway.
I grouped with 2 other guys from 贵州. We bought a ticket for 105 CNYs. I paid 100 because I didn't have change. They found that I am American from my
passport.
10:20AM I ran to get 汽鍋雞 but they
only had 涼米線 at the
time. I bought it and ran back.
11:30AM
I got back at 11 but they didn't leave until half past. I should've gotten 汽鍋雞 and may have
made it.
6PM I arrived at Dali. Awesome!
I took a bus for 40 minutes to old town and had myself some 白族酸辣魚. Sichuan fish is better in my opinion,
especially because this gave me 3 episodes of diarrhea. I got some travel info from the people at my
table, who told me to go to 蒼山 and 三塔. I then had a massage with fish. It made me laugh a lot but I had to leave
because I had my second episode of diarrhea at Kaiyi's kitchen. I had some hot milk tea there.
10PM My host came to the foreigner's
street for some food and I had a watermelon juice.
December 15th, 2013 Mandalay
3AM I arrived at Mandalay with a couple and an Asian girl who went their separate ways. I took refuge in a hotel for a couple of hours before getting on a motorcycle to the shore at 5PM. An old lady would take me for 20,000 MMKs. I took the motorcycle driver's offer instead at 15 USDs.
9AM We arrived at Miguin, which took over an hour! It wad worth it though. I got back at 10AM and then went to Shwenandaw, which was 10 USDs for many sites but I could only do the wooden apartment for 10 USDs because there wasn't enough time.
12:30PM I finished with Kuthodaw Paya, which has 700 plus book plaques and
took the cab driver's offer for 15 USDs.
I thought I was going to be much closer to U-bein bridge but I couldn't
even see it on the high way. I was pretty disappointed knowing the
pictures would've been good. I paid just
10 USDs, 300 MMKs and what is left of my entry ticket to the parks.
2:10PM I checked in, without knowing our
flight was going to be delayed 6 hours. There was snow in Kunming. I chitchatted with some Chinese people.
The flight finally left at 10PM. I could've gone to the U-bein bridge!!! Agh!
December 14th, 2013 Bagan
5:30AM I woke my roommate with all the
noise. I took off around 5:30AM with my
electric bike. It was very cold in the morning but I met several Hong Kong photographers, one of whom lent
me his Cokin graduated filter, which made night and day differences.
11AM Temples here require you to take your shoes off before entering. That was so annoying especially when you have to do it at every temple. I went to several temples before coming back to New Bagan for something to drink and exchange. I did it at Bagan House. They gave me 9650 MMKs instead of 9660 MMKs because they didn't have 10 MMKs notes.
12PM Midday was really hot I couldn't bare my feet on the temple.
4PM I finally started to negotiate for
the sand paintings. I saw them earlier. They were pretty interesting. No one would come
down on their prices. I tried taking a nap at the biggest temples because I was
about to fall asleep standing. I got may
be 20 minutes on the floor. I finally
paid 6 MMKs for the gold one. I missed the
sunset by a minute! Let hope the morning
pictures were good. Before I left, I
bought another painting for 25 USDs (Some painter told me they are worth 3500
and 5000 MMKs respectively.
7PM I returned the bike. The owner let me use his shower. I am waiting here for the bus to depart at
9:30PM.
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