bikes and oil

Dali Wireism

Chinese T R U S T

This post describes the reality of real TRUST which has left me stunned, happy, warm, fuzzy and extremely thankful.

So, I've finally reached my destination from the humidities of S.E Asia to the cool and shiny mountains of China. These mountains are located in the Yunnan province. As with a few other destinations, I've been longing to come here for a while and yes, I've made it. Not easily. But yes! I'm right here, right now in Dali (See snippet below on the journey to my first Chinese point of call).

The journey involved coming from Thailand's lovely Chiang Mai to the border of Chiang Khong, losing a passport page and crossing over to $35 visa entry lazy Laos' Huay Xai - staying the night at "Friendship Guesthouse" (as I did all those four years ago - memories!), two Beer Laos & a confused meal order, then 8.30am onwards and upwards to China. I chose the challenged route - Why? I wanted to get on over to those Chinese rice terraces but it proved difficult. The eight hour journey was LONG and not a word of English was spoken/it's such an adventure sharing the rickety and rather scummy bus with local tribes, Chinese and Laos people. I love the lack of rules - I particularly love the fact that men spark up a light and smoke away like chimneys - pretty cool. It's always so intriguing to identify the contrasts between neighbouring countries at border level. From Laos' simple border at Boten to China's towered and mirrored buildings at Mohan. Mohan border was indeed steps ahead technology wise - I didn't even have to fill in my arrival card, the machine did it for me. The Chinese were indeed ready to check and thorough checks were made. Random Chinese lady folk were offering me Reminbi (Chinese currency) at the border...I was pondering on whether or not to exchange at this point, but nope, too late! My bus was clearly in a hurry. (On that note: our bus had stopped for a break whilst in Laos' Luang Nam Tha. Having discussed with body lingo and mini Chinese vocab, my interpretation was that we were able to eat lunch and the bus would be leaving in 45 mins. I'd left the bus behind and searched for food, ordered a bowl of Khao Soi noodles, took three bites of it, squeezed my lime into the bowl..looking forward to taste that zestness, but then...POW! "BEEP BEEP"! "zao la, zao laaa" (Go, go, go!), screamed the bus conductor. The bus had circled around the bus station a couple of times on a mission to hunt me down for I was unexpectedly late?! In actual fact this break was only a 5-10 minute toilet break. Our 'lost in translation' had not only almost left me behind in Laos, my taste buds also craved that lime noodle spoonful I'd missed! There was no beating around the bush, my rickety noisy bus was trying its best to 'quickly' move onwards to Mengla - my first Chinese destination, where I'd hoped to then get on a bus to those rice terraces...


YIKES
Eight or so hours later, I arrived in my first Chinese destination MENGLA (which i'd only learnt about the night before). All hot and sweaty from the shaky bus journey, I questioned the ticketing counter immediately on my bus journey to those rice terraces. NOPE! Impossible (well, merely. I'd have to catch two difficult buses). OK, so I'll give in (boo!) and go to Kunming (largest city in SW China) on sleeper bus. But daayam, no Chinese money (Reminbi) to buy that ticket..those regrets of not having changed up at the border had sunken in. So I went on a mission to find the closest ATM. After walking around like a duck in thick heat, the locals had pointed me in this direction and I turned up at "Yunnan Regional Cooperative Bank" and as predicted, nope - money was impossible to withdraw! My next step was the ask the staff in my inadequate and non-existent Mandarin and her limited and non-existent English and to ask if currency exchange was available. As predicted once again, the answer was NEGATIVE. "Is there a Bank of China?" (as my Lonely Planet of 2010 had suggested?)...her answer left me once again feeling a bit sad :(



TRUST
She called around to enquire but still no luck. This sweet bank teller must have felt my disappointment and stress in those unhappy answers, so much that she then (wait for it..) OFFERED to lend me money herself. Stunned! I was willing to exchange Thai Baht/HK Dollar/USD. But nope, she was willing just to OFFER this money to me (of course, in hope that i'd pay back!). She then went onto withdraw this cash and to my astonishment, this generous lady was willing to give 1,000 RMB (over £120!!!). That goes along way in China, especially in rural regions. Jeez! Hell's bell's. I was happy with 600 RMB so we settled at that. I was still in shock! You can't trust a foreigner I be thinking! Or anyone, to be fair! The lovely lady very casually wrote down her bank details on a small piece of paper. Her trust was within me and mine within her's and I was smiling inside for a good long while (still am!).

I asked for her email address, details etc....but all she gave me was her phone number. I'd settle the money into her account in Kunming and that was our promise (I did so. that was another mission and a half). She didn't push. We exchanged names at this point. Xie Xie, Mei! 'You are a very, very good person', I repeated in badly toned Mandarin.


Highly enthused and deeply appreciative. You saved me, Mei. I dedicate this to you! x


(Apologies - in reflection of my bus conductor, this post was hurriedly written!)

What a waste of water! (or not)

After having missed this event twice on my last legs of trips in S.E. Asia, I will now vow not to miss another if I am in the region. An absolutely unbelievable fun event taken place (officially) from April 13th to 16th - Thai New Year ... SONGKRAN!!!

Chiang Mai (beautiful city. big heart!) is apparently the place to be during this funny water festival - the birth of Song Kran! I had told myself i would be playing Songkran the traditional way i.e flicking water from the bucket towards the respective target and wishing them a happy new year (in Thai). That came about, wowever, given into peer pressure, atmosphere and fellow friends, I jumped on the bandwagon and parted with a few hundred Baht to acquire myself with a naughty "Doraemon" watergun powergun (little did i know it would be a limp gun.. surely it had to be right? It was Doraemon!). Alongside this limp gun, I forked out on a bucket where I could easily collect the rancid moat water (which indeed spelt trouble: rashes and infections post Songkran!). Ice water was the most feared.

Despite the sad loss of water, the idea of such a festival is an excellent idea (especially in such April intensifying HEAT). It does kinda get out of hand but you know it's fun, and especially fun when the Thais are heavily involved. You have to laugh! The only time you would avoid entering a Seven Eleven (air con heaven)....You gotta be in it, to win it! Plus, it was my birthday, bahaha. Sawadee Ka!

This is the only photo I can show off to you right now.. waterproofs were definitely at the ready.