Among other surprises, our
hotel dormitory has an advert for the
V-brator! The lads washing dishes don't notice their cigarette ash landing in the wrong place... Don't think I give a shit whether breakfast is included or not. Carl (from Sweden), Shoko and I found a busy dumpling shop down the street and joined the hordes of diners there.
The first bus I climbed aboard in China gives a shining example of the growing gap between the nation's rich and poor. This is the most luxurious bus I've ever known: 2-person arm-chair suites left of the aisle and singles on the right. The steward doled out bottled water to everyone. At 100 km/h we cruise past farmers with low-tech tools busting a sweat to barely feed their own family, let alone educate or afford health care for them. Why do we always admire the colourful fashion of old cultures?
It was incredibly good timing when Yak rescued me at the bus stop in Dali new city, Xiguan. Feeling vulnerable before retrieving my backpack, a taxi driver jumped in my way shouting,
Y40 to Dali?
I was ready to punch him to get to my backpack. Yak sorted me out for catching the local bus (only Y1.5) and the hostel in Dali old city (18km north).
We have good service
is printed on the flyer but I'd like to re-phrase it to pretty bloody average for this hostel.
Y120 is a bit pricey when expecting to pay Y10 only to enter the temple at the rear, instead of freely visiting the 3 pagodas. Yak's wife Jin is ex-military and gets free entry. Yak and I jump in a horse-drawn cart to get just a distant view from up the hill.
A wonderful dinner with the hostel neighbour from Neice (France).
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