I'm so behind I'm having to write my blogs in twos and in the place after stuff actually happened. I think I'd got to the end of my day in Lijiang. Travelling again overnight by sleeper bus I made it into Kunming early in the morning, dropped my bag off at the train station and set off to find my train tickets.

I only booked my train tickets in advance through Vodka Train because I needed proof of exit from China (I've since found out I could have just shown them my flight ticket from Bangkok as that proved I was moving on) and thought may as well book a whole package. This was not a good plan. Firstly, I'm stuck with it and can't stay on longer anywhere or move on early if I feel like it. And secondly it doesn't "save hassle and leave you to enjoy your trip", it actually creates more hassle because instead of just going to the train station I have some very non-specific directions to a random building in a random street which is never where it is meant to be, and I normally start thinking I'm going somewhere I'm not meant to be as I find myself on a remote floor of an old office building in extreme disrepair. Then I find a matching room number and someone jumps up with a big smile as if all they're doing is waiting for me and presents me with a train ticket. This person can also never speak English which seems a little odd for an international tour outfit and not very helpful when they change my train, as they did the other day. Anyway, I guess it's part of the adventure and I do feel quite proud of myself every time I track down a train ticket, it's like a treasure hunt.

After this I had a wander round the city, especially the Flower and Bird Market which was pretty cool. Lonely Planet quips "this market seems to sell everything apart from flowers and birds" but I found not only flowers and birds but hamsters, rabbits, fish, snakes, chameleons and a tarantula! The people on the stalls seemed to realise I wasn't about to buy a tarantula and didn't hassle me like the jewelry and clothes sellers, so I could stop and stare a bit.

I also went to a park. The parks in China are mad. It's actually a place people go regularly(normally older people) to meet up and spend the day, not like in England where you'll go to the park for a run or occasionally for a picnic or something. There are people singing every few metres, surrounded by respectful and solemn faced music page turners and people playing random accompanying instruments. Traditional Chinese singing sounds like a cat being strangled to my ears, but it was good to experience it. They also have groups of women doing aerobics, tai chi, dancing as well as loads of pairs playing chinese chequers and cards.

During my time in Kunming I started to feel like a minor celebrity, as though perhaps I'd been on Big Brother a few years ago. People by and large ignored me, but everywhere I went I'd get a few stares and points, when I bought food those selling it were quite shy and seemed a little in awe, and then every so often I'd get someone coming up to me in a flurry of great excitment asking to take my picture and saying "welcome to China". It made a nice change after being hassled in Beijing and Xian, where as I walked down the street I was surrounded by a chorus of "Lady lady come look, beautiful lady!" I've never been called beautiful lady so many times. Still, good as a confidence boost I guess, I recommend anyone in need of an ego massage to wander round a Beijing market, you get compliments galore.

In the park I was befriended by a man called "Joseph" who spoke perfect English. Remembering I was not to encourage men, and also fearing he may try and rob me, I was fairly reserved to begin with but he seemed to just be friendly so we walked around chatting for a while. He took a couple of pictures of me on his phone, which I hate, but I normally just let people do it as otherwise they look upset and I guess it doesn't cause me any harm. I asked him for directions back to my hostel and he offered to walk part of the way with me and suggested we have some tea with his friend on the way. At first I said no as I needed to get my train in a couple of hours (it also crossed my mind he may try and drug me) but then I thought the whole travelling thing is about experiencing other cultures so I should have tea with a local if I get the opportunity. We went to a teahouse, like the many I've walked past with curiosity. They sell lots of different types of tea (dur!) and there is a little table with lots of tea making implements. They wash the leaves first and pour it into tiny cups, and the leaves come as a block a bit like a cake or something. Joesph told me this tea was very special as it was aged and was very good for you. Well, it was good for my brain because after the first thimble-ful I remembered someone I'd met warning me not to go to a tea house with anyone speaking English who appeared friendly as they rip you off and charge you a collossal amount of money. He'd paid 200Y which is about 20 pounds for a few cups of tea.

My suspicions were first aroused when they appeared to be trying to distract me by showing me the pictures Joseph had taken and saying "beautiful girl". I don't know if that works on other women but appealing to my vanity wasn't going to con me and I immediately thought "what are they up to?" When they tried to give me another type of tea I asked how much it would be and they kept saying "oh it's not very much, don't worry about it". After much insistence they finally said 45Y (the most I've paid for tea in the whole of China was 15Y in Beijing) as it was very special old tea. I insisted that I didn't want any more and they seemed quite contrite and said the second one was on the house. I knew the tea was kosher and it was my own fault for being so stupid so I paid the 45Y when I left and I suppose it's worth it for learning a lesson like that over something small. I don't know how he pulled the wool over my eyes as I'm normally not very trusting of people but never mind, he should go on the apprentice! At least he was just drumming up business for his friend and not ripping me off completely - I got what I paid for I just wasn't told what I'd be paying for in the first place.

Anyway, this resulted in me being late going back to my hostel which was about a mile away. I don't know if there was something in that tea, but considering I was still very much under the weather from my gorge fever I suddenly felt very energetic and also went very hot and red. I made it back, collected my laundry and to the bus stop only 10 minutes after I'd meant to set off, only for me to realise it was rush hour and the roads were chaotic. The bus took forever but I got off at "North Train Station" with 45 minutes to get my bag and find my train so I thought I'd just make it. Which is when I realised I did not want "North Train Station" but "Main Train Station". I stopped in the middle of the street and swore loudly, which got me bemused looks from two men sitting leisurely nearby on their scooters. I figured even if I got a taxi I'd probably miss my train as the stations are about 3 miles apart and the roads were getting worse. I looked back at the men on the scooters. After pointing at the map and the scooter and with no time to haggle I found myself speeding through the city centre sat behind a very proud looking Chinese man. I was a bit disappointed to be honest as I thought it may be more like a motorbike and it actually went fairly slowly for the most part. Mad or clever it worked, as after almost getting my makeshift taxi arrested (apparently what we did is illegal) and leaving my laundry in the baggage room and having to run back for it I made it onto my train very breathless and with minutes to spare.

Well that's up until I left Nanning, and I still have the last couple of days to write up! I'll try and get up to date before I leave China.

xx