Tummy troubles, overnight train and being an environmentally friendly traveller - 1 December 2011

Last day in Hong Kong had the second consecutive morning of waking up with horrible tummy pains. Obviously not the Burger King - think my tummy is adjusting to travel in general! We were to take the overnight train to Guilin (14h) in the evening so I ate barely anything all day because there was no way I was going to have a yuck tummy on the train! We caught the MTR to the border, and had our first hiccup of the tour. We had to change MTRs at one point and only half the group made the change. So we continued to the border while our guide went back to pick up the others. Eventually got the group back together, went through customs and waited at the train station for the train to Guilin.

At 5.30pm boarded the train. Surprisingly comfortable - chatting about life, travels, kiwi slang and Maori boys (haha) while listening to Fat Freddies, Ed Sherman, Chase & Status (thanks to a guy's IPOD that has spent a bit of time working in NZ). Managed to not have to use the toilets all night (I have a huge dislike of squat toilets!) and went to sleep when the lights went out at 10pm. 7.30am we arrived in Guilin and jumped on the bus headed for Yangshuo. (Finally had to use the squat toilet - not too bad though the floors were wet so I wipe my jandals with antibacterial stuff after!)

The scenery to Yangshuo was amazing! Different to anything I have ever seen.. MOst people here ride scooters, and I witnessed an almost accident outside my window - a truck almost hitting a dazed and confused scooter driver. Guilin seems like a small city - no massively tall towers. The countryside out to Yangshuo is pretty with crop fields and rice paddies set amongst the karst hills. Seems like a poorish area though.

As for trying to be an environmentally aware traveller; the answer to everything seems to be instant noodles. Hungry on the train? Eat instant noodles! However, I discovered in Hong Kong that the second ingredient in the instant noodles over here is Palm Oil, so I am refraining from buying instant noodles. Also, apparently on the menu tonight is snake and bamboo rat. My lonely planet guide says these animals are endangered, so my Brit tour mates and I are not eating endangered animals - we will probably stick to vegetarian here.

Today, we have our orientation walk in ten minutes, then lunch and a cruise along the Li River.