Our tired tension stretched with our taxi lady who all of a suden couldn't remember the exact location of one of the most loved hostels in China, in one of the most popular areas of her town. I am fed up of hearing us echo 'this is bigger than we expected' about each dot on the map. After two phone calls and loop de loops courtesy of our meter we arrived in what has to be one of the nicest hostels I have ever slept in (Sea Weed in Khao Lak and Inn Crowd in Singapore join in my top 3 dorm accomodation). The young staff were furiatingly slow for our stomachs, and 2 pieces of paperwork, passport photocopies and a key handed over without a room number later we revel in the cushy beds and soft glow to our new home. The exterior however really blew us away, perched close to a Jade market turning left out of our hostel immersed s immediately into a whole new world. A piece of the bustling Tengchong town has been preserved in the traditional style of a typical Chinese courtyard complete with lotus covered ponds, arched bridges, antique tea houses -a few of them now bars- and rotating water wheels. What a treat, especially at night when the bright golden gateway and hundreds of red lanterns reflect upon the wet cobbles.

We happen to follow a crowd off the main road and into a town fete, the party games and youngsters rides at avail are similar to any other fete I have attended. But, not only can you win yourself a soft cuddly toy for getting the ball into the bucket, you could also take home a budgie, guinea pig or terapin. Watching artists blend colours and pictures into Chinese characters, transforming the names of children into pictures was a highlight, not necessarily the crowds whom we withdrew from in order to find dinner.

Pushing the boat out we ordered our first local beer, at 3.3 percent Dali is very light -Ellen admitted to us how easily the Chinese get drunk, and it was enough to convince me when I saw her after 1 glass of wine- but delicious, it could even be acceptable warm, remember cold is bad for you and the Chinese like to avoid it.

We take a day off to recover, doing nothing was just what we needed, well that and washing everything we own. At our 'Tengchong International Youth Hostel' there were several types of Yunnan provinces' coffee beans on offer, eager drinkers we order one but since the staff begin to gather around the machine as though it were some sort of electricuting device Prue attempts to give the staff a lesson. Awed and yet still persisiting that we owe them 15 yuan (5 dollars) for the priviledge the staff gather, however in the end the mould in the machine was our chief deterrant.

Due to heavy rains our 3 days in Tengchong was confined to more hostel appreciation activities than outdoor exploration. We were happy to kit up for the colder weather we expect in higher altitudes and managed a visit to one ultimate touristic site (but still no foreigners folks) 'The Sea of Heat' an insight into volcanic activity in the area. Tengchong is renound for its intense earthquakes and extinct volcanoes which require a lot less cloud for their appreciation. We didnt understand why old women were shoving eggs in our faces as we offloaded out of the mini van until we saw the mess made by another family after using the sulphur barbeques from the natural hot springs. Most of the heat was contained into features like 'Pregnancy Wells' (which despite the steam and the do not touch signs according to Prue weren't that hot) and 'Boiling Pot' (she didn't dare that one) but it was a nice walk and there was an interesting spurting geyser next to a rumbling waterfall. At 10 dollars why not, although if you are told that the bus is for free and then refuse the heavy 5 dollar charge for the 1km drive we can guarantee they will not let you access and you will also notice that the swim pool is empty due to the 40 dollar increase in price tag. Im sure, like the wells, it was not that hot anyway.

Ok so planning for our next destination, and this ones a good one because it has been out of the picture due to the priorites we have to make when considering navigating a country as big as China (Yunnan province , one of … provinces is the same size as France). Sitting in our dorm with a fellow Chinese traveller our hindered conversation turns to travel routes, reaching into her bag our friend holds out her guide book, a thick fully Chinese Yunnan dictionary. Flicking through we come across a picture and gasp 'we must go there', it is an 18 hour detour (actually in reality due to the connectibilty of bus schedules resulting in an overnight stop and a rain enduced landslide it takes us close to 40 hours... ONE WAY) but that means nothing. Tomorrow we are off, with only a memory of a picture as the reason why.