Back to Gaomiao (Bill's home town) today. After a water dumpling breakfast at the hostel, we caught the bus to Emei train station. Isaac and I spent a huge amount of time stood underneath a tree with the luggage waiting for Bill to find a bank and then buy train tickets ready for our trip to Kunming. I think I have now mastered answers to the three most common questions asked in sichuan hua - how old is he? Is he a boy or girl? Isn't he cold with so little clothes on? Need to enhance my repertoire to include 'do you really think my baby looks unhappy?' and 'it's 27 degrees. It's hot you strange person!' Maybe I'll stick to nodding my head and smiling!
Next we got on the bus to Gaomiao. The journey started off a little dramatically when Bill realised he'd brought the wrong date train tickets and arranged to meet Ed on the bus route to get them changed for us. Whole bus had to wait for him of course! Train tickets have gone up hugely. 220rmb for a one way ticket to Kunming. But I'm very pleased we'll soon be heading to yunnan. We've also booked flights to Xishuangbanna :) the bus journey from Emei to Gaomiao was stunning and felt surprisingly safe! Beautiful mountain scenery. It seems to be quite a well frequented tourist road now and goes past the new 'hot springs' qiliping development hence they've upped the safety.
Gaomiao hasn't changed much. We're staying with Bill's Auntie, Uncle, cousin his wife and their 2 yr old daughter in their Gaomiao apartment for the first night. Lots of fussing and trying to make Isaac wear different clothes! We wandered around the old town for a while. There was a film crew there. It's still a very atmospheric place. Isaac is now playing with his second cousin. I've told him to bite auntie if she fiddles with his clothes again!!