19th April – Shangri-la – Kunming

UP early and to the airport which is some more chinese chaos and disorganised organisation. Have an argument with customs women who after she went through ALL my things and even sniffed the lip gloss on my phone, insisted i go back an check it in....GRRR. more waiting behind queue hopping chinese but finally get through and walk to the plane in sunshine with those beautiful mountains against a blue sky backdrop. Funny to watch the chinese on airplanes, they are SOOOO bad at following instructions and there is always (ALWAYS) someone who unbuckles themselves STRAIGHT after landing...EVERY SINGLE TIME! same thing during take off, they will often go to the toilet while the seat belt sign is on, so strange. the instructions are in chinese!! oh and its weird, they always have trouble getting their seat right, so you're always waiting for people to change. I'm not sure what it is about them, it happens everytime too! Think there are ways and means here that i am struggling with sometimes...well not struggling but it seems there is very little respect soemtimes (not always) for want of a better word, the common man. it really feels like everyman for themselves and soemtimes there are little manners or respect. Like queue jumping and playing their phone music out loud, smoking in public places even when it says not to, pushing and shoving their way down the street, YELLING into their cellphones everywhere (or just yelling in general), spitting and children tolieting everywhere (ON CARPET!). Perhaps sometimes the language means i am missing certain other customaries but i find myself getting really frustrated at the lack of consideration. The book i am reading atm, wild swans, is about the period under Chairman Mao and he did encourage people to NOT be courteous to each other, it was considered bourgeois. so perhaps this is a remnant of that. im not sure. other times they are surprising and respectful, and i am sure miss a lot...perhaps it is just my “western” standards.
Arrive Kunming and another battle to get train tickets...but we get there...18 hour train jounrey tomoro...on the top bunk! should be interesting!
Find a hostel, shared bathroom, meh. showers a bit pants but gooooood pressure and hot hot hot water, yummy! We have a look around kunming til we are compltely knackered but we have a good shop and its a nice city with good shops! Find the the funky uni part of town, will come back here tomoro, but get some english books...LOVELY! arn in heaven.
Dinner at Mama Fu's (like the name) warm warm beer (den had to get ice) but the food is good!