We got up early and had breakfast at the hostel this morning so we could rent bikes for an hour or so and cycle around. Kunming has great wide bike paths and I only got into one collision despite the numerous electric scooters and other bikes. We didn’t go anywhere in particular for fear of getting lost but had a nice ride along a main street.
When we got back we finished packing up, relaxed for a few minutes and got ready to head out to the West bus station to catch a bus to Dali. We avoided the mistake we made yesterday and got a couple of sandwiches to go from the hostel so as not to get hungry while travelling during lunch time, since the trip was about 5.5 hours. They even gave us our fries in a plastic bag as well as, much to my dad’s disgust and amazement, ketchup in a different bag.
The bus ride was fairly uneventful and we made it to Dali without too much trouble. Although we did sit in the wrong seats on the bus until 2 ladies came and told us we were occupying theirs. I have never been on a bus with assigned seating before – or one with an airplane style emergency situations and exits video. But this one had both. They also played a horrible and violent Chinese film that lasted most of the trip and for which you apparently couldn’t turn off the sound. On the other hand, the scenery was beautiful and the seats reclined nicely.
When we got to Dali, we pointedly ignored all the cabs offering to take us into the main part of the city or to our hostel for Rmb 50 and tried walking a block or two away to find someone willing to use a meter. We must have stopped 20 cabs or so, but none were willing. Eventually we walked back to the bus terminal and, just as we gave up, a driver said he would charge us that way instead. It ended up being Rmb 65 instead, but I was still happier not bargaining.
Our hostel is very nice – western run – and we had a nice dinner nearby. We asked one of the ladies who works here where we might find somewhere with an English menu, or at least one with pictures. She said she couldn’t think of anywhere, but recommended a local place she goes to where they have vegetables and meat laid out and you just point at what you want to mix together. We had a very tasy eggplant and onion dish as well as one with sweet peas and mushrooms. We only found the meat after we ordered so it wasn’t the most filling meal, but it was delicious!
After dinner, we wandered a ways towards a touristy street and then back to the hostel, stopping for tofu (for Ter) and fish (for me) on a stick. Yum!
We’re thinking about biking around here tomorrow and then we’re off to Lijiang the next day.
No comments:
Post a Comment