Hey Hey and a Big G'Day to you
The Smokey Disco Sleeper Train arrived into Kunming around 4:40am. I grabbed a set in the station and slept for an hour wiht others whom had spent a sleepless night on board. Around 6:00 I headed accross the road for Kunmings 'Accross The Bridge Noodles'. MMMmmm mmmMMM, an awesome noodle soup I must say consisting of tiny eggs, sweet meats, some vegies and of course noodles.

I then headed to the bus station and boarded the 7:00am bus to Dali. There we sat for an hour, no air con and no movement. I was fine, I already smelt as much as a Middle School student after a PE Lesson (meaning no shower or BO Killer!), plus I got an hours sleep in.

LOAL BUS: Around 8:00am we finally bagan the four to five hour journey to Yunnans beautiful Dali. When we arrived I was surrounded by taxi drivers promising they had the lowest fare ever to Dali which was anywhere between 30 to 40 Yuan. With a giggle and toss of the head I headed out the front door, walked about 5 steps and paid 1.5 Yuan on the number 4 local bus.

ACCOMMODATION: I found the hostel I stayed at last time I was here. It's called the Yu'an Hostel/Guesthouse. It's up the street from the YHA. Staff are great. I had a very VERY well deserved shower and another hours sleep. Why stay at the same place. It is very quiet, situated beside a little river/canal that you can hear at night time. PLUS, I'm sitting here using free internet whilst my horrid stinkin clothes are being washed for free.

Anyhow, I do believe it is time for a walk and some food and a very well deserved beer. Look on a map, see where Yangshuo is and trace it all the way to Kunming then Dali. It was a hot N smelly yet beautiful journey. It's a long way to go for a beer mate! I'll rest here for two nights and then head upto Zhongdian (Shangrila) to met Judy. She finished the 'Tiger Leaping Gorge' yesterday and will head to Mingyong tomorrow.

We will meet in Zhongdian both having completed the same journey I was lucky enough to do last summer. Then it will be new ground, the mountain journey to Cheng-du and from there....

No plan is a good plan!
As long as I'm back in Yangshuo before the end of August, all will be well.

Noodles and Beers to you all...shane

***PART II***

Had a fantastic night last night.

I spent a couple of hours walking around the town and it's back streets before heading into 'West Street' for some. I grabbed a table at the place I spent alot of evenings at last year. The view was the same but the food was terrible. May have just been a bad night so I won't hold it against them. After half my dinner I continued to walk around happily stopping to talk to the young Chinese English students that had a list of questions to be completed. Finish with one and around the next corner another is lurking.

It's easy to become frustrated by this so I have to remember the reason I am actually here in China. It is so teach the Chinese English. I watched as most foreigners brushed them off, some actually used the 'F' words to them. It was frustrating NOT being able to walk over and put their head through a window. I noticed how rude some of us really are, sometimes we even border on shameful. I apologised to two young girls, one was actually crying after being told to 'F' Off by a mid twenties Swede and his friend whom both looked like they had taken up the offer of 'do you want gunga, do you want hashis'. I had a great time. We talked about many things 'worldish'. Their English was fantastic but needed more time doing as they were, practicing Oral English.

THOUGHTS: You know one thing I've noticed about many Backpackers...some leave their shores and enter anothers such as China. They travel the main trails visiting places like Dali and when a Chinese person actually talks to them or tries to interact they shrug them off. I can't for the life of me understand why they actually left home in the first place. Is it so they can say, hey I've been to China! What is their answer when someone at home asks them, hey, did you visit anyones home for dinner or spend a week with a Chinese person learning about them and their family. Strange but enough of that for now!

BAR & CAFE: Anyhow, I ended up at the Tibetan Cafe and sat out side reading for many hours. The beer was cold and the night was just beautiful. The two girls working in the Cafe spent about an hour outside on the little cobble stones dancing to the loud music coming from the open windows. One was outstanding in both dancing and looks so it was hard to refuse her invitation to join in. I fumbled and fro'ed and soon a group of Chinese Tourists joined in also. It was a fantastic evening.

After the dancing we all shared a beer and after a few more pages I headed on home. Like anywhere I go I had to bash on the door and wake someone up to let me in before I could sleep.

Not such a good habit for anyone but me.