Had another smooth flight in the Chinese transportation system here, from Wuhan to Guilin. The Chinese do it right. Tourism will boom here. Glad I got here before it goes wild. Beijing hosts the olympics in 2008. It will all be "discovered" then if not sooner.
Got in late in Guilin, so just stayed there at a hotel near where they dropped me off the bus. You get used to suddenly being in a strange place, at night, and the “touts” (people who get a small commission to take you to their hotel or guest house) are hounding you as you get off the bus or train. This time I followed the first tout, It was late, I needed a place to crash. How about the Bright Pearl Guilin Hotel? Sounds good to me. Turned out to be a little run down for the cheap room, but it will do. Got a/c, shower, bed, that’s all I need. Paid about $15, now that’s a rip off here in this small town market, ..haaa but now is the time you translate to US dollars and rationalize. The word here is to get to Yangshuo as soon as you can and get out of Guilin. They are right, Guilin on the surface looks like another big tourist town.
Got on the bus to Yangshuo in the morning, worked slick. Then found the International Hosteling local hostel. Old standby, the IYH, usually comes through with a nice place. This is my home for the next 4 days. Clean nice, some fun people here, all for 20 Y a day, that’s about 2 ½ US Dollars a day! Big difference in prices when you stay in the country.
Words cannot describe this place, you must see the pictures. When I’m back I’ll load a bunch on the cheapy yahoo site for you all to see. The most impressive was not particularly the beauty of the scenery, but the chance to experience the Chinese countryside. Went on a day long bicycle ride out in the country around Yangshuo and also a nice cruise down the river Li. This is country, I mean water buffalo drawn plows, back breaking labor in rice fields, carrying balancing loads with bamboo poles over their shoulders. And most of these people were my age or much older. What a contrast. Booming, big money China in the big cities, but still things out here haven’t changed in hundreds, maybe thousands of years. When will all this “new china” money get down to the working people?? The only way I see it is through tourism
Who knows.
Then a wild “sleeper” ride from Yangshuo to Hong Kong. Sleeper, yea right!! It looked like a jungle gym inside a big double deecker bus. About 40 little cubicles, big enough to fit a small Chinese person. Hmmm no feet or leg room. Haaaaaaa well big deal, its all part of the adventure.
Arrived in Hong Kong early AM, then taxi to border, then train into town. Called friends I met online a few years back, Frida and Shimon from Israel. They insist I stay with them. They are wonderful people. Shimon is an executive in a shipping firm here. They have a lovely, 4000 sq foot flat in a high rise overlooking the downtown. This is heaven. Frida is my tour guide for next couple of days, as we visit this incredible city. Huge, tall, minimum high rise here I think is 40 stories. Busy people, moving all with their own agendas.
I took a trip out on Landau Island, then thru the maze of walkways downtown, the “escalators” carrying people up the hills and through quaint little narrow streets with restaurants and shops. And shopping, wow this is the place. Everything you can imagine, jade market, pearl market, food market, clothes market. One should bring an extra suitcase when they come here. Amazingly beautiful city.
Well its come to an end folks. I’m writing here on July 9, my last day. As I look back, I have been blessed with another incredible adventure. This one was bigger than I imagined. Two countries, two distinct cultures. Many great people I met along the way. I think I only was truly alone for about 2 or 3 days out of the 40 on the road. That’s a success. I have many new friends including my wonderful "family" in Russia I want to keep in touch with. That’s the gift, that’s the adventure’s reward.
Well thanks for staying with me, I enjoyed your notes, many just at the right time. It was good to hear from home.
Until next time,
Yours in Travel
Bill
This is my blog for my trip to Taiwan. I'll be posting my journal here from November 1 to November 17, 2017 so check back and join me on the trip ! - Bill Wilson
