![](http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/37773_414703748378_661718378_4740645_4089281_n.jpg) |
Hostel room window. Still raining. |
16-17 July 2010:
One day of torture, sitting in one spot on a cramped, warm train. Never again will I make fun of the KTM train service back home (a resolution soon to be forgotten). That said the journey was made mildly better by the company I had- two college girls sitting opposite me, and one guy beside me- the girls being my age, the guy one year older (for which we made fun of him for a bit, poor thing), an immovable table-like protrusion separating us.
We played cards most of the way- with them teaching me how to play- card games sticking to my memory like fish on land. One of the girls asked me if I watched Bleach- she mentioned someone called 'Abulei Lienji' which had me confused for a bit until I recalled Abarai Renji. Heh. She doesn't watch it, but liked his face. Or name. I can't remember- I was still rather sick. And yes- all three of them found my eyelashes most fascinating- being longer than most Chinese are capable of, I suppose.
Walked with the guy to his hotel, and from there to mine- he had time and enjoyed the company, I guess (though in my typical uncharitable state of mind, I mourned the departure of the two girls instead). He's staying there with his girlfriend, the lucky bastard. My eagle eyes noted a supply of condoms and massage oils on top of the TV set, conveniently provided by the hotel. How thoughtful of them.
![](http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/39891_414704053378_661718378_4740655_6525946_n.jpg) |
Guilin Mifen |
Unpacked my bags, and waited for the rain to stop- which it did, eventually. Satisfied myself with a walk around town to familiarize myself with the place- there's not much to see, really. Guilin is just a small town (or city, if you like- in China, if it has an airport, it's a city; also, a town might as well be a city based on how
bloody big it is anyway). Dinner was the local specialty- Guilin Mifen. Simple, cheap, and quite nice. Returned to the hostel to find an American guy having trouble with the door- my chance to act wise and experienced by opening it for him (I had trouble opening it earlier myself- took a few minutes to figure it out).
![](http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/39807_414705458378_661718378_4740719_1980604_n.jpg) |
Karst mountains. |
18 July 2010:
One of the many... uh, karst mountains surrounding Guilin, for which it is most famous (the noodles coming in a close second). The sky seemed clear, so I decided to go for a walk- which in my travel vocabulary equates to 'bloody hell I'm not going on one with you again'.
![](http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/39807_414705463378_661718378_4740720_1014453_n.jpg) |
Claypot rice. |
Brunch was some sort of claypot mixed rice. Simple but tasted fine. And best of all, cheap.
![](http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/39807_414705468378_661718378_4740721_37912_n.jpg) |
Botanical Gardens. |
I went for a stroll in the nearby botanical gardens after that- yet another huge park.
![](http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/39807_414705473378_661718378_4740722_2582010_n.jpg) |
Japanese Garden. |
No dogs, no Chinese allowed... eh, wrong period. Actually it just says that it's closed for repairs.
![](http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/39113_414705773378_661718378_4740731_2587708_n.jpg) |
Ten-hut! |
This is how Communists recycle their military hardware- dump them in their shopping malls. I'm not sure if it's real, though.
![](http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/39113_414705778378_661718378_4740732_3711171_n.jpg) |
Tunnel vision. |
I walked through two mountains today. I kid you not. Well, yes, there happened to be roads and tunnels and all, but... I walked through two mountains in a day, and that's the essence of it. I had a cup of bitter herbal tea from a roadside vendor before pushing onwards- hoping to reach the Reed Cave- I never did, somehow ending up an insane distance from town, and close to the airport instead.
![](http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/39113_414705783378_661718378_4740733_7395690_n.jpg) |
Oh my. |
What. I suppose the proprietor paints on his/her old man's shiny pallet... pate. Dead tired, I decided to call it a day- but instead discovered that buses here were insanely cheap- a flat fee no matter where you get on- and went to the Elephant Nose Mountain Park instead- just for the sake of actually
doing something today (or come to think of it,
paying to do something).
![](http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/39113_414705808378_661718378_4740738_2996705_n.jpg) |
Xiang Bi Shan |
There you go, Elephant Nose Hill, or Elephant Trunk Mountain, or whatever it's called in English. The mountain is the highlight of the park- visitors can swim in the lake too.
![](http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/38819_414705938378_661718378_4740746_168642_n.jpg) |
View from the top. |
After a long climb up the pachyderm's rump, I was rewarded with a view of the city- it's a lot nicer when you're not in the mess of people and don't have to listen to all the noise.
![](http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/38819_414705963378_661718378_4740751_2396303_n.jpg) |
Blistering Barnacles! |
I then... oh no. Not again. Retired to the hostel, where I met another room-mate- James from the UK. Damn- I think he was younger than me. 19, I think, though he looked older. He mentioned a 'Black Russian' cocktail at the hostel bar, which I tried- tasted like cough syrup. Gah. Kung Po Chicken Rice for dinner, watched 'Mr. Bean's Holiday' in the lounge, and retired to bed.
![](http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/38685_414709768378_661718378_4740923_4750240_n.jpg) |
Yangshuo. |
19 July 2010:
Took a bus to Yangshuo, which is this really touristy town a short distance from Guilin. As a result, the place is a lot livelier, being more compact- more restaurants, more shops.
![](http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/38685_414709778378_661718378_4740925_1805106_n.jpg) |
Odd menu. |
I had lunch at one of the restaurants- check out the menu. What in blazes is a 'squid to be'?
![](http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/38685_414709783378_661718378_4740926_3649879_n.jpg) |
Lunch. |
...I played it safe and had noodle with gyoza instead. Go on, laugh if you like.
![](http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/38685_414709793378_661718378_4740928_7934238_n.jpg) |
Bike rental. |
A better view of the town, with bicycles for rent. I got one of the cheaper ones- though in retrospect I should have just payed a little more for a mountain bike, considering the terrain I took it on. Hiring the bike itself is cheap- the deposit is not.
![](http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/38829_414710083378_661718378_4740940_7100436_n.jpg) |
Tour guide/stalkers. |
Rode out of town. I was shadowed most of the way by one of the local tour guides- a lady on a bicycle with a straw hat- despite me saying repeatedly that I didn't require her services. Ah well- her loss for following me.
![](http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/38829_414710088378_661718378_4740941_7009971_n.jpg) |
Country road, take me home... not. |
Took me some time, but I managed to get to the river. Well, not in this picture, at least. I somehow joined a group of cyclists- an Israeli guy, a Spaniard, and a Danish girl. The tour guide finally decided to give up on me. However I turned into a tour guide instead- being the only one able to speak the language. Yikes.
![](http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/38829_414710098378_661718378_4740943_8379887_n.jpg) |
Boat girl. |
There's the river. Prices for the river 'cruise' are cut-throat.
![](http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/38829_414710108378_661718378_4740945_7959721_n.jpg) |
Li River. |
A better view of the river. Li River, I think it's called.
![](http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/38829_414710118378_661718378_4740947_8068886_n.jpg) |
Nice door. |
Someone's house. I've no idea what the words say- being hopeless when it comes to Chinese sayings. I assume that it says something like 'happiness and wealth, come on I'm waiting' or something to that effect.
![](http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/38870_414710818378_661718378_4740987_4092923_n.jpg) |
Rodrigo Borgia |
The Spaniard, posing. I told him that he looked a bit like Rodrigo Borgia (he didn't know who that was- and to be frank I wouldn't either, if not for Assassin's Creed).
![](http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/38870_414710823378_661718378_4740988_3881858_n.jpg) |
Don't come here at night. |
Macabre. Some sort of funeral pyre?
![](http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/38870_414710843378_661718378_4740991_3556541_n.jpg) |
Uri Geller (not) |
Down the street (a bloody long one, at that), Uri the Israeli. I thought his name was Yuri at first (and hence Russian).
![](http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/38870_414710848378_661718378_4740992_3689250_n.jpg) |
River crossing. |
Kate and Sergio. Took turns crossing the river.
![](http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/40243_414711293378_661718378_4741015_6855996_n.jpg) |
Pi Jiu Yu. |
We had dinner together- another local specialty,
Pi Jiu Yu (Beer Fish), though I couldn't taste any beer on it (not that I can tell anyway). Parted ways after that, handshakes from the guys and a European double-sided air kiss which had me mildly confused for a bit.
![](http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/40243_414711298378_661718378_4741016_822273_n.jpg) |
Loch Ness monster, aflight... |
Bus back to the hostel- crashed from exhaustion. Butt hurt like crazy- not surprising given the distance I went on that crappy contraption, and the terrain. I must have been insane, really.
![](http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/40413_414887248378_661718378_4744796_2879816_n.jpg) |
Dragonfly. |
20 July 2010:
Checked out today. Left my bags at the hostel, and took a bus to 7 Star
park. There was an entrance fee, so I didn't bother, but instead
wandered along the river, and another side of the town. Bloody hot
today.
![](http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/39755_414887388378_661718378_4744798_5804684_n.jpg) |
Hallucination. |
I must have been hallucinating. A girl in a kimono/yukata, in the middle
of China? Damn the heat. Actually, she was real- there was a Japanese
restaurant nearby. Poor girl, having to push that cart in that getup.
Needless to say, I did not offer to help.
![](http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/39755_414887393378_661718378_4744799_7536428_n.jpg) |
Old house. |
Presumably used to post 'wanted dead or alive' posters in the not-so-distant past.
![](http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/39755_414887398378_661718378_4744800_2528393_n.jpg) |
Mansion. |
A lovely old mansion, converted into some sort of museum. Too bad it was closed when I was there. Headed back to the hostel where I had lunch, and waited for night to fall so I wouldn't have to wait too long at the train station. I got myself a 'hard sleeper'- a word of advice to all travelers, especially tall ones- just spend a bit more on a 'soft sleeper', especially if you've long legs like me. To maximize space, the train had a corridor on one side, and bunks separated into door-less compartments- 3 bunks on each side, with not much space to move or place luggage. Mine was for the top bunk, and I had to stuff my bags with me- didn't bother taking my shoes off either.
Anyway, the next morning, I was in Guangzhou...
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