Day 82 - Shilin to Kunming - Thurs 16
May 2013
Another camera disaster - woke at dawn and went to take photos of sunrise over karst formations, then to toilet. Whilst sitting on loo, cleaner (who had seen GirlRob go in) yanked open door of cubicle, causing Lumix SLR camera to fall off knob, and crash to tiled floor, with a resultant large crack across lens (or filter). So, two strikes down, one to go.... retrieved third/ last camera (Canon SLR) and found it had condensation behind viewing screen. (Don't let GirlRob near your camera folks!!) Eventually the park opened and we could get our tickets ("no discount for senior foreigners", a shame given the price of $65 per ticket, including hop on- off minibus). The formations were certainly prolific and spectacular, but being more used to revering natural formations than “enhancing” them, we were unprepared for the huge Chinese scripts on the rocks themselves, the sealed roads, lawns, paths, steps, kiosks - and the extraordinary numbers of tour buses/ visitors so early in morning. Lake, ponds, gardens, viewing pagodas were attractive and well maintained, but were so busy they eclipsed the natural beauty. As usual some Chinese folk asked to take photos of themselves with one or both of us.
Another camera disaster - woke at dawn and went to take photos of sunrise over karst formations, then to toilet. Whilst sitting on loo, cleaner (who had seen GirlRob go in) yanked open door of cubicle, causing Lumix SLR camera to fall off knob, and crash to tiled floor, with a resultant large crack across lens (or filter). So, two strikes down, one to go.... retrieved third/ last camera (Canon SLR) and found it had condensation behind viewing screen. (Don't let GirlRob near your camera folks!!) Eventually the park opened and we could get our tickets ("no discount for senior foreigners", a shame given the price of $65 per ticket, including hop on- off minibus). The formations were certainly prolific and spectacular, but being more used to revering natural formations than “enhancing” them, we were unprepared for the huge Chinese scripts on the rocks themselves, the sealed roads, lawns, paths, steps, kiosks - and the extraordinary numbers of tour buses/ visitors so early in morning. Lake, ponds, gardens, viewing pagodas were attractive and well maintained, but were so busy they eclipsed the natural beauty. As usual some Chinese folk asked to take photos of themselves with one or both of us.
Lunched on fried egg, rice and peanut milk, then headed to Kunming on freeway. Some discussion re going straight to Dali from there in a couple of days as drivers sick of constant windy roads and hours of vigilance required to drive them. Kunming is capital of Yunnan province, city of 6 million people, not exciting for some in our group to navigate narrow lanes clogged traffic (although sight of five 6 tonne camper trucks in convoy interests the locals anyway). Drove through centre of town to find expat supermarket, everybody out of fridge consumables, filled up on bread, cheese, meat, cold meat, butter, water, wine etc, that haven't been able to find elsewhere. Not cheap, most spent $AU275, but the satisfied looks told all as the groceries were wheeled out to the trucks. Drove across to other side of town to camp in carpark of Yunnan Nationalities Village 26 ethnic minorities represented there, plus museum and lake. Some will go in to see exhibitions tomorrow. Cheryl and GirlRob found tourist centre to locate ATM, wifi, laundry ("no laundry shop! Woman do wash!"). Group decided to stay two nights but not the scheduled rest day, move on to Dali and find more relaxing environment on way. Sat in circle in car park, yarning over wine and dinner (baked beans in pocket bread!) until bedtime.
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