Day 83 –Around Kunming - Fri 17 May
2013
Day off for Andy. Miles & Marina kindly did our towels and sheet in their washing machine! (Pure luxury carrying
one of those machines onboard!!) Seeing they have had a catastrophe with their
camping chair – and we now have a spare one – maybe we won’t have to think too
hard about a suitable thank you gift (once Andy’s finished with it in China
that is…) We are camped in carpark of the Minorities Village, and have found ourselves one
of the nationalities that visitors have come to peer at and photograph – the
shoe is on the other foot with us the exhibit in a goldfish bowl!! Obviously a
drawcard to people who’ve not had much experience with foreigners, or their
camper trucks! Chinese people are more upfront than other South East Asians
though and just walk in whilst you are inside! Toured Nationalities Village with Cheryl and Marina, visited Yi, Miao, Wa, Dai, Achang, Tibetans. Enjoyed houses, costumes, crafts eg whittling bow, cooking, worship eg Christian church had Chinese missals plus an old book in a hieroglyphic language of influential pastor. Their Stations of the Cross were similar, but demonstrably Asian. 
Watched musicians (drums/ pipes), dancers eg with knife and pipe, listened to welcome toast between two people before they each downed a full bowl of rice liquor (some people obviously enjoy their day job!!) Sat through a thunderstorm, and continued our walk around lakes, ornamental bridges and pagodas. Tickets were expensive at Y90pp but worth it (tried for aged discount but had to be 65 - at least “aliens” were eligible at this facility) Giant screen outside entrance showing highlights, festival atmosphere with all the buses, tourists, dress up and photo options, stalls.
Into Carrefor Centre in search of connected wifi with GnC and MnM (buying towels because their original light ones are now stained). None at Maccas, but good strength at TeaHub at first, died away, returned…. (where have we had this story before??) As usual no one could open Google, blog pages or Facebook. All amazed at number of chargers and devices GirlRob took to wifi cafe, but it certainly felt better having sent two posts/ photos to our son Justin to upload (in Canada!). Was able to download upgrade for Pocket Earth as well, and complete collection of offline maps. Also got some of smaller size AppStore upgrades which have been mounting up - time well spent in spite of Chinese antipathy to western internet. We crammed into taxi to return to Minorities carpark. Fried rice and egg with pickled vegetables and Fantasy Frappe for dinner (Chinese love expansive marketing labels eg “Wonderful Suppermarket”). On return to camper, repacked newly named "electronic well" (enclosed space on floor of truck between driver and passenger). Phil’s vehicle refusing to start after day with no driving, so fell asleep to sound of his generator…
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