Part 1 of the Kangding Experience
Trip Start
Aug 23, 2008
1
16
41
Trip End
May 11, 2009
Kangding,
Sichuan,
China
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Some of my other roommates were planning trips but no one too far in advance. Monday came and I laid around and seemingly had no purpose to my day. I quickly realized that I wanted out of the city. One of my friends, Trista, had wanted to hang out that night and we ended up talking about maybe going to Kangding, China. Kangding is about an 8 hour bus ride from Chengdu and is nestled in between some mountains with a river running through the city. It is on the edge of Sichuan province and also part of the larger Tibetan region. Kangding
In a side note, contrary to popular belief, Tibet is larger than the Tibetan Autonomous Region (which is what the west knows as Tibet) and spreads out into three provinces in the mainland. Kangding is considered by some to be the beginning of Tibet.
So we decide to go to the bus station on Tuesday and get some tickets. We ended up asking a third person, Mike, to join us and he agreed so early Wednesday morning (8 am) we left for Kangding. We met at the bus station around 7:15. I got there a little early and stood over by a newspaper article and attempted to read it. Much to my happiness I was pleasantly surprised that I understood most of the article, an editorial entitled "Goodbye, Beijing". It was about this man's Olympic journey and China's olympic glory.
They showed up shortly after I started reading and we sat on the bus. Apparently there were numbered seats which we didn't know when we initially sat down. But after we figured it out we realized hat someone was in our seats when we got on the bus anyway. But this didnt stop one guy from flipping his shit over Mike and Trista being in his seats. We heard the favorite chinese word "laowai" (foreigner) and anger in his voice as he talked to the bus driver. But they didn't kick anyone out of their seat and all was well.
I sat next to a lovely Chinese lady. For most of the 8 hours we didn't talk but I did get some courage and say a few words a little ways into the 8 hour journey. The journey to Kangding took us through beautiful mountains. It made for a bumpy ride, but with my new 210 Pink Floyd songs I got from one of my friends here (played extra loud to block out the horrid chinese movie playing) I was pretty relaxed, until the driver of our bus flies around a curb and we slam to a halt. The bus rear-ended a car crushing the trunk and imprinting the lisence plate onto the back of the car.
Normally in america the police would come, insurance information would be exchanged and if there was no major damage we would be on our way. Not in China. First off we are on the side of a mountain (great view though. got some great picks while we were stopped). Second off there is no insurance so everything is a scary long ordeal.
First the cop had to come from a nearby town (which thank God there was. In the mountains a cop could feasibly be an hour or more away). Then he needed to get stories and take pictures. Then we drove to a mechanic to asses the damage. Then to the police station where the parties involved argued over what money gets given to which party. An hour later we were back on the road.
The bus stopped two times for a potty break (none of which I used. 50 cents to use a squatty potty? no thanks), once for a lunch meal, and once for our driver to chat it up with his friend. I know a winner right? The drive was pretty awesome though. Traveling through the mountains offered a variety of spectacular views and photo ops. Mike mentioned it reminded him a bit of the central pennsylvanian mountains, and I agreed. I added that these were a bit poorer though. All along the way there were poor villages or people just living in shacks along the side of the road.
We finally got to Kangding around 5pm and were instantly stunned by the beauty of the city. It was just breath taking. A beautiful little city nestled into the mountains the likes of which I had never seen. The river ran through the main part of the small city and the air was so clean I couldn't get enough.
We had written down directions from the internet to a hostel that had gotten pretty good reviews and got lost trying to find it. In our defense the directions were horrid! "Turn right. Walk for twenty minutes. See a bridge don't cross it until you see the third. Its in front of a monastery with an anonymous looking building" was something like what they were.
We ended up in what we thought was the right place but was really a restaurant, which was fine because we were all pretty hungry. We ended up getting some really good Kung Pao chicken, some Milk Tea with sugar and what we think was something similar to MSG on the side to add in ourselves, some tomato and egg soup, and some other meat dish. It was really good. While we were eating these three girls sitting next to us wanted to talk to us so we chatted away (well I should say Mike chatted away and Trista and I watched and listened). They ended up inviting us out later to the famous dance club/bar.
We accepted and they helped us get to the hostel we were looking for, but once we arrived they said that all they had left was floor space. So we looked at a really nice hotel that was too expensive. Finally we found this nice place that had three beds and an awesome owner guy. We settled in and then went to the dance club to meet the girls and their friends.
I think there were 7 chinese kids (high school age) jammed into that booth when we got there. They had purchased an obscene amount of sugary tea and were ready with shot glasses for us. Shots of sugary tea made me laugh. They were all really interested in speaking with us and my chinese skills improved like 100 percent with just that one night. Some were really helpful in speaking slow enough that we could catch what they were saying. This bar is famous for its Tibetan singers and the white scarves you put around the ones that sing well (or are the prettiest I am not quite sure) but since we are foreign that makes us the most awesome instantaneously and they presented each of us with a white scarf to wear.
Soon they dragged us onto the dance floor and I reluctantly danced under the watchful eyes of everyone in the club. Soon though I just told myself to get over my insecurities and let loose. I was going to look cool to them no matter what I did. This was especially evident when Trista and I broke out into the electric slide and everyone thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. After the dancing was over, the real performers came onstage and did some traditional Tibetan singing. It was really cool to watch but we were really tired, I was a little sick, and the techno/Tibetan songs were ringing in our ears so we decided to walk home.
Three of the girls walked us home and chatted the whole way. It was pretty amazing to be able to have a conversation and have them understand me (for the most part). We said goodbye after they made sure that we would call them to go out to dinner the next night.
I think I am going to stop there for now since it is getting super late here (4am) and the entry is already super long. So...
To be continued....
Comments
Hisashiburi!
(Ignore the Japanese title, yo)
Don't you love it when you get ranted at in a foreign language? Makes me feel warm and cuddly inside. Sounds like you had a blast. I am glad you had the courage to talk the people (I didn't when I was in Japan which was dumb now that I think about it.) I miss you dude. But sounds like having way to much fun to miss the US, which is good! Keep enjoying it!
Sounds like fun!
I am still in awe at you just traveling around a foreign country with ease! Not to mention having so much fun! Can't wait to read about the rest of your travels, and see more pics when you get the time. We miss you, but this keeps you closer - lots of love to you. xoxoxo
Sherry