Signs Of Solidarity
Trip Start
Nov 16, 2007
1
27
40
Trip End
Aug 2008
Guilin,
Guangxi Zhuang,
China
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
The Laos border post is deserted, with one token member of staff there to stamp the passports. The Vietnamese border is more active. With visas checked and the baggage thoroughly examined, we wander down into the centre of the village of Nam Soi. There is a bus waiting which is always promising, but on approaching the driver says "$25" each, rubbing his hands together in a rather creepy way. We laugh and start trying to haggle, but each time the answer is the same with more handing rubbing
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. For less than this price you can get from one end of Vietnam to the other. We are just going to the nearest town of Thanh Hoa. After an hour or so of haggling, things result in a bit of a stand off. We find out in this process that the locals are paying six times less. With the negotiator running off to the only guesthouse after each offer, we realise we are victims of a racket; the village strongman owning the only bus and the only guesthouse, but trying to keep up the appearance of the two being disconnected so as to encourage people to stay the night.Finally a small concession is made and begrudgingly we accept a hyperinflated price. Glad to be moving again, I chat with Connor about a shared interest in American politics. The time flies by and soon we are in the small coastal town of Thanh Hoa. Some debate begins about whether to check into a hotel or make for Hanoi that night. My mind is made up and I check into a hotel across the road, soon followed by the others. We share a local speciality for dinner, a noodle soup called Pho (pronounced "fur"), at one of the many street sides vendors offering it.
Refreshed by a good night's sleep, I have breakfast with Maeve, Matilda and Connor, before getting on a local bus to Hanoi. The first thing you notice about Vietnamese roads is the bravery with which drivers of all sized vehicles overtake each other
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. It is common to see trucks playing chicken with buses, and all of this with a steady stream of motorbikes weaving their way through. On the road to Hanoi, around 150km, I saw the remains of three recent major accidents, including one fresh one. The wreckage still scattered from cars and buses where the driver took one risk too many. Along with the bravery comes the constant honking, an extension of the Vietnamese love of shouting at each other. No conversation seems to be worth having if it doesn't involve raised voices.Arriving in Hanoi, I hop into a cab and we pick our way through the thousands of mopeds and bikes. I find a hotel in the Old Quarter and settle in. Hanoi is centred on a large lake, north of which is the Old Quarter with its narrow streets dedicated to different cottage industries, and south is the old French Quarter. To the east lies northern Vietnam's life blood, the Red River. Wandering round the endless narrow streets is a fun way to pass several days. Mixed in with this is a rather grand French cathedral and a few interesting government buildings, but for the most part it is endless mix of concrete. A highlight of this time was going to one of the excellent local tailors and ordering two new suits. Excellent quality and 150 quid for the pair.
After five days, the urge to move on becomes too great to ignore
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. Off on a bus to the Chinese border near the town of Lang Son on the Vietnamese side. Walking through the fairly shabby Vietnamese border control is easy and then a short walk over the Friendship Bridge to China. The change is instant, a gleaming white border post similar to the one between Singapore and Malaysia with all mod cons. Again my baggage is searched thoroughly, this time my camera photos are inspected as well as my little laptop. All the books rifled through for any offensive materials. My lack of dissident credentials confirmed, I hop into a taxi to the local railhead of Pingxiang. Soon I am onto the daily service of Nanning.Nanning is the bustling provincial capital of Guangxi. It has a lovely park in the centre and the city's folk gather in the evening for dinner and the market. Nearby is a modern shopping area packed with Chinese people enjoying the economic boom. A day exploring is followed by more traveling, this time back on the train to the historically important city of Guilin, where the Ming princes lived for many years. I check into a great hostel near the station and book a trip to see the famous Li river scenery the next day. I then have dinner with a German girl from the hostel (Sandra) and a Swedish couple, Sandra and Marcus. Marcus is Freddie Ljunberg's cousin for those Gooners and Hammers out there. A great meal at an old local favourite by the river
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.Next day is an early start and off to the docks to board a flat bottomed boat down the Li River. All sides are surrounded by towering karsts made of limestone and heavily forested. This is one of the most picturesque areas in all of China, and appears on the 10 yuan bank note and in many classic paintings. It has hosted a large number of world leaders over the years and the local hotels are full of pictures of monarchs and presidents. At the end of the 4 hour boat journey, we arrive at the town of Yangshou. Until recently this was just a small village, but now it has a lot of tourist facilities and a rapidly expanding set of suburbs. Also taking off is rock climbing, with the karsts making perfect playthings. To show the newness of the sport here, in 1997 a group of Hong Kong climbers opened up a new crag near the town and an estimated crowd of 1500 locals gathered to gawp, blocking the main road. Back to Guilin on a bus in the evening and dinner with the German Sandra.
I explore Guilin the following day. It really is a lovely place set next to the Li river. A number of karsts lie within the town boundaries and you can climb a number of them, including Elephant Hill set in a well maintained park by the river. North lies a lake with two tall Pagodas in the middle, reflected in the water. Further north still is the old Ming palace, now housing the teachers training centre. Another karst lies within the grounds, which gives a great view over the city. Back to the hotel and ready for the journey to Guangzhou the following evening.
