Day 55 - Mui Ne

Still here, for one more day at least. Was supposed to leave yesterday, but between Seb's ilness, and the chilled out pace of life here, we haven't budged. Jeany left this afternoon, so back into the dorm with the others again, though Brigitte has been spending a lot of time with some other Dutchies. She's abandoning her plans in order to fly to Bali, sacrificing her time in Australia - freedom!

Did nought today. Breakfast next door in Joe's with Jeany. Joined by Stefan, and his friend Lee. Then saw Jeany to the bus, and decamped to the beach. Reading Gulliver's Travels - one chapter, then swim. Repeat. Got a bit of burn on my back yesterday, so slightly pink today.

The weather today is overcast - it's the first time there hasn't been a blue sky since we arrived. It's far more pleasant, especially with a breeze. I have to live beside the sea. The sound of the breakers, battling playfully with the waves while swimming. Fiona would love it here.

It must be a holiday destination for Russians - plenty of the local restaurants and tour agents have signs in Russian, and a couple in German. I suppose one can get the train all the way from Russia. Or perhaps there's cheap flights. Can't blame them for making the giant journey here - so beautiful, relaxed and peaceful.

***

RWC final - Weepu (NZ) missing two penalties and a conversion, and gifting France the ball for that try. Donald (NZ) coming on to groans from his own supporters, only to score a penalty. A NZ player running into touch with the ball. France's inspiring moves in the second half, and their defence in the first. NZ constantly attacking.

The NZ supporters - vocal, but friendly with the table of French beside me. Celebratory in black. Seeing both parties around town later, on the dunes the next day. Smiles and nods of recognition. Kiwis deserved to win, and probably by a greater margin.

Also, I had a swim at half-time!

***

A note on the Golden Lingua - worshipped by the Khmer of Ankgor Thom, it was looted by Thailand during a war. They have it still, as part of the crown jewels. I asked Paean about it - if Cambodia wanted it back, but he just said that they would take t back if they could, and right now they couldn't, so they didn't want it. I wonder if it's like the Elgin Marbles. Must look it up.

Day 38 - Kunming

Just back from Wales vs Ireland. Devastating. 22-10. Watched it in a Samoan bar, which took me two hours to find. Real estate agents are great for directions. But in the end it was a Chilean girl who was working in a mexican restaurant who walked me there.

First Irish encounter - a loud, obnoxious Limerick girl called Emma. Don't think she knew much about rugby, except being about to identify the Munster players. Clapped and shouted and generally intimidated the rest of the café. Destroyed the atmosphere. One Welsh guy. Better team on the day.

***

Think I got a bit too much sun yesterday. Forehead and left arm. Wandered through the park today. Saturday morning, so crowds out doing their choreographed dance, and the men sitting around tables playing some rapid variant of dominoes. After the match I drop by the museum of Yunnan province. Why do bronze sculptures hold my interest, but crafty shite bores me? Clothes, jewellery -I don't care whether it's past or present.

***

Skyped LC. She seems upbeat, taking each day as it comes. Skyped with CW also, she's off to Rome on Monday. I'm actually a little jealous!

Day 33 - Chengdu

Off the train just before 6am, brandishing our hotel name and address (in English), we get a taxi at the rank. 40 minutes later, we're back at the rank and 25RMB down, the driver not really knowing where to go [had to draw a picture and make train noises to get back to the station]. We get a bus instead, and with the aid of Kelly's map, find our hotel. Relieved to find they have our reservation. Sleep.

***

Emerald arrives at 3pm, having been to several other Jinjiang hotels in the city. She is apologetic, even though it is our fault. We wander around a nearby market area, and she takes an immediate liking to Kelly, clamping her arm within her own.

This dude bounced the doughballs off a drum,
then they would ricochet off the wall and into the pan.
Smooth.

We sample some local foods for brunch, including the intestine powder and sad jelly. Not particularly appealing, but nice to sample. We also have a piece of a sweet bamboo-like plant, which one chews to extract the juice, then spit out the solid remainder. Emerald also recommends areas further afield to visit, such as Lijiang.

We potter about for a while, to the central square, before Emerald insists on bringing us to the shopping district. We obviously have no money for this, and the whole area is uninteresting to us, but there is no deterring her. She also has yet to let go of Kelly! She wants to take us to the financial distract next, but we persuade her to bring us to an older part of town, which is rather touristy. There she buys a tacky flashing heart for Kelly, while Dom and I devise the best way to escape her over-friendliness. Which sounds mean, but she's a very intense individual.

Kelly in the central square

More staff dancing

She also failed to provide the promised accommodation, trying to change hotels for us instead, to somewhere closer to her house. There's an almost sinister cuteness to it all, like the offer to go up a mountain for 85RMB. We've resolved to flee Chengdu as soon as possible.

It seems a rather bland city anyway, with nothing to give it character, bar the panda reserve. Heading there tomorrow morning with some fellow whiteys that Kelly conveniently befriended in the lobby. New blood! Should make Chengdu more bearable.

***

Haven't shaved since Beijing. Growth is sparse, slightly patchy. Hair is increasingly mane-like.

***

Haven't seen any rugby yet, but Mammy, Laura and Irene have been great for keeping me updated. If I've got the tables right, there's a pair of southern-hemi QFs, and a pair of northern. Leading to one northern SF, and one southern. And therefore a final of north vs south. Ireland's in with a chance of reaching the final!