Jul
1
2009
At 2000m Dali is already quite high. Yesterday when I arrived it was pounding with rain and there was nothing to see. In addition I foolishly left my camera on the express bus from Kunming… Thank god for Tao in Kunming and Peng here in Dali. 11 phone calls later and Peng was taking me back to Dali new town (I’m in the old town) on a bus to retrieve the camera from the lost property officer at the bus station. Between them they solved something that would have been impossible for me. Tao tells me I need to give one of the Rough Edge T shirts to the bus driver on my return to Kunming – he’s going to organise this.
Luckily this morning the rain had cleared and as I stepped out of the courtyard of Peng’s climbers’ guesthouse (bunkhouse) I saw the mountains for the first time – rising steeply above the streets of this amazing little walled city with pockets of cloud sitting in their hollows up to a dizzy 4116m. It is truly breathtaking and I can’t wait to get up there and discover more.
Now I am busy finding a partner to come with me and the first step is to move from Peng’s place to the Birds Nest – a small hostel where people can speak English and with a very wonderful relaxed Tibetan feel. I’m writing this along with a couple of earlier catch-up posts from the free internet cafe at the China Youth Hostel (I expect I’ll be back here during my time in Dali)
(Dali China Youth Hostel free internet cafe 1 July)
Rough Edge, Adventure, Logistics, mountain, navigation training, worldwide,
trekking, Scotland,
DofE Gold, Expedition,
11 comments | tags: adventure, amazing, breathtaking, climber, DofE, DofE Gold, expedition, Gold, high, hostel, logistics, mountain, navigation, navigation training, rain, Rough Edge, Scotland, steeply, Student, T-shirt, training, trekking, Wales, worldwide
Jul
1
2009
Tao in Kunming has been wonderful. Aside from running his yoga studio he found time to take me to meet Zhou Jun a climber with Red Point in Kunming. We broke through the communication barrier over half a dozen beers and some rock hard peanuts and his knowledge of the mountains of Yunnan is – and will be – extremely helpful. Thanks! The Spring Garden Star hotel in Kunming is peaceful, pleasant, clean and only ten quid a night – brilliant。(Dali China Youth Hostel free internet cafe 1 July)
Rough Edge, Adventure, Logistics, mountain, navigation, training, worldwide, trekking,
DofE Gold Expedition, Scotland,
Comments Off on Helpful friends and a great cheap hotel | tags: adventure, brilliant, China, China Youth Hostel, climber, Dali, DofE, DofE Gold Expedition, expedition, Gold, hostel, Kunming, logistics, mountain, mountains, navigation, Red Point, Rough Edge, Scotland, Student, training, trekking, worldwide, Yunnan
Jul
1
2009
Just a few pics from Kunming – gateway to the Yunnan Province and a wonderful city. (Dali China Youth Hostel free internet cafe 1 July)
Rough Edge Adventure Logistics mountain navigation & training & worldwide trekking
China 09 DofE Gold Expedition recce
Comments Off on Kunming pics | tags: adventure, China, China Youth Hostel, Dali, DofE, expedition, Gold, hostel, Kunming, mountain, navigation, Rough Edge, Student, training, trekking, worldwide, Yunnan