We were dreading today. Another full day of road travel and we suspected that the minibus to Kanding would be as rough and uncomfortable as the last one. Sim is marginally better – still not at all well. We’ve seen the worst driver China has to offer and this morning we got into a much snazzier looking minibus that felt like it could go the distance. Pity the driver was the slowest and most inexperienced in the country.

We left the hostel at 8:30 but it was gone 9 by the time we actually left Tagong. Drivers tend to only leave when they have enough people so you end up waiting while they troll up and down the street yelling out their destination. Our one drove 10 metres then would stop, get out and have a conversation with some mates then repeat this process 3 or 4 times. We stopped in XinduQia and did the same thing. Our driver was incredibly slow (in more ways than one) and did not inspire confidence with his indicating when going round bends or slowing to a stroll when answering is cell. It must also have been a new vehicle – he stopped about 15 minutes from our destination and spent 20 minutes washing his van with all the passengers waiting patiently inside. In the end it took 3 hours to drive 100km! but at least he got us there and the roads were thankfully nice smooth brand new Tarmac.

Outside Kanding bus station we were immediately assaulted by a half dozen minibus drivers. We brushed them off and went into the bus station to buy tickets to Chengdu (Our LP indicating they leave every half hour and take 6 hours to get there). To our utter disbelief the only tickets available were for the following day. We really did not want to stay a night in Kanding so we went back outside, agreed to £20 each and braced ourselves for yet another minibus journey. It took another hour to fill the 2 mini-vans that were traveling in convoy. Ours was stuffed with 15 people (incl the driver) but it was a far more comfortable Hyundai people carrier.

As we got going it became clear that our driver was a real character. First thing he did once out of town was stop and change his number plates (fakes I guess) and add s Buddhist prayer ribbon to the front – yikes. He was a lunatic driver, chain smoker and cell user. Something like a SA taxi driver but without the carnage. He managed to hoot, nudge, shout and squeeze through some huge traffic jams and must have saved us hours of waiting (we did get completely stuck for 2 hours because of an accident though). After a stop for food and another disagreement with traffic we made it to a freeway and freedom. After removing the number plates completely our driver dropped the hammer and cranked up the stereo (only adding to Sim’s pain). We came to a screeching halt in Kunming 11 hours after leaving Tagong. A short taxi ride and we were lucky to find Mix Hostel (good thing V had picked up a map somewhere along the way). It was a very hard day again.

Seems all we have been writing about for ages now is long days on the road. We are seriously done with minibuses and have only one more long bus ride in China (the one from Kunming into Laos). Hopefully we’ll be able to write about cool things again and can leave the tales of bruised buts behind… for now !

On the up side. Sim is getting better. V is possibly getting a sniffle (but thankfully not flu) and Mix hostel found two more people to join us in Tibet which makes a big difference to the price. What’s next ?

– Posted from my iPhone via Wifi