The flight from Beijing to Kunming in Yunnan Province was three hours, and we touched down around midnight. The flight was almost empty, so while Rich read his book and pushed through the fatigue plaguing us, Garry and I each grabbed unoccupied three-seat rows, stretched out and slept. I never knew that a meal had been served. After getting our checked bags, which were the last to arrive on the conveyor, we boarded our transfer to the New Era Hotel.
In the morning we met Richard, owner of visittibet.com who will accompany us throughout our tour of the Yunnan province. Since Tibet is closed to foreigners for at least a few months, he has some free time and prearranged to join us. To begin, Kunming with its temperate weather and flower industry is known as the “City of Eternal Spring.” With Banks, our local guide, we drove to the Stone Forest, 90 miles from Kunming. This region was sea floor 270 million years ago and after the water receded the limestone seabed was eroded by wind and rain into pillars reaching up to great heights and many tortured shapes. Using one’s imagination, or I should say someone else’s imagination, different names have been attached to formations, such as “Wife waiting for husband” and “The Elephants.”
Within the past year, the Stone Forest acquired added distinction as a World Natural Heritage site. With its new designation, the hotel and other inns operating within the park must now be torn down, but as with many other tourist sights, souvenir shops dot the way to the entrance. Tourism has a problem in China at the moment. Lucky for us, but not for China, earthquakes, aftershocks, Tibet uprisings and the exchange rate have all negatively impacted tourism. According to our guide, normally the entrance area of the Stone Forest where we were standing would have been a sea of heads, but there weren’t many people this morning. The tourism trade is suffering; the Chinese aren’t traveling as much, let alone foreigners.
Narrow paths snake past rocks etched with calligraphy, not graffiti, and still pools of water reflecting purple flower leaf trees and the stone pillars. Stopping occasionally for photos we finally climbed the steps to a viewing pagoda to take in a panoramic view of the Major Stone Forest. Descending, without handrails at some points, we crossed a small lake to another section called the Minor Stone Forest where the limestone formations are individual pillars.
We had our dessert first after spying an almond covered Magnum ice cream bar at one of the souvenir shops. Let us tell you, it was heaven especially after looking in the display case where we decided to have lunch. OMG!!!! Dried worms, dried beetles and dried “I don’t know whats”! With help from Banks and Richard we ordered food we recognized and enough to share with all the starving children in China, as our mothers used to tell us.
After returning to Kunming, we went to the main branch of the Bank of China to cash traveler’s cheques to pay for our trip. What a process! Filling out forms, going to one teller after another, filling out and signing yet more forms, we finally handed over our money to Richard. He explained that yes, the process was cumbersome, but the people needed work and if changes were made too quickly and people didn’t have a job, there would be unrest. Changes are being made gradually, but, the experience was painfully slow. Needless to say, we are still suffering from jet lag which didn’t help our mood. However, one is able to rate the job performance of the clerk by pushing a button – satisfactory, average or dissatisfactory. We rated her satisfactory and she gave us a big smile and a thank you.
Jetlagged, but the bills are paid,
Rich, Garry and Tamara
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