2/12/09, Kunming

So, here I am, finally, in Kunming. Not a terribly eventful day today, just travel. Here's my route:
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Pretty much just woke up and went to the airport. I had to pay out the butt because my baggage was overweight, and this irritated me even more because it probably wouldn't have been had the signs not talked me into checking one of my carry-ons. It was also a laughably byzantine procedure. I had to get a ticket from one desk, and then give it to another desk, and then pay at another desk. Other than that, air travel is pretty much the same misery everywhere, and if anything, this trip was nicer than its American equivalent would be. I drank canned coffee, snacked on disgusting hard candies, and mostly slept on the flight, though I did get a lunch, even though it was only three and a half hours. The woman next to me kept frantically pointing at her wrist, wanting to know the time, which sort of pissed me off, because she could at least try to talk to me in Mandarin.

Once here, I was picked up and brought to the university by one of the professors, and my friend Nick from Wash U. It's good not to be alone again. I do have a roommate, and my dorm room is kind of odd; basically, it's just a hotel room, and has similar warmth (and similar single serving soap). I'll have to be a night showerer, since we only have hot water from 8 to 12 AM.

A nice English guy named James took me and the Duke kids from the dorms out to a local restaurant. James is good people, speaks excellent mandarin and has been studying here for a year or so, starting in the north, in Dalian. That's hardcore. Eating with him, I felt silly and envious. He bargains the check, and knows what to order and reads the mandarin, not-for-tourists menu. Meanwhile, I've been wandering around the country, poking and mumbling and stumbling around.

Finished the night off in a nice bar in what's called foreigners street. Kunming's a sweet little town, what I've seen so far. Weird in that it's got an active nightlife that I can see, and it's full of young people, really does feel like a college town. Very pleasant.

Ok, not much to report so far. I'm going to stop posting for a little bit, because I have to study and take care of things, and anyways, I actually have things to do at night now and am getting sick of the internet cafe routine. I'll chime in every week or two, let you know how things are going. Any questions, email me, if you know my email. See you around.