再见了昆明！

南盘江的源头。南盘江为珠江正源。

It's been a short trip up to Kunming. So in the 3 visits over 8 years, I've seen a fair bit of the city and its surrounding regions. The city, I stress, is a good stopover before you head out to Dali, Lijiang, Zhongdian, Xishuangbanna, Luoping, Deqing and other prefectures. Those towns, are gorgeous. Simple, full of natural beauty, and offer plenty of sights and sounds off-the-beaten track. I'm not enamored with Kunming. It's a city that hasn't found its identity, in a state of annoying construction. Perhaps I'll treat it with a kinder eye in 5 years when everything would have sorta settled.

If you ask me how can a dainty city girl survive in China? Can. It's just a state of mind. The toilets, well...after getting over the initial shock of having to throw toilet paper into the bin instead of the toilet bowl and seeing soiled red sanitary pads randomly strewn, it isn't a big deal. At least there's a toilet bowl of sorts. When people spit, just hop in the opposite direction of the guttural throat clearing. If I need to sit at the roadside, I'll simply sit, or squat. Not very glamorous, but I don't give a shit. (pun not intended) I didn't come to Kunming to be all squeaky and whiny; I'd have stayed at home. Seen what I wanted to see. Done almost all that I wanted to do. It's been a fruitful week. I'm pleased.

I was initially surprised by the girlfriend's choice to serve in Kunming. China! Of all places. I wondered if she'd be able to adapt. She has, beautifully so. She hasn't whined or complained, but full of praises for her colleagues and mates. She sees the imperfections in the city and deals with it pragmatically. Taking the buses everywhere, she has more or less assimilated into the local way of life. It isn't just faith and a love of God that have carried her through. It's a desire to understand, to accept, and live life as it is, all of which makes her a stronger person than she was when she left Singapore. I'm more than impressed, and am very proud of her. She's truly one of the more genial human beings I know.

Heading up north to China's capital. The man's done with his US leg of the work trip. He's flying into Beijing for a conference. Since I've some sort of 'work' to do in the capital, his hotel will be our rendezvous point. Beijing, with all its hoity-toity buildings and lofty ideals, will be quite a culture shock after the rustic beauty, and almost friendly people of Yunnan.