The previous night I could here scratching and scurrying coming from somewhere. It was hard to say if it was above or below. I woke up at 4am this morning and felt something moving on my ear, I have no fucking idea what it was but I flipped my hand across my ear and felt no contact with anything but the scratching and scurrying continued a little longer.

Maybe the room is just haunted………………

After reading the book “Lost Horizons” I think my vision of Shangri-la was a little skewed to say the least. There is a monastery but I did not go. It’s now quite the tourist attraction and I went to the visitor centre and then decided to return. My Hotel or the Cozy Inn as it’s called is OK but there is no heating in the room and so it’s not that cosy, although the bed has an electric blanket. I’m not sleeping well as I feel I have a weight on my chest due to the high altitude.

The skies are blue but you can still smell the wood burning fires and so at times when you climb up a hill or steps your lungs are still clawing for air and so even although it looks pristine it ain’t. The altitude has quite an effect on your breathing at times and the smoke just doesn’t help.

Two years ago there was a large fire which destroyed much of the old city and so many of the places are shiny and new, but they have been built in the tradition Tibetan style. Many streets are still under construction and so maybe in a few years the old city might look old again. But you don’t have to walk too far before you come across the modern world which is full of designer clothes and Nike stores. As I say my vision of Shangri-la has been slightly distorted by reading a book that was written almost 100 years ago. But tomorrow I will be heading down the hill to Tiger Leaping Gorge to start my trek. But even so I think it’s worth coming to for just a few days if your in the neighbourhood.

I brought this packet of crisps from Suzhou and when I reached here it was ready to explode because of the difference in air pressure. The sun cream that I brought poured out when I took the lid off and the rolling ball in the deodorant leapt out too. My body feels like bits are also trying to escape.  My poor heart is thumping in my chest and just won’t relax; I half expect to find it beside me when I wake up in the morn. So I thought that adjusting to the higher altitude would be quite easy but I feel that it will take more time here to do that. As night falls once more I feel the headache returning and my stomach is also not too happy. But I am also looking forward to a slightly warmer climate.

My first western style breakfast in a long time. I really am in paradise!!!!!

As I flew into Shangri-la it was still dark and the moon was big and bright in the sky illuminating the snow covered mountains below.  In the distance there was another mountain range that could have been the Himalayas but I’m not sure, either way it was a spectacular introduction to Shangri-la.

I got picked up at the airport and taken to my hotel called the Cozy Inn but it did not look very cosy. The room was ok but no heating although I do have an electric blanket. I went for breakfast which consisted of two plates of steamed dumplings. After breakfast I went back to my hotel and slept for about 4 hours. I put on the electric blanket and died. 

When I awoke I felt a little better but now my head began to hurt.  The altitude was starting to affect me.  I walked outside and sat in the sun for a while. In the middle of the day it’s very pleasant. The sky is blue and the air is clean  although you can smell a few wood burning fires. After about an hour of contemplating life, the universe and everything I went for some noodles and returned to the Cozy Inn and took some drugs to try and cure my headache. It felt like my head was in a vice and so there was nothing else for it but to put on the electric blanket and close the curtains and go to sleep. 

Kunming airport is so busy and it’s just around 5am but there are so many people here and many are having breakfast. And the breakfast of choice is a giant sized Pot Noodle. 

I’m up way before the sun because I need to catch the early flight to Shangri-la. I’ve spent the night in Kunming arriving at the hotel at about 7pm so I’ve only just caught a few hours sleep before I’m up again.

I didn’t really sleep,  I guess I was worried about sleeping in, but I shouldn’t have been because I got an early morning alarm call.  I had organised the bus to pick me up to take me to the airport.

When I awoke this morn there was a strange smell and taste in the air and I’m not sure what it was, but it tasted foul. It reminded me of my trip to Harbin earlier in the year.  The air there was thick and heavy with what seemed to be coal dust,  this smell was a little different. I would say this had more of an oil based smell or tar or something similar. I arrived in the dark and I left in the dark so I have no idea what was around the hotel. 

The area my hotel was in seemed old and the roads were in poor condition.  When I left just after 4am there was already businesses preparing food and washing dishes out on the street. 

The hotel itself was old but comfortable. A throw back to the communist era. The foyer was big and golden. The furniture was huge but looked ok in the space.  The wifi worked surprising well and so that was a bonus.  I didn’t have a shower because the water was too cold so I’ll just blast on more smelly stuff to cover up any odour.

So now I’m at the airport waiting for my flight to Shangri-la and I’m hoping that I can check into my hotel when I arrive so that I can hopefully have a hot shower and then a snooze. 

Why is it do difficult to get a good strong coffee at the airport, they’re always too weak and no flavour?.  
Even if you only use half the water it’s a struggle to find it, the flavour that is. 
 Oh I know the answer come to think, too many Starbucks lowering the bar to just below rubbish!!!!!!

My six weeks at my Airbnb digs are up tomorrow and so that means I’m heading off on the first part of my travels. It’s gone so quickly but I’m looking forward to my next adventure. First stop Kunming and then the mythical Shangri-la which I’m really looking forward too. The air should be clean and fresh. I hope I don’t get altitude sickness when I arrive. Many folk suffer from this and it can affect any age, but I have a feeling I will be ok and if not I’ll let you know. 

It’s not often that you see the metro empty but I waited until I was the last person aboard and then I got this picture.  Usually you have to fight for a space nevermind a seat.  The metro in Suzhou is very good and cheap. Maximum fare is 8 rmb. The layout is really good because you can go from the north of the city to the south in less than an hour which is quicker than driving.