It's amazing we got here as we missed our overnight bus to Mengla (from Kunming), or we thought we had. . . .
Our bus departs at 19.30 yet by 19.00 we were no closer to the bus station. Taxi drivers it seems do not like Western passengers. So we hop the three bus after our guide (a lady from our hostel) had come out with us in the poring rain (18.30) to try and secure us a taxi . . . So now it's 19.15 and the bus stops dead in traffic.
19.20; we had given up all hope, I had the address in Chinese written on a scrap of paper and showed it to the couple next to us also informing them of our deadline. We ditch the bus and they make us believe we're still in with a chance.
19.30; having already walked the best part of a kilometer and no where near the bus station I'm ready to give up. It's 19.40 and we arrive, everything runs like clockwork in China, except for this bus!!!!!! We run through the security checks with officals yelling at us, excited at the fact we had still made it. Back out and into the rain where the girl of the couple had ran ahead and maybe stalled the bus, smilling, clapping and jumping with that overjoyed sense of achievement.
The bus departs from Kunming at 19.50, happy and thankful as we leave the couple that had helped us in the rain.
Whoever you are, we thank you for your kindness when we had given up.
