Kunming

killbillvol2

I'm flying into Kunming on Friday. I've read and heard mixed reviews of the city - Rough Guide rates it, Lonely Planet is meh. Travel forums are a mixed bag. Can anyone with first hand experience give me a compelling reason to spend a few days there before I move on?

Glowing

Hi there,

I stayed in Kunming for a few days in 2006, can't really remember the details, but I managed to find our blog entry for the few days we spent there

http://www.ballofdirt.com/entries/9772/158513.html

I think it was a pleasant enough city, a few nice parks in the vicinty - I can't give you a compelling reason to stay there but I wouln't overlook the idea of spending a night or two!

China is a fantastic country to travel in btw, you'll have a ball!!

killbillvol2

Glowing wrote: »

Hi there,

I stayed in Kunming for a few days in 2006, can't really remember the details, but I managed to find our blog entry for the few days we spent there

http://www.ballofdirt.com/entries/9772/158513.html

I think it was a pleasant enough city, a few nice parks in the vicinty - I can't give you a compelling reason to stay there but I wouln't overlook the idea of spending a night or two!

China is a fantastic country to travel in btw, you'll have a ball!!

Cheers for that. I've been to a few Chinese cities and tbh only Beijing impressed me so I'm inclined to get on the road to Dali sharpish. I arrive at noon so might spend the afternoon having a look around, spend the night and move on next morning.

killbillvol2

killbillvol2 wrote: »

Cheers for that. I've been to a few Chinese cities and tbh only Beijing impressed me so I'm inclined to get on the road to Dali sharpish. I arrive at noon so might spend the afternoon having a look around, spend the night and move on next morning.

I've been there a few times to visit some Chinese friends.. I can't really tell you about touristy things since its not really my sort of activity. I can tell you that it has some nice bar streets, a few enjoyable nightclubs, and very good street food vendors. I quite enjoyed the food on offer which was distinctly different to Xi'an, Beijing or Shanghai. More subtle use of herbs and a tendency to have more tender meat. I also found the people quite friendly. The usual stares and a few people wanting to try out their English, but i met a good number of people with conversational English also. If you're male and single, I also found the women to be more forward than other provinces/cities. A good city.. all in all.

Not my favorite but definitely not anywhere low in my list of places worth returning to.

killbillvol2

Deleted User wrote: »

I've been there a few times to visit some Chinese friends.. I can't really tell you about touristy things since its not really my sort of activity. I can tell you that it has some nice bar streets, a few enjoyable nightclubs, and very good street food vendors. I quite enjoyed the food on offer which was distinctly different to Xi'an, Beijing or Shanghai. More subtle use of herbs and a tendency to have more tender meat. I also found the people quite friendly. The usual stares and a few people wanting to try out their English, but i met a good number of people with conversational English also. If you're male and single, I also found the women to be more forward than other provinces/cities. A good city.. all in all.

Not my favorite but definitely not anywhere low in my list of places worth returning to.

Thanks. Food for thought (pardon the pun!).

I'm male and single - if they're more forward than some of the women who accosted me in Shanghai I'll need to carry a stick

killbillvol2

killbillvol2 wrote: »

Thanks. Food for thought (pardon the pun!).

I'm male and single - if they're more forward than some of the women who accosted me in Shanghai I'll need to carry a stick

The problem with Shanghai and less so Beijing is that you can never be sure there not some tea house trick, art scheme, or other such nonsense. I love Beijing as a place to visit, but I find you have to be careful on the streets. Shanghai is worse. More selfish in many ways.

Outside of those cities though you can be more relaxed and just take the opportunities presented. I love living in China.

killbillvol2

Deleted User wrote: »

The problem with Shanghai and less so Beijing is that you can never be sure there not some tea house trick, art scheme, or other such nonsense. I love Beijing as a place to visit, but I find you have to be careful on the streets. Shanghai is worse. More selfish in many ways.

Outside of those cities though you can be more relaxed and just take the opportunities presented. I love living in China.

Yeah the ladies of Shanghai certainly had an avid interest in tea! For someone well travelled they're amateurs really but I've actually met two guys who fell for it hook, line and sinker.

Beijing didn't really present me with any hassle - they're in your face and upfront so it's easy enough to walk away. (Apart from the young lady who, when I told her I didn't want her to come back to my hotel, hit me with - "Why - you don't find Chinese women attractive?". Answer that!).

Thanks again for the info.

killbillvol2

killbillvol2 wrote: »

Yeah the ladies of Shanghai certainly had an avid interest in tea! For someone well travelled they're amateurs really but I've actually met two guys who fell for it hook, line and sinker.

When I first moved to China, I let myself be caught by it simply because I'd heard about it on the net, secondly because I like to know how these things worked first hand, and thirdly I hoped the rather attractive girl wasn't involved. Alas she was and I parted with a 100 rmb. Was easier to get away since i spoke some Chinese, and could pull of the familiar expat appearance.

Beijing didn't really present me with any hassle - they're in your face and upfront so it's easy enough to walk away. (Apart from the young lady who, when I told her I didn't want her to come back to my hotel, hit me with - "Why - you don't find Chinese women attractive?". Answer that!).

Just say you didn't think she'd want to sleep with you and your Chinese Girlfriend.. (although some girls might agree, just for the experience. Its the only country I've been in where threesomes occur naturally)

killbillvol2

Deleted User wrote: »

When I first moved to China, I let myself be caught by it simply because I'd heard about it on the net, secondly because I like to know how these things worked first hand, and thirdly I hoped the rather attractive girl wasn't involved. Alas she was and I parted with a 100 rmb. Was easier to get away since i spoke some Chinese, and could pull of the familiar expat appearance.



Just say you didn't think she'd want to sleep with you and your Chinese Girlfriend.. (although some girls might agree, just for the experience. Its the only country I've been in where threesomes occur naturally)

Sounds more interesting by the minute - unfortunately ugly-ass mofos like me don't generally wind up in threesomes!