Southbound

Hoping for a fresh start on a so far, not too good trip, I headed south towards Vietnam. But first a stop in Nanning to get my visa. I hadn't aquired one before I left, since Vietnam doesn't have any embassy or consulate in Norway. I had booked a flight from Hongqiao airport in Shanghai. I and Rich had left Shengsi island at noon, and arrived at Nanpu Bridge bus station at around 3 pm. More than enough time for me to get myself to the airport in time for my six o'clock flight. Rich instructed me on how to get myself to the closest subway station to avoid paying too much for the taxi. I arrived, without being lost in the sub, at the airport at four.
I was a bit worried about whether or not I would get my backpack as carryon, since I would only be allowed to carry 7 kg on board, and the fact that they didn't allow ANY liquids on board. Which basically meant that I would not be able to carry my toiletries in my bag. At the airport I found they had a service that packed everything you wanted in a voven bag. I just bought the bag, placed all my "need to have" stuff in this, and checked in my backpack.
I settled in the chaos of the B6 gate. This was where the passengers where shuttled by bus to their respective airplanes. Sometimes two or three flights at the same time. I snuck a peak at different people's tickets and found a guy who was going to Nanning. I would just follow him to the right airplane.
Outside, the rain was torrential. I expected delays, and there was. We didn't leave until 1 hour after the scheduled takeoff. The plane shook and trembled as it fought its way into and through the clouds. Dancing on the air and clouds as it went. Half an hour later we were above the clouds, only to be met by an enormous wall of turbulence. Fodder was served. To my surprise, the attendants spoke english quite well. After the meal, I almost fell asleep. Tired from the food, the heat and the disappointment of the day.
We touched down half an hour late in Nanning. I waited for my bag, and it came. I sighed in relief. I have so far not lost any bags, but I have had bags missing for a day. Wouldn't want that to happen now. I got through the wall of waiting people and went outside to take a taxi. Nobody spoke any english, and nobody wanted to take me anywhere. Don't know why, so in the end, frustrated and annoyed, I jumped on the airport bus. It probably saved me a bunch too. Since the city proved to be half an hours drive from the airport.
We got dropped off at the local airport hotel. I had a reservation at Lotusland. I picked up my reservation and found that I had forgotten to print out the instructions in chinese. I showed the name in english to a driver. He just brushed me off. I asked another, then another. No one wanted to read. In the end, a girl who spoke english came to me and asked if I needed help. She called the hotel and asked for directions, and wrote these in chinese on my paper. I thanked her and armed with chinese directions, I showed these to another driver. She looked puzzled at me and at what she read. Then rewrote what I had on the paper, and asked if this was it. I didn't know. So she just drove off. Another attempt was justa s futile. The girl from before came to my rescue again. She called the hotel and gave her phone to the driver. He then took me to the hotel. It proved to be about 200 meters away...
"Our hotel is hard to find" the receptionist apoligized. "No shit" I said.
The reason I chose this hotel, was that they had a visa service for Vietnam. They charged nothing for taking care of your visa application at the vietnamese embassy. I opted for a same day visa the next day. Paid for two nights and the visa, and headed for my room. It was a, er, minimalist room. A double matress on the floor. And wall paintings depicting a forest in spring on one side and autumn on the other. I crashed and fell asleep.

The next day I went looking for the bus-station from where the Hanoi bus would leave. I used a map I got from the hotel and found it after a while. The ticket seller spoke some english, much to my surprise. But I guess she had a lot of foreign customers. "I want ticket for tomorrow to Ha Noi at seven thirty." I said. "Tikki to Ha Noi tomow at seve thirty" she replied and smiled. I smiled back. Relieved. The ticked was correct. 150 kwai for the 8 hour drive.
In the evening I enjoyed with a huge crowd, a group of cyclists doing wall climbing on the street. A police biker showed up and flashed his light. Until he saw me, then he switched them off and drove off. This is what I have seen before. The police are strickt until they see a foreigner. It seems like they have been tought not to show how it all works to give the nation a bad name.

Next time : Viet Nam

By the way : Southbound is also a song by The Allmann Brothersband. Recommended!

Ragnar
Licensed to travel