"... But I need you to help! I also helped people as I rode a bicycle to Tibet, I'm not sure I can help you, I know how it is!"
Young, can 20-year-old boy stopped me in the street and offered to help in matters of accommodation. I took it a clear case of satisfaction, oszczędzało me because it not only costs, but also an evening cruise around beds tabernacles, Search, Questions about the price, grapple with lack of understanding (not because what I might want by going to the hotel?) and the abolition of many strange looks. All in all it is to them even very'm not surprised, the glances, because I avoid peering at his reflection in windows or mirrors. After all, I am well aware, that looks rather different from my local standards and having added to that the fact, that funnels the term "get wet blond chick in tight pants" broken through "heap misery on obładowanym bike" are rather mild term.
There was a rainy season. It rains from early June, first only at night, then also both in the day. I have to admit, that the lack of sunshine welcomed ... this can lead 6-month-frying in 40 degree heat. Going in all a pretty nice. Mokrawo, but the heat and a total pleasure. But there is one fundamental flaw of this situation - as far as finding a place for the tent in Asia in general and China in detail, it is almost impossible, it in the rain becomes completely, but it is quite impossible. Earth is completely different than in Europe, and as soon as it gets a little rain turns into a disgusting, red mud and where it does not, and so is water.
A to, that will lead the way "on the flat" is such a joke was unintentional. There was no flat, but hilly. Very nice hilly. Surprisingly, as a way for China was peaceful, rather broad and asphalt did not end abruptly or not provoked started road construction as in many cases yore at times. Landscape dominated by two colors: green, through green, green, a wet green in various shades and .. dirty. Color dirty is the second color, which dominates in China. It is the color of buildings, backyards, streets, vehicles. Sometimes people.
And sometimes it was a very dirty "dirty". I've seen it, I never want to see. Villages junk. Sprawling heaps of rubbish, thrown loose or segregated: revelry, plate, Plastic, paper, construction waste, agd… Lying on the side of the heaps of rubbish with a height of several meters, overlying buildings almost. And people all living, working, przewalających these heaps, dropping off new dirt, entraining old.
I wondered, whether they know, that life and the world may look different. And if these children, that live there, also about to find out. With all my heart I wish them, to have found a better and more beautiful way of life.
But back to my accommodation "helper". Proposed sites, where I could spend quite a dynamically changing. Originally it was supposed to be a house donor. Then it turned out, that this house is too far away, but there is an academic obok, where he can spend the night.. Campus was pretty nice, Academician already less. Gender of people staying there clearly indicated on this, it was a male dormitory. We walked down the corridor. At the end it was some room, cell or would be Kanciapa, some bunks be mattresses, some rubbish and some things on the floor hastily swept back foot. As it turned out, this is the living room of my Chinese colleague ia I can sleep on one of two free bunks. The mean I wanted to be there for the night, but in the end it remitted from the heart bunk was, So I thought to myself, that there is nothing to grouse. But fate had it otherwise. In fact, otherwise you want to służbówce, aka caretaker protection.. my "helper" came to the maid's room and a moment later fell out of nietęgą face and the ablush. Although the tone of most Chinese women reminds me of a street vendor at a market stall in this case I felt, with further come to blows.. I mean strictly speaking you did not allow my stay in this male environment and the issue of assistance in finding my locale was still open. There have been very co-invent, went looking for a cheap room. Any, found quite quickly and as it usually happens in hostels Chinese so here clientele were mostly men, and as it usually happens in Chinese hotels were supplied condoms, So I decided that the norm. I said goodbye, thanking intercepted situation and relief greeted the boy thought of a hot shower and collapsed in a well-deserved sleep. But it was not so simple.
In the room next door, which was the very next, hear the sounds of leaving no doubt as to the nature of the activities pairs staying there. On the other hand, the room started same. It was not far from playing chess or the mandolin. And that at midnight local time began to mundialowi match, sounds from the past in a more intimate stadium. If you want to catch some sleep and after an earlier site visit to the sanctuary of accommodation took the mat, sleeping bag and went to the landing, where I found myself quite pleasant corner. Quiet corner about 2 o'clock in the morning became a loud corner, because at the bottom of the stairs rozsiadło the young, drunk Society. Not wanting to reveal, I heard their gibberish to some 4 in the morning. As you have already gone it came back into the room, but this time the sounds were even more intense, probably because the game has awakened emotions, So I went back to "their" landing.
Last day of riding in China brought even more attractions. Crawl through the night in this quasi-brothel, I ran straight into the rain, which were so good, that made me a bit otrzeźwiły. In the afternoon, statistics captured in Asia gum increased to 5. Getting your bike to the city just pięciomilionowego Chongqing city which had a return flight seemed to be impossible. Around the city like a Chinese wall run narrow mountain ranges. I was driving along such bands as almost 50 km nohow unable to break through to the other side, bouncing off the edge like a bird in a cage. Wetted, already in the dark I got into some village. A visit to several noclegowaniach failed: lack of, I do not know whether or not you really want them to fight with a report of a foreigner. When I finally found this place, It turned out, that the hotel can not accept foreigners. Such surprises happened to me in China rarely and only in larger cities. On the wider province to which were among the by. me, this place no one I often did not ask for a passport - the money, are the keys to the room, goodbye. And then - problem.
I went to the police to ask for help. He greeted me, of course, a number of known me longer looks gentlemen officers suspected or would be sitting there, but fortunately one of the officers even spoke English. Walked together a few shelters, which alone would not have located somewhere and finally found the place to be. I do not know whether because of the police, whether there was also a custom proceeded to check me "honestly". The whole process my data wklepania, including where and when they crossed the border lasted 75 minutes, and already at midnight I could go to sleep.
Morning after finding, that in the face of impassable mountain range or would be winding highways everywhere I would not risk trying to reach the airport by bike and gave earn local bus driver. Twenty-four hours before departure, I was already at the airport and I went to the vision of the local surrounding shops, streets and garbage cans in search boxes and bubble wrap to pack the bike for the trip. I you "Zonk". In the field of secondary waste collection in China is a highly competitive and I did not have any chance with her. Dumpsters are regularly scoured the boxes are quite tasty morsel. For a few hours I did not find anything, for it the way I passed a few people with carts laden with complex cartons. I już- as I had already started negotiations with one truck owners came across a bike shop. Nice seller no problem gave me a decent cardboard, this made it well, properly we tied it to a bike, which itself ran the walk the few kilometers to the airport, of course, to the amazement and amusement of the local community. Before entering the departure hall arranged a evening-night pakowanko and przepakowywanko, get much sleep on comfortable chairs in an empty departure hall, morning threw even look at the rain-drenched China and fru! Flew to Europe.
Yep, I felt relieved. Great relief because the last weeks have put my nerves to the limit. China is a country of contrasts, interesting people, fascinating wildlife and buildings, good food, but also big problems with communicating, unimaginable noise, widely accepted littering, smoking anywhere and everywhere, and often do not understand my habits. I think, China does not leave anyone indifferent.
Crossing the now Polish streets and roads can not get over – as beautiful here, how can you clean and how quiet it (!). I went to the store, I bought bread, ser i .… ryż. Force of habit?