28 October 2014 (Tuesday)
Last night, I was unable to go back to sleep again after waking up to ease myself. It was 6:15 a.m. when I got up of my bed. It was very cold and it was still raining.
The reception office had not opened. I wanted to check out but couldn't. I could just leave but the hostel gate was locked. I had to get the hostel owner to wake up, which I did finally. I also exchanged my hostel key deposit with a used umbrella.
After checking out, I went to look for the bus terminal to catch a bus to Xiaguan. I failed. Instead, I ended up at the very location across the road which I had suspected all along to be the bus pick-up point, i.e. directly across the highway from the west end of Renmin Street.
The last person whom I asked, a kindly and helpful elderly woman, explained that there were no minibuses but buses no. 4 and buses no. 8 passing by this location. I thanked her and waited when she looked at me and said the blue no. 4 bus was coming. The fare was CNY2. Two private vehicle drivers who had offered to take me to the express bus station in Xiaguan asked for a fare of CNY50 just a few minutes earlier as I walked on the highway to this spot.
At the bus last stop in Xiaguan, everyone got out. I caught a taxi to the express bus terminal for CNY6.
At the express bus terminal, I was fortunate to talk to a ticketing officer who understood English, though she could not speak the language. She replied me by writing on a piece of paper, "9:00 a.m., CNY145" and pointed to me the direction to the waiting room.
We finally arrived at Kunming West Bust Station. I had still not made up my mind on where to stay. Close to the bus station, the prospect of finding a hostel was not good so I took a taxi to The Hump for CNY50.
The Hump was located in an area with eateries and shopping stores at Jinbi Square, along Jinbi Road.
After unpacking, I was on the way out to hunt for lunch and explore the surrounding area.
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