Crossing the border

Yesterday we left Sapa, a great time had negotiating with the hill tribes and buying things you don't really need. When a girl walks on a trek for hours to hold an umbrella over your head to shade from the sun you must buy things.
Travelled to Lai Cai by bus. Then walked thru the Vietnam side into no mans land. I had lost my Exit Visa so was expecting a rather large fine. Some good strategy and managed it at no cost. On the China side lost my copy of the Lonely Planet which apparently is banned in China because it includes Taiwan as a separate country.
With these delays had to run to the bus keeping there with no time to spare. Then settled in for the 13 hour bus trip to Kunming. Due to the conflict between Vietnam and China and the drugs etc the crossing is very dicey.
After another 5-6 hour bus trip we are now in Dali, a beautiful town overlooking a lovely lake some 3111 feet above sea level. The weather has broken. From the 38 degree days in Sapa it is now cold and raining.
This is quite a resort town for the wesa large number of both western and eastern restaurants and hotels. Excellent for biking and trekking.
Still manging to keep up with the rest of the group and at times they struggle to keep up with me, not too often. The group works well with us all getting on. Lehong our group leader is Chinese and has been taking tours foe 18 months and is excellent. She is lively and intelligent and has planned things really well. Can handle the tough situations with ease like the border crossing, getting us through the border and to buses with seconds to spare. Also using the local buses in cities with 4.8 million people. I cannot speak highly enough of her.
Dealing with the local Chinese is fun and interesting reverting to sign languages often. Lehong has given us all Maderin lessons but we do get the blank looks all the time. I know the n\most important phrase being Bing Pi ie Cold Beer and they come in 641 mill. Was fun ordering at the roadside food shops and also in the local restaurants. You quite often don't know what you are going to get. Got ripped off on a peach for 3Yuan last night.
Have tomorrow here in Dali and then off to Leaping Tiger Gorge and more trekking
Keep well