I am on my way to take a bus to Sanya. The trip should be 16 hours. I have barely managed to get to the hotel and pick up my stuff after the feet massage.
I was a bit lost in the bus station. Looking around where is my bus, but all signs were in Chinese. Suddenly then one guys comes to me and says I will take your back to the bus, please give it to me. I was so tired that I was almost to give him, but I realised, how would he know which bus? I asked “Which bus are you going to take it to?”. Then he just walked off. I was so close of getting scammed.
I had to go through scanner and scan the bag before entering the bus station. High security! Though the guard wasn’t even looking at the screen. Finding a bus was a bit of a challenge as all signs on the bus was in Chinese too! Luckily I had my iPod touch and I had Chinese transliteration from latin symbols. So all I did is just to type Sanya (三亚) and then match the symbols on the bus screen. I’ve tried asking but the way I was pronouncing no one could understand. The driver confirmed it was Sanyá (not Sánya). Even half an hour before departure the bus was already full and the seats (or should say beds) are not marked, so I’ve got what the last one left – in the back of the bus the upper berth. The length of the bed is approximately 165 cm. So I have to bend my legs.
I’ve got that feet massage just in time and I will need another one once I will get out of this bus!
The bus is going so fast – like crazy! I think at least 120 km/h! It is so shaking in the back of the bus. I even buckled up to the bed, so that I wouldn’t fall off while sleeping.
I am so uncomfortable. The air conditioner is blowing from my right and on the left it is so hot and blowing hot air through some hole. Looks like it was on fire some time ago as the plastics are melted.
The bus is full of kids. They are not sleeping and making so much noise. The mother of one of them was shouting so loud! Also when her phone rang I though I will go crazy. It was making so annoying sound and had lamps blinking around the phone! Almost like Christmas tree! You could hear that song from the mobile in a whole bus! She did not answer it, but instead hid it in her purse and put it under the blanket. Must be one of the fathers of her kids that she doesn’t want to speak with. Later she put some blankets on the floor for one of her kids.
I was told to take silk sleeping bag, since you never know who slept before you. I think I have reached the stage when I don’t care anymore. First day I was eating unwashed fruits, some liver soup and etc. and still alive. The stomach is alright already and I am constantly hungry. Also I am constantly drinking Coca Cola or Pepsi since I want something sweet.
This morning I did the cleanup of the backpack. I threw away dirty underwear, since I cannot wash them and they don’t dry if I do. The new ones costs just few RMB. I also threw away my travel pillow, since it started to smell funny and I used it only in the air-plane. Less things – easier to carry. Think twice before taking anything on your trip!
By the way, I saw a very nice small laptop today. Only 3000 RMB, which is like 200 pounds. In Lithuania they cost around three times more. I will see how much money I will be left in my account in the end of the trip!
The bus got really crowded at some point and people were sleeping on the floor.
Next was to get on the ferry and to continue on abus in Haikou island to Sanya.