On the 20th we were headed to Dali, in China’s Yunnan Province. Dali is a 40 minute flight from Kunming, and a roughly eight hour bus ride from Lijiang, both of which I visited in 2006. Yunnan is one of China’s most heavily minority populated provinces, and has significant representation from almost 30 different minority groups. As such, it has a very diverse and complicated history. Dali itself is the ancient capital of both the Bai kingdom Nanzhao, which flourished in the area during the 8th and 9th centuries, and the Kingdom of Dali, which reigned from 937-1253. Dali was also the center of the Panthay Rebellion from 1856-1863.

Not much time to do anything this morning, as we needed to get our gear together and make it to the train station by around 11AM, for our overnight trip to Guangzhou. Chinese trains have up to five classes of seating on an overnighter. Hard seats & soft seats which are exactly like they sound, soft seats being more expensive of course. Hard sleepers are open compartments with six bunks and no bedding. Soft sleepers are doored compartments with four bunks and bedding is provided. Deluxe soft sleepers are doored compartments for two people. We went soft sleeper.