Kanding

Back in China! After spending two weeks in the Tibetan region of Qinghai and Sichuan, I find myself in a true Chinese town. When coming down from the mountain last night and entering the town of Kanding, it was immediately apparent that we left the Tibetan countryside behind us. Highrise apartment blocks, white-tiled buildings, everything looked like the many Chinese towns I've seen before, but almost forgot since traveling through the Wild West.
You still see some Tibetans wandering around town, but they seem a bit lost here, not in the right place. It was raining hard overnight, and still grey and wet this morning, but now it's clearing up. I won't stay here long though, I already bought a bus ticket for Leshan leaving tomorrow morning. I need an ATM, and there are none here. I'm staying at a very nice guesthouse, where I talked with some other travellers while drinking tea.
In Leshan I will extend my visa with another month. I will also try to meet up with Li Hong, whom I met two months ago on the train from Guiyang to Chengu. She lives in Emei town, at the base of the mountain Emei Shan. Back then I said I would be back to visit Emei Shan. I hope the weather will improve a bit, otherwise it's gonna be a trip into the clouds...