Today’s plan was to go to Fubo Hill. To get there, you need to take bus #1. I could not find a bus stop for this line. So instead, I changed my plans and took the #3 bus to the Reed Flute Cave. Buses in Guilin are only 1 RMB, which is about fifteen American cents. Total bargain.

I was able to follow along the stops by simply looking out the window when we would stop and reading the name of the stop we were at on the bus stop sign. When we got to where the next stop was mine, I stood up. A Chinese man made gestures to show me “NO” and motioned for me to wait. Um, okay. In the end, it turns out that the stop for Reed Flute Cave is at the parking lot. The one right after leaves you directly at the entrance. Thank you kind sir!

I got off the bus and lit a cigarette. A man approaches me to try and sell me a ride on a bamboo raft on the little Fanglian Pool across the street. No matter what I said, he would not leave me alone. If I were not smoking, I would have walked away. Finally I decided it was easier to just take the damn ride (5 RMB = $.85 USD) than to sit there arguing any longer. For less than a dollar, it was worth it.

When you get out at the other side, you are bombarded by women selling post cards. The more you say “no”, the more they parrot you. So you are then walking through a wall of Chinese woman all yelling “NO” while giggling.

The Reed Flute Cave costs 120 RMB which is $19.55 USD. I thought this was ridiculously cheap. A man I met in my hostel later on thought it was insanely expensive. I guess it all depends on where you are from and what you are used to.

There are a bunch of steps and it looks like there is an elevator.  I could not see the way to go up in the elevator so I just hiked it.  There is a tram that I still have no idea where it goes.  Once you pay for  your ticket, you then have to wait for a time period and a guide will take you as a group.

The cave was amazing.  The guide did not give the tour in English so I have no clue what she was saying.  I gather she was hilarious judging by the amount of laughter she got from the group.

In the middle, you stop and there are videos broadcast on a wall.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/E3ey2QjU6Kc[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neoOuWUMSuU[/youtube]

After leaving here, I got back on the bus and took it to a main street that had a McDonalds on the corner.  I stopped there for lunch and met a girl who appeared to be in her teens, who told me she was an English major.  Problem was, I could barely understand anything she was saying.  She kept trying to talk to me.  It was so awkward because I had to keep asking “what?”  I was hoping she would not sit with me and my wish came true.  I hid in the corner of the restaurant by myself and tried to get WiFi on my phone.  Hmm, which network should I connect to?

After eating, I again try to find the bus to Fubo Hill.  Spoiler alert: days later I discovered it was right across the street from me but I did not see it because I was too busy buying milk tea and cake.

After building up some burn from never finding the bus, I went back to my room and took a nap in air conditioning, next to my bottle of delicious milk tea.

I can’t resist posting more pictures.