ACCOMODATION (Lijiang)

AS WE entered Lijiang Old Town - a girl ran out to heckle us about accomodation. This is a standard feature at any transit hub in China so I ignored it.

"She says we can stay at her house", Kathryn explained, "I think its worth a look". Strange as it seemed - in this place I was ever ready to defer to Kathryn's judgment.

The girl lead us through the doors of a hotel, out the back, through a family a room containing a TV and ricecooker and into a pleasant courtyard. There were lockable rooms ajoining the courtyard that Kathryn bargained down. Jo and I got a room with a double-bed & TV for 3 nights for less than AU$20 total.

Lijiang is built on a river. Not beside or around, or next to, but on top of. Four 'mini-canals' of rapidly flowing water run through the city. Frequently they are filled with goldfish and koi, swimmming against the current.

One of these Canals ran under the hotel where we where staying. It reappeared on one side of the stone courtyard - filling the air with the sound of running water and a gentle fresh breeze. Just magic.