Kunming (Feb.10)

After Shi Lin we hopped onto the train again to continue to Kunming. After a while, Markus announced the missing of his laptop. We rewinded the day and started off remembering how the day started. 4.30 am leaving the train. We remembered Markus getting into the train one more time because he forgot a bowl of instant soup, yet he left the notebook that was lying next to it. Sometimes you have to state your preferences, right? Well, on the train, we called the train police who established contact to Kunming railway station. Friendly Chinese were helping us out with translating. After arriving at the train station, four policemen and a translator were already waiting for us. They brought us to their department and had us wait for a long time until their boss arrived who officially handed Markus the notebook. Cameras, video everywhere, group picture for the wall....Now, both sides were overwhelming each other with compliments, Markus praised the unsparing clearing of the circumstances. Although the honest cleaning staff from the train were the heros, the police showed off with the great act. Then Markus wrote a letter of appreciation, tea for everybody. Afterwards, Yunnan TV swang by in order to report everybody. Of course, there was not too much to tell, as if describing the brief issue of actually losing the laptop and receiving it back. I stil cannot believe how a ploiceman was able to talk about it for 15 minutes...but since we are foreigners it was a hell of an event. In the end, we had to play the whole process for the camera. Four sections were determined, the first section started out front of the train station with us standing helplessly around saying "Oh, no, we lost our computer" which was really believably since the camera follows us at all times....The second one dealt with reporting the train station police. Third section was the official handover and lastly, the heartbreaking farewell. Well, in the end, they produced their version of how it went down, but that is China. Please never doubt Chinese TV, ok? The entire process lasted for two and a half hours. That was basically our Kunming experience.
Here is a small impression, the compliment fight was unfortunately too big to upload.
http://www.myvideo.de/watch/1140343




Actually, these pictures have no copyright! Reminds me on YMCA from the Village People. We were only missing the Indian and the Cowboy.




Yunnan TV recording the unbelievably story.