Hi all – its me again the editor of Lipsticks trave talks – Natnas – and whilst the boys are resting in Kashgar thought to give you all an overview of their experience during the travel so far..
First of all they had to get used to both different food and different ways of eating on a daily basis.
Andre found a great device which assisted him to get hold os even small peas and which was a great training instrument on how to use the normal chop sticks .. here are some pictures..
Besides Andre they are also used by minor children to get them used to chopsticks..
Andre on his way to become a chopstick champion of node…
From Novice to Master…
China is a Buddha country and the boys have seen many of them – I heard Willy saying
“if I see one more Buddha than I will Vo……..“ (meaning his intention to eat last nights food in reverse ) here is an assembly of Buddhas which the team greeted on their way through China..
One big one Two medium ones…
A happy shining one
and a group of strange ones.
Throughout their trip in China they always remembered to greet the boys back hone with a traditional T58 cheers on a Friday wherever they were.
from Hongkong…
from Shenzen
from Beijing
and so on – cheers to all T58 members ..!
Back to Kashkar where the boys are at the moment and today they visited the olf market in town where goods are sold since the beginning of time..
rows and rows of shops selling clothing and hardware..
Unfortunately there is a huge difference between common Asian shoe sizes if compared to the slightly above average South African – like Andre who was pleased with the style but could not find the right size..
From the old market the boys went on to see the old town where people lived for centuries and still do..
over the bridge to the old part of Kashgar….
through narrow alleys
and lots of steps..
Andre’s sweatband was soaked and after much sweat the team headed back to the hotel in order to find the swimming pool hoping to cool down a bit .
Swimming costumes were put on and down the lift to the 5th floor were the pool was supposed to be according to the hotels brochure …
On arrival they were greeted by some Chinese guys looking like bell boys and shown 2 seats to sit down whereupon their shoes were removed and taken away in return for an armband with a number attachet . Without cellphone and translation apps they had to follow the gestures of the bellboys and soon landed in an changeroom with lockers. Another attentand gesticulated that they should remove their clothing and depositing it in a locker.
Swimming naked ? This is simply not on for team Lipstick so they deposited everything and kept their swimming costumes on whilst the attendant guided them through the corridor to a big hall with showers and some naked Chinese guys hopping around there and washing themselves.
Off under the showers not knowing what comes next but at least a certain cooiling down effect took place after the hot walk through the old town.
“you need good wash down” yelled an elderly official and guided the boys up two steps where 2 strong looking guys gesticulated that wearing swimming costumes in this environment is simply not on and within seconds team Lipstick lay kalgaat on two table like beds which where for hygienic reasons freshly covered with a new sheet of plastic normally used as wrapping foil for suitcases at the airports.
Face down breathing through a small hole at the end of the torture table the 2 guys started their work on team Lipstick with what was perceived to be a 150 grit sandpaper like washcloth . On came a huge load of soap spray with another application of sanding down the bodies of the boys from all angles with total disregard of the more private parts of their body.
Whilst biting their teeth they remembered the high cost of having them replaced and this added to the agony whilst the torture guys started to use the backside of the boys in a drum like fashion by descenting their fists in faster and faster rhythm on to their bodies which will remembered forever as the Chinese hard rock drum massage.
With more Chinese mumbling and gestures the guys were now put into a room full of steam and hotter than the sun in the old part of town. There they were 2 adventurers locked up in a room full of steam sitting opposite each other and not knowing what would come next.
Will someone fetch them or what ? will the steam get hotter or hopefully stop at all?
Some 10 minutes later action had to be taken and Willy pressed the door open and left this torture chamber only to be greeted by another attendant who gestured that it would now be time for another shower. Andre also made his way out of the steam area and the guys just finished drying themselves up with a towel when another member of Dschinghis Khans torture clan gestured to follow him to yet another room were both Andre and Willy were given a pair of shorts and a shirt and they looked now like wearing nighties made for the average Asian boy or a medium built European..
Holding their breath in order not to burst the seams of their newly found. fashion clothing they were led to another room with another 2 ‘hole in the top beds” in it.
In came two heavy build female versions of Dschinghi Khans torture brigade and they started to use their elbows on the backs of team Lipstick in what seemingly represented a massage a la ancient China. To top it all the female brigade soon saw themselves fit enough to walk on team Lipsticks back not forgetting to dig their heals onto the shoulder blades of the boys – there was simply no mercy in making sure that every muscle in the athletic bodies of team Lipstick was thoroughly tortured and to top it all these female torture champions decided it was also high time that the hearing of team Lipstick gets renewed and that all ears need to be inspected properly.
By that time the 2 females looked like mine workers with headlamps attached to their not Miss China lookalike faces and turning the guys heads from one side to the other whilst inspecting the inner hearing channels .
From their mumblings in Chinese one could understand that there must have been a fair amount of Gobi desert sand which found their way into the inner parts of the guys ears and soon they were finding themselv lying with head on the side whilst a fairly long wax like pipe was send down their ears … to the fright of the boys they were set alight and team Lipstick looked like being used as candle stick holders with a clear hearing of the flame coming closer to their ears.
It was later explained that the fire causes a vacuum which in turn sucks the last atom of dirt out of the ear channels – another Chinese invention realized.
A nice gesture was givinen in offering the boys a Pepsi coke to facilitate the removal of all pains caused by this torture massage and they were shown back to the showers after returning the nighties..
The next step was now to find their swimming costumes – bit luckily the first set of torture guys were waving them in the air as they realized the boys want them gladly back.
Back to the locker room and back into their own swimming costume and T shirts they were guided back to reception area asking for their shoes..
NO NO .. first payment is expected and a Chinese invoice show every detail of the last 2 hours.
Shower , steam room , male torture , nighties , female torture flaming wax sticks in ear etc…
Payment was made and the guys left exhausted but as clean as can be …. The swimming pool was not to be seen and the energy to search for it was gone…..
After a proper internal wash down with team Lipsticks reserve supply of a more scotish nature the day ended but was remembered the next morning with saw muscles all over.
Its Sunday now and one of the famous sightseeing in Kashgar is the Sunday market so the team headed straight there after breakfast and experienced the biggest animal market they have ever seen before.
There must have been hundreds of cattles, sheep , goats ,horses ,donkeys belonging to hundreds of traders for sale or trade in.
A buzzing market on a Sunday morning with loud bargaining from every corner..
is the horse too small or the guy too big?
why use knife and fork if you have 10 fingers….. the masses must be fed..
cattle needs to be kept on short line….
The market was a huge experience and apparently it takes place every Sunday since centuries and not much has changed over the years…
From here the boys decided to give Lipstick also a wasdown so off they drove to a car wash place and the car is now in tip top condition to cross the border into Kyrkistantomorrow..
Hopefully you enjoyed giving you a bit of inside into the restdays of team Lipstick in Kashgar China..
Stay well and keep on reading what comes up next on tour…
I salute you all and send you best greetings.
Natnas
CRIC ( Chief reporter in charge) QBE