I digress

More of China to come, just a little tidbit on the return to Almaty. I decided to take the easy way out of China, not wanting a repeat of my induction ceremonies. I flew back to Urumqi from Hotan but instead of staying overnight and getting the train to the border the next day, I just flew on to Almaty. Just...nothing that simple when dealing with Chinese customs and immigration. I survived unscathed, if you don't count the blood shed.

I knew what hotel I wanted in Almaty, so once I had negotiated a 1,,000 Tenge price for the taxi, I thought I was all set. I thought it was odd that the driver's friend hopped in front, but as I explained in a prior post, anyone can be a taxi in Almaty, so I let it go.

We got to the hotel and they started talking about 26,000 Tenge. What!? I reminded him of the 1,000 agreement and he said that was just the meter drop. That's when I knew I had a problem, because he definitely had NOT said that. He 'generously' offered to accept 10,000 Tenge. My bags were in the trunk, there were two of them, and it was dark. Still, I refused to be completely ripped off, on principle, and because I didn't have that much in Tenge anyway. At that point the driver wanted me to get my money out and count it. Ha! Not a chance.

I finally convinced one of them to come in the hotel with me (and my bags) to discuss with the staff there. If nothing else, I felt that moving it into the lighted room, with witnesses, reduced my chances of getting mugged. Oddly enough, while I knew I was at risk, I never felt freaked out. I wouldn't want to test it, but my sense was that these two guys wouldn't resort to violence.

Stroke of luck, the really competent guy I remembered from my earlier stay there was working. I asked him how much is customary to pay from the airport. I think up he guessed on the high side, but it was worth it to get rid of those guys. 5,000 Tenge later, they finally slunk off.

All is well that ends well, so 'they' say.

This afternoon, after I had walked far, far away, and not desiring to walk all the way back, I tried to catch a bus.  But the people who were trying to help me told me to take a taxi instead, based on where I was, and where I wanted to go.  So I stood at the curb looking for a car with a taxi label.  I could hear two young women behind me tittering, and I figured it had to do with me.  After a bit, one walked up, introduced herself and asked if she could help me get a taxi.  I knew enought not to turn that down.  A car immediately pulled over and she talked to the driver, a middle aged Russian man driving a Mercedes Benz.  I remembered all those cautions about not not getting into a car with a stranger, but on my new friend's advice, I took the plunge.  Soon we had two other passengers as well, and I stopped white knuckling the bag in my hand.  We struggled through the cross-town rush hour traffic, and I was happily deposited a couple of blocks from my hotel.