I Got Sexual Harassement But Still Manage to say that Kangding is My Favorite City in China

“Someone showing off his dick when I was walking alone” that’s how I started the day in Kangding.

My first day in Kangding has been started with such a horrible memory. I am really confused whether to tell the story or not, but since I promised to myself to treat my blog as my online diary (2017 resolution), to share everything what I’ve been through, what I feel, what I impress to and what I am afraid to, either good or bad, here I finally share it. After spent 4 days in Chengdu (read my story in Chengdu), I continued my #SoloTravelChina to Kangding County. It’s 8 hours away from Chengdu to the side of border between China and Tibet (Please see the maps for its detail location).

I am currently in Kangding

Kangding city sits on 2.600 masl, it’s a getaway of Kham Region of Tibetan Plateu.

On my #SoloTravelChina Day 13, I Arrived in Kangding after a bumpy 8 hours bus ride from Chengdu. Departed from Chengdu Bus terminal, that was my first stop of my overland Sichuan Province journey. Since it’s located in the high altitude, the weather was going more crazy cold. Managed to stay in Zhilam Hostel (most traveler hostel recommendation in Kangding owned by 2 americans, so don’t worry anymore about speaking english), and woke up in a very fresh condition.

Zhilam Hostel (the best hostel in kangding)

In the morning, I was walking alone and heading to the monastery. The road to the monastery was quite uphill, and while I was on the way, there was a 40’s chinese guy approached me and told something in chinese. Since I don’t speak chinese, so I just said that I didn’t understand what he was saying. I continued walking and ignored this guy, but he kept following me and suddenly he was showing off his dick and giggles annoyingly at the same time.

I was bloody shocked and all of the sudden ran so fast to find someone to help me. I was totally clueless where the direction I was heading to, the only thing on my mind was “find someone” since there was really no one that time. I kept running as fast as I could without looking back because I was just too scared, that might be the fastest running speed I’ve ever done (hell yeah!) I stopped at the small local convenient store with my breathless look which made the lady (the seller) raised her eyebrows. Then I looked back and found he wasn’t there. Sooner, I realized that I ran too far away of the direction I should have to go. That’s how I started my day in Kangding, the little obstacle that might happen when you travel solo.

I told the story to my friend who has been staying at the same hostel with me for 3 years because she works in Kangding, and you know what is the fact about Kangding ? Kangding is very safe of sexual harrasement, during 3 years of her life while she always do everything alone, she never experience any about that kind of thing. Well, i believe that there must be 1 unlucky person among 100 people, and for this time i was that unlucky one.

Was I scared ? Yes Totally, Did i know how this thing could happen ? Hell no, life is full surprises, no matter how well prepared we are, there might be something unpredictable coming. What do we have to do then ? Just let it happens, never make something that you’re afraid to be the reason to not doing it, sometimes things will go as good as you’ve expected, most of the times it will just go far away of your expectation, but bad thing doesn’t mean bad.

Remember that life’s greatest lessons are usually learned at the worst times and from the worst mistakes. 

Will it stop you to travel solo ? Never consider a “NO” as the answer, just like in school, you had to pass several final tests to continue to the next grade, the tests were getting harder year by year of course, but you’ve finally finished them. I know that being a solo travel means you have to overcome more obstacles during the journey, but that’s the same thing we’ve done in school. It always seems impossible at first until it’s done.

Kangding had been historical border between Tibet and China, from Kangding to the west lies Tibetan civilization where as to the east Chinese cultural areas –wikipedia

Walking around the city is the best you can do in Kangding, listen to the voice of Yala river flow stream down along the center of the main road. Sitting down with the locals who dress up beautifully unique, or socialize in people’s square in the city. Despite of the bad accident, I then found the monastery that I was looking for. The first time I came to the monastery is when I was in Ladakh, India. I fell in love the moment I stepped my foot into that huge building. Monasteries usually are located in high altitude area, those are homes to monks who decided to dedicate their life to serving all other living beings, and live their life in prayer and contemplation.

As fall in love as before, Nanwu monastery is a tibetan Buddhist monastery located 3 km away from the city center of Kangding. I walked up from Zhilam Hostel which only needed 2 km left to be arrived. The main building contained of 4 stories with square shape with one inner square on the center where usually be used to held the ceremonies. I spent totally a day walking around the city, started at 09.00 am and ended up at 09.00 pm. Well, I am not a good story teller, but I hope you can imagine how peaceful Kangding is from all photos that I took.

HOW TO GET THERE
1.   Chengdu – Kangding by bus (7-9hrs, 111 RMB). Go to Chengdu Bus terminal (Xinnanmen Bus Station) and ask the locket to buy ticket to Kangding. The buses run from 7 am to 1 pm. I departed at 11.00 pm and arrived at 06.00 pm.
2.   Arrive in Kangding Bus Terminal, find taxi and ask the driver to go to Zhilam Hostel. I just told them to go to Bei Tuo Kan (the name of the village), then they will understand that you go to Zhilam Hostel. It cost around 10 RMB. It’s worth it since the distance is quite far and uphill. you need 30 minutes to walk uphill.
3.   For Transportation in Kangding city, you can just walk, it’s a very small city that you can cover the main destination by walking.

WHERE TO STAY
There are only several hostels there and I am not sure whether the staffs can speak English or not, so I recommend you to stay in Zhilam Hostel (hostel owned by 2 Americans). This hostel is really famous among travelers. They have such a nice hostel, nice bedroom, very clean, and everyone speaks English (finally I can communicate with people, since when I was in Chengdu I stayed with the chinese roommates who didn’t speak English at all for 4 days !). Dorm room cost 45 rmb/bed/night. They don't receive an online reservation, so you'd better call in advance for reservation. Ask your hostel's reception to borrow the phone if you don't have a local number. Or just simply email them, they will reply 24 hrs as the longest.
Email : manager@zhilamhostel.com
phone : (+86)0836-2831100
website : www.zhilamhostel.com

cheers,
kadekarini