Trip weekend trip to Tongren/Guiyang - part 4

When we arrived in Guiyang, I had had warnings that there was heavy rain in nearby areas, when we got out of the airport I was expecting to see some rain, but this was big rain!  The road was flowing with water and under all the bridges people had got of their motorbikes and we're standing round, smoking, spitting and wringing out their clothes.  Cars, presumably without windscreen wipers, had just stopped at the side of the road...But traffic was still moving.

 Anyhow, we finally got to the hotel and it appeared the rain had stopped.  The hotel didn't look special from the outside, nut Meng had picked a good one.  Inside it was lovely, and the staff were fantastic.  There were the usual problems trying to photocopy my passport for the Police* but we managed.  The guy behind the desk said something to Meng, she translated.  Then this robot showed us to our rooms.  Yup, a robot showed us to our rooms.  You can probably hear me giggle in one of the videos.  I was wondering how it could get up the stairs!  However it managed to operate the lift and showed us to our rooms.

The robot at rest

 The robot in action

 We agreed to meet later and went our separate ways.  The rooms were very nice, but had no windows.  That however didn't really matter as we weren't staying there very long.
 Meng was an excellent host.  First she took me for a cup of coffee...a welcome change from Green Tea (How I hate green tea!)  She also knew that I needed to buy some stuff that you just can't buy in Jiangkou or Tongren.  Stuff like deodorant, shoes to fit size 45 feet, black tea (confusingly called red tea here), coffee.  Just some basics.  We managed everything except the shoes.  Shoe sizes stop at 44 in this region of China..and most other regions too!

The smallest car I have ever seen

Meng and me at a nice 'Western' food styel restaurant

The strange White Rabbit brand perfume machine.

I am not sure what this is all about, but I think it goes soemthing like this.  You go to the attached shop.  You pick you perfume mix.  You then go to the electronic 'grabber' machine.  Like the ones you see at most British seasides.  You then grab bottles and get your perfume mix.  I am not sure what role the grabber macine plays, but it was very popular!

*As a foreigner, or Chinese citizen, you have to register with the Police every time you stay in a new place, and for most of the main attractions you also need toto have your passport or ID card photocopied.  This copy is then sent to the Police.