New World Hotel

I booked my ticket on a River Ferry Boat to Wuzhou 1 day in advance to make sure that I could get a berth. As it was to be about a 18-20 hour trip I wanted to be able to sleep. It was a smooth ride up the Pearl River which I noted in my journal that it should be renamed the Coffee River as the river had a very murky brown look to it. I was the only foreigner on the boat and no one approached me to practice English so it ended up being sort of a boring ride. I had a few smiles with some people on the boat but no real conversations. The views weren't so spectacular either as the river banks were quite high to protect the area from flooding so I didn't really see much. I had hoped for scenic views and some interaction with the locals but it didn't happen. Stock up snacks such as Fruit Drinks and peanuts before leaving...There are meals available on board too at a reasonable price. A couple of hours before meal time some one comes around and asks if you want to eat...In Chinese of course!! I paid for a combination Boat - Bus ticket which covered my boat ride from Gaungzhou - Wuzhou and then my 8 hour bus ride from Wuzhou - Yangshou. Total cost 21.50 Renminbi (US$4.09) Not bad for a 20 hour boat ride and an 8 hour bus ride. Again this was 1987 so don't expect the same prices!!