20 Aug 2008, 清水台, 6465km

The altitude went up from 450m to 1925m since yesterday. The air was very chilly in the early morning. I'll soon need autumn clothes.
I had troubles again and again. Puctures happened twice. An hook of the rear bag was broken. The road was rough.
I went by a tent-village of Kazak. Some were grazing sheep or cows along a lake nearby, riding on horses. Kids came touting to invite me to their tent. I was hugry and followed a boy, and asked for fried rice. The price was 50 yuan! It's 10 times more than usual price in a market in a town. No way.
Instead, they offered me a plain nan, which was old and hard, and a bowl of tea. It was still expensive but I took them. The family was friendly. But they must be aware that the price was overcharged. I was confused with the gap of their nice smile and the way they try to take money from me. Such business doesn't suit to nomads, I thought.

It was pitch dark when I came to a city close to the border. I couldn't find any good place for camping on the way. There were construction workers of road everywhere, could no longer see things around well. As I found a small hotel along the route, I went there and asked if I could stay. The landlady welcome me, which was a surprise, but her daughter was nagging something.
Later at night, somebody knocked on the door of my room. They were policemen, and the daughter. I think she called them. They asked questions like why I came to the hotel, if it was intentionally and such, and told me to change hotels to an expensive one. Meanwhile the daughter was flattering to one of the officers. He was playing with his stick making noise. I didn't want to obey their order, told them that I'd just leave the town and go to the border.
When I was just about to leave at the entrance, they got another order on the radio as I could stay in the hotel. What was all the fuss for? However, they took the landlady to the police station instead. I noticed when I came to appoligize to her later. The daughter was upset that I was still hanging around the front desk, and called the police again. They just came and told me to sleep.
The landlady was back by the morning when I checked out. She looked tired, but smiled and didn't say any blame to me. I passed her a note of my appology, and tried to give the deposite money back as my compensation. She didn't accept it, saying that was that.
She saw me off with smile.