31 July 2008, Hami, 5153km

It rained a bit this morning. In a desert! I'd seen a rainbow in distance but didn't think it would actually rain.

Hami is famous for its delicious melon. There were many open shops of melon in tents along the road soon after I entered the suburb of the city. I couldn't wait till I settled in a hotel and went to one.
They couldn't read the Chinese letters I wrote on a piece of paper, called a wife to read it, then cut one melon and treated me a half of it. It was so good!
I wanted to pay for it but they didn't accept it. So I asked to let me buy another one. Again the wife translated it for me. They passed me one, but again they didn't accept money for it. I was thankful and sorry at the same time. An old man in the tent was just gently smiling.

In the city. I tried 9 hotels and found no room. Either I was refused as I was a foreigner, or it was actually full, or charge was far too expensive. The charge of a three star was 980 yuan! 15580 yen or 47 Euro! No way!
I hadn't taken shower for a week, and really wanted to rest on a bed in a cool room with checking in early. But I finally gave up. Nearly half a day had passed when I got out of the city in the evening. Such a waste.
Well, never mind. I had the melon.