Guilin headed to Yangshuo

I'm in China (1 USD = 8.10 RMB) now! Yesterday was a long travel day. I left Hanoi at 6 am on a minibus ($6) to the Friendship Border at Dong Dang. It was a three hour ride. From there, I walked across the border and hopped in a taxi (30 RMB) to go to Pingxiang, the closest town in China 10 km away. Being able to speak Mandarin is great here. The southerns don't have a thick accent like the northerns, so it's easier for me to understand them. I was able to get some good and honest information from the taxi driver on the prices for transportation for the rest of the day. The surrounding area between Vietnam and China is filled with limestone karsts that rise out of the land. The landscape is so different from that of plate tectonics back home. I was able to get a bus (50 RMB) to Nanning (pop 1.3 million), the capital of Guangxi, the province here. It was a luxurious air-conditioned ride with ample seating. The area was gorgeous with rice fields and limestone karsts. It's true what they say, China is developping rapidly. They are building massive freeways, and modern apartment buildings are going up everywhere. I got into Nanning at 5 pm and caught a bus going to Guilin (88 RMB) that got me here at 11 pm. A long day. I found the closest hotel to the bus station (about 100 feet away), Guilin Huali Hotel, which was in the Lonely Planet. I was able to get a big hotel room ensuite, a/c, and cable tv for 120 RMB. Not a bad deal. I heard the desk clerk tell the registration lady to give me the "Chinese price". It pays to speak the local language!
Today is China's National Day, their Fourth of July. It's a week-long holiday for them meaning there are a lot of tourists about. The hotels have raised their prices, and the buses are full. I'm headed to Yangshuo in an hour. It's supposed to be a touristy spot to enjoy the scenery. We'll see if I can find a cheap room.