Zheng Zhi heads for Kunming

Once dubbed the 'wild man of China', Charlton's Zheng Zhi heads for Kunming in China's south-western province of Yunnan to play Australia on Wednesday. Kunming was the base of the Allied forces in the second world war and the 'Tiger' bar next to my guest house commemorated their role with many interesting photographs when I visited there.

I was sent to Kunming by the European Union as a last minute desperate measure when they need someone to speak for them at an environmental conference. A rather nervous EU minder turned up from Beijing and I was given a tough time in an interview by the local television station. They had done their homework and posed some tough questions about air pollution in London.



My hosts found out that I was interested in football and a fan of 'Charl-ton' and 'Mr Curbish-lee'. While I was there Chinese television did a very good feature on his working relationship with Keith Peacock. They took me to the training ground that will be used by Zheng Zhi before the game (see picture above). I also visited the 'superstore' (see picture below).



China has a very substantial ethnic minority population and they have a number of privileges, including being allowed to have more than one child. Party cadres also have that privilege and my minder in Beijing, Jenny from the 'Department of Party History', had two siblings. I did manage to escape in a taxi and go to an alley where I was able to negotiate a good price in dollars for some excellent wall hangings which I now have around my house. (Thanks to Derby County fan Shaun who set up the trip and gave me this tip).

Kunming has a very interesting ethnic minority 'theme park' displaying housing, customs and dances. While I was there the local Thai minority was celebrating its water throwing festival and I was lucky to avoid a soaking. One display featured some very tall people of a vaguely Afro-Caribbean appearance. I was told that they had been head hunters in the forest until the 1980s and from their sullen appearance they looked ready to start again any time. Suddenly it clicked. 'So these are the local Millwall?', I asked.

I was also driven a couple of hours from Kunming to the area inhabited by the Yi people. On my arrival I was offered a hors d'oeuvre of fried wasps which I had to decline. However, the shout soon went up of 'Lao Wai, Lao Wai' which loosely means 'elderly outside person' and I posed for a series of photographs with local people. Song is very important for this group and a rather halting rendition of 'Valley Floyd Road' went down well with people starting to hum the tune.

What the trip will do for Zheng Zhi's ability to play for us is another matter. Beijing is quite a way and Kunming is a long internal flight from there.