I had such an incredible time in Ningxia that this one bad experience really is very small, but I feel it's worth telling.

At the bus station in Gu Yuan I was charged double fare for my bus ticket to Yin Chuan. California (TCG member) paid 70rmb and I was required to pay 140rmb... simply because I am a foreigner. On my ticket was the symbol 外 (wai) for foreigner.

Fortunately Cali was as annoyed by this as I was and kindly argued my case for a considerable amount of time with the manager, who eventually refunded me 70rmb. Fair play to him.

OK. July 2005. I took a bus from Chengdu to Leshan and when it pulled into the Leshan bus station there was a bus already waiting. 1RMB which everyone (including me) took to go to the Big Buddha (Da Fu).

When the bus got there, it passed what I spotted as the 'main' entrance and carried on. It dropped us off next to a second entrance maybe 10 minutes further on.

At this entrance you must pay 105RMB to see Buddha (including various other attractions). Yet, on the price board there is clearly an option just to see Buddha and nothing else for 70RMB. Enquiring, I was told I could only buy the 105RMB ticket here. The 70RMB ticket is only available from the 'main' entrance.

I caught a 10RMB rickshaw back to the main entrance and got my 70RMB ticket from there. This gave entrance to the grounds and Buddha.

Well worth it, he's amazing!!

An annoying little scam though. Don't know how you can avoid it though unless you book a tour as the Leshan bus station are obviously 'in' on it.