So I used to live in Kunming a few years back, now I'm coming back to for a few weeks this summer. YAY! I know the place changes really fast so what have I missed? I know that there's a subway now and that the box has closed - what else i new? Gossip and helpful tips please!

Kundu has shut down. There is a new restaurant area at the bottom of the hill on Hongshandong Lu, with several expat owned eating places. Metro has two stores now, one on Guangfu Lu. Decathlon store has opened. There are now several Burger King, to add to the list of fast food places. Several new bars, some very good. Probably the most notable is O'Reilley's Irish pub, selling draft beers, now has 3 locations.
There is a new area to the city, possibly started before you left. Chenggong new area, where many of the universities now have a new campus. The airport has moved out of the city, and there is a new high speed (bullet train) rail station south of the city.
Lots more traffic, but new cycle lanes. Oh! and several new shopping malls, but TIC afterall.

Construction of buildings, many unnecessary, and the number of automobiles have increased, and so the air, although it remains better than that in most Chinese cities, has gotten worse. Climate change, it would seem, has been behind increasing weirdness of local weather. There are a lot more western foreigners around.

Many shops are closed because the governent put a stop to the military renting out their properties. You usually will see a stamp with the word '封' on the closed gate. That's why Kundu was closed. Also Metro no longer gives you a card. They put an e-card on your phone which allows you to purchase things.

The hire bikes will probably be a new sight for you too. Piles of them all over the place! Oh, and "Paul's Shop" and "Mazagran" are no more.

Wanda Plaza twin towers. Sofitel. Intercontinental, Wyndham hotels. Camelia hotel has moved. City centre pedestrian area now pretty much finished. New ancient walking street behind Parksons.

A lot of the old wetmarkets have gone, some replaced by newer covered markets.

Ebikes everywhere, just waiting to plough you down. If you have been out of China, these are now pretty much all the same size as motor scooters and will do 40-60 kph. Car parking pretty much everywhere, even the cycle lanes have been given over to parking. But not many cars on the sidewalks now.
No more Wanbars for laowai, but lots of free wifi. But if you want to use any Google service (inc Gmail), youtube, twitter, facebook you need a vpn (download the app before you arrive in China.)
It rains more now. The drought years are over, bring rainwear.

Thank's for the updates! Guessing there will still be a few mindfucks. Last time I was away from KM for two years and whole neighborhoods were just gone when I moved back. Is the Hump no more as well? Also, how much more does it rain?

After a seven year absence, if you're here long enough, in the quieter times you may sit back and wonder if Kunming has lost its soul despite it still being pleasant.

now is supposed to be dry season but seems like its been raining evcery 2nd or 3rd day. raining today most of the day some heavy. rain yesterday, showers. check the forecast for the next 10 days.

The cost of fruits and vegetables have risen faster in the last few years. Kunming is no longer a cheap place to live. Rents are expensive too.