Does anyone know where in Kunming is best to take electrical equipment to sell? I have an old laptop which will not make it back to the UK. However it might be good for parts etc.

Failing that does anyone know anywhere where it is possible to recycle electrical things - I also have a fair bundle of wires and some speakers. All European plugs though.

Any ideas welcome!

Give it to your local bao-an (security guard) - they'll sell it off for scrap or re-usable/recyclable goods - assuming you just want to recycle it and aren't tied to the small change it may generate.

And feel lucky - in Japan - one has to PAY (A LOT!) to get rid of used working appliances...

In Thailand for example, you go to your local computer shopping mall and find out which ones buy back used laptops...they usually give a fair price and every second store seems to offer this service. I would be puzzled if you couldn't do the same in China, including Kunming. Go to the computer shopping malls located near Yunnan University of Nationalities and find out. It will depend how old your laptop is. If your laptop is very old, no one will want it, but if it's like up to maybe 4-5 years old you should be OK.

In developed countries the mentality is different, which explains why no one, except perhaps pawnshops (but they'll give you a horrible price) will buy back any used electrical appliances...and they probably won't even look at a 2 year old laptop!