Day 90. 990 days to go. Distance: today 33km . It’s 8pm Tuesday 28/2/2012 Heshan. One sleep Ruthy and Benny boy!!!! Ive had to go back and adjust yesterdays post as I thought I was in Heshan but not quite so opsy. I had myself all psyched and geared for a cycle to Liuzhou (90km). 33 kms later I arrived where I thought was Datong, the junction town I turn east from the 322 to the 323. This road takes me to Liuzhou then another 133kms onto Lipu. There I turn north onto the 321 to Yangshou (40km) the start of the Li River and Guilin Lijiang National Park. Yesterday I had wondered why Heshan was so small for a big dot on the map. On the contrary I thought how big Datong was for a little dot. At least I’m the only one who has to deal with my dodgy navigation. It all makes sense now. I stopped at the bus station for a break and for directions to the turn off. The tuk tuk driver indicated we were in Heshan. Huh???Noooo really!!!!! I was a bit out
in my km calculations…. bugger. It ended up a later start this morning. I was all ready to head off and the same lad I had tea with yesterday invited me for breakfast. I saddled up to rice porridge with ginger. I offered him yen and he said ‘no no my guest.’ He showed off his culinary skills and was very happy to hear my yums of approval. Two bowls later, lots of chats and starch issues for tomorrow later, we finally headed. I asked him before leaving if they were going to have more children and he said that ‘one was enough.’ I wondered afterwards if China still has the ‘one child’ policy. Does anyone know? The hotel folk and family gave us a bag of little oranges and waved us off. The hotel lady took one last picky of the boy sitting on Rube’s trailer very cute. They tell me their names but I’m lucky to pronounce them let alone remember them later doing posts. It was overcast but not raining so we motored the first 30odd kms. Anyway back to the
bus station. I sat and digested over a coffee that we were actually now in Heshan. It was too late to consider another 90kms with no big dots in between, so we found a hotel and will do today’s itinerary tomorrow. The locals showed me to the best hotel in town bugger 100 yen later ($16). It’s very comfy and has air conditioning set at 30 degrees. Perfect chance to do some washing and have it dry for tomorrow. I then pampered and had the biggest sleepy attack so tucked myself under the doona and slept like a baby for 2 hours. Anyone who knows me knows I so don’t do day kips but what a treat. How amazingly delish yummy num feet rubbing purr. Woke at 5pm all doughy and happy and headed out to find the internet cafe the lady at reception gave me directions to. Very dodgy directions later this didn’t happen but I had fun checking out the town and doing some shopping. Anything that resembles western lifestyle like restaurants, cafes, fashion and entertainment
is western prices. Local markets, vendors or supermarkets are the go for food supplies which suits me perfect. I found a huge bottle of local honey (like huge) for 35 yen ($5.50) perfect. That’ll keep the sweet tooth happy for a good few days. Finding sweet treats the right price is a bit tricky with chocolate way too expensive for my rate of consumption. Honey’s one of my fav’s so happy girl. It’s already been dinted tonight for dinner with fresh bread rolls yay 🙂 I thought this afternoon just how much I enjoy hanging out with the locals doing what locals do in a foreign place. Of course visiting famous and beautiful places is amazing and I’m very excited particularly about Yangshou. This area is postcard southern China. But the day to day little stuff I enjoy just as much. There’s something pretty cool about eating home cooked rice and ginger porridge sitting around a dish of coals and bumping trolleys with locals in a supermarket or just Asian
squatting in the street and people watching while i send the spot message. These are the little things that make a big cool day. It started raining this afternoon and the temp has dropped again to chill bill degrees but we’re all prepared if that’s what’s installed for tomorrow’s cycle. It’s a bugger I don’t have internet access like Ive enjoyed to date. It makes me appreciate those opportunities more when I have the privilege. meanwhile I have screen savor picture of my partner on the Ipod and of course my book of photos the folks put together from the care pack I got in Hue. That aside I love my daily routine of posting to you. Even though you won’t read it for a wee while it still feels like I’m sharing my day. Our fengshu is positive so all important is all good. Ive re-routed the itinerary to keep closer to green than brown on the map and to town hop between the bigger dots so I’m not stuck anywhere cold and homeless for the night. The days are
full enough and I need to know Ill find someone to stop and recoup. We’ll be traveling through the below places. Cycling distances will be mixed up to avoid getting over tired so to deal with China’s other day to day challenges. I’ve just named the main cities and distances in between. They’re the route distances not our cycling distances. I know my Pops is into this stuff x. Liuzhou (90km), Lipu (133km), Yangshuo (40km), Guilin (108km), Yongzhou (198km), Changsha (168km), Changde (179km), Jingzhou (214km), Xiangfan (195km), Bus to Xian, Xian (2-3 days), Bus to Zhengzhou, Xinxiang (82km), Handan (159km), Shijiazhuang (217km), Baoding (154km), arriving Beijing (131km) on the 5/4/2012. If you have any comments, recommended sights, variations or side trips let me know. The route I had planned was more west but it’s the wrong season to cycle the deeper hues of brown 😉 I’ve got such a happy belly after my fix of bread and honey. It’s 10.00pm so time to
snug up under this amazing doona and dream of my screen saver. Early up in the morning. Not too early but a AM start would be good 🙂 Talk soon x
shecyclesolo 