Post # 102 Guodan

Day 116 615 days to go. Distance today 115km total 7197km.

It’s 7.45pm Sunday 25/3/2012 Guodan. Before leaving this morning I got into the internet site that my big sister put me on for an update on the weather forecast. It covers the main areas and gives some idea what may be ahead. So far so bloody good!! And yes fine folk…today I got sunburnt. I just had a scrub and it didnt come off or anything. The real deal. The care pack I got in Hue had some more sunscreen that hasnt seen day light literally. All non freezy fingers crossed it’ll get christened tomorrow. The forecast for this area around Zhengzhou is fine so its a promissing start. Even if and when it goes crap again we’ve had such a delish time of it soaking up the rays and enjoying China’s countryside with green fields and blue sky. Spring looks like its sprunging or trying very hard to.

 You know the gigantor willy wagtails I told you about. Well I spotted two mating today funniest thing. The female had her wings fanned out and was sitting all elegant on the ground. The male was dancing about wings fluttering all fluffed and puffed and out to impress. He was working so hard he deserved to get laid 🙂 That was my lunchtime entertainment by a lake in Changde. The perfect trio: coffee, bickies and shagging big willies. Opsy did I say that….. 🙂 So spring is sprung moreso for some and good on them!! The other thing I did this morning was finally fit Rube with the flag the Chinese cycle group gave me on the bus trip from Siem Reap to Phenom Phen. Ive been on the look out for a dinky flag pole but nudda so far. Then I couldnt believe our luck!! There was a kids wirly wind on a stick in the room last night so I stole it. For a good cause. Well I left the wirly thing and just took the pole does that count? Who cares!! It’s on my girl with her flag and she thinks its great. We both do!! It impressed the folk leaving the hotel this morning. Rube’s of the opinion she has the cred now to fly a cool Chinese red flag to match her cool chinese bike bits.

The girl loves China as much as I do. They love her here!! The amount of thumbs up and smiles we got today and get each day is really lovely. Folk in cars pull alongside and give us cheers and smiles. It makes me laugh and cheer back every time. Rube acts cool but I know she loves it!! She really does look good in her new flag!! There’s a moped over here that families use to commute. The bike has like a tray back with a seated area. I was picturing how my family would have looked riding along in one of these as opposed to the Kingswood we grew up in. I could totally picture it. My pops up front taking his responsibility to safely commute his family very seriously and not speaking. Yum Yum our Simese perched on his lap front paws on the steering wheel with her man. And mum and the three girls in the back, mum going off at dad for not talking in between having powers kips with her head nodding about. I had fun playing with these pictures and brings back wonderful memories of our road trips to Bundaberg in the Kingswood. It’s such a tiny town where Im staying I thought I’d be a bit bigger for the dot. So Im really happy to have found a hotel here. The husband and wife are totally gracious and excited about our trip.

He got out his phone and took a gallery of photos. They saddled up to a self portrait shot so I snuck one in too. 40 yen so a bargain. Funny but – it has no tv or air con but a computer in the room. The toilets are a bit dodge and communal but there’s a heat lamp in the shower. Talk about a mix mash and all very good!!I have no idea what this towns about re the taffic of trucks. There are truckees held up in both directions like a traffic jam but I cant figure what the hold up is? We just rode around them this arv. Rube’s such an agile machine!! The sunset was really beautiful which I took a picky of but underneath the sunset was total truckee chaos. I just aimed a bit higher as they spoilt the setting ambience!! Sunset – sounds good doesnt it – More of that thanks!!! Probably time for some dinner and bed. Talk soon x