shecyclesolo

Day 144 587 days to go. Distance: today 82km total 8173 km. Its 8.00pm Sunday 22/4/2012 Ulaanbaatar. Hi there on this sleepy Sunday. Well it seems to be for some local folk at least. Ive been so used to SE Asia and China being 7 days of same same but not so here on face value. It much like back home with a lazy Sunday feel. Not so for us chicks but. We headed off for a cycle day on the road eastwards towards Terelj National Park. The National Park is 78km but the ride out there is open plains and rolling hills so very nice for a day trip. Rube and I loved being back in the saddle and had a cool bonding day. It’s been 3 weeks since we’ve done anything decent together so we had fun. The scenery was wonderful and we managed some cool pickies along the way. The day was comparatively warm say early 20s but there was still snow patches on the ground and the creeks were frozen on top at least. I saw a few flowing patches so spring is trying to nudge it’s way in. The wind was pretty full on being so open and a wicked south easterly. We had a few blown-off the road moments that added to the day’s adventure. Better still we got some great tail wind sections early on the way back into UB. Our weeeeee fun was short lived as a dust storm blew in from the west and we cycled into it for the last hour. It was an amazing thing to see on the horizon. I managed to capture some picks but it didn’t do the force of the storm justice. There was a constant strong wind but then it would gust and send brown dust swirls upwards. It was wicked and really interesting. Ive never seen anything like this before. It’s still really windy outside but the dust has eased up. I was cycling back just in time for a skype date with my partner so I havent as yet had a shower. Anywhere that was exposed is brown like around my sunglasses. It’s a sexy look and a shower will be nice a bit later. I got a few things to do first. Ive filled out my visa registration application and got my warmer cycling gear ready for tomorrows pedal back out to immigration. On the way back today I passed a Korean fella on a cycling tour of Mongolia for 3 months. He was heading out to Terelj for a few days but coming back to UB. We’ve exchanged emails and Ive invited him to dinner when he gets back so I hope to hear from him. It’ll be great to touch base with him and pick his brain for info and tips. His set up was the best Ive seen and very professional. Last night I headed out into town and walked about a different mall area. It was quite a meeting place so good for some subtle people watching. It’s a bit hard to people watch when I’m the one being checked out 🙂 There were some fabulous copper relief murals in the mall and I snapped a picky with the one I liked most. I thought I’d snavel what company I could with a dash of serenading 🙂 All shananagans aside it was a cool piece of art. Just before turning round today I stopped to check where we were on the map and this fella appeared from nowehere. He was very much jolly on the liquor he was carrying but full of friendliness. He could hardly put a sentence together but was keen to share his story and spittle with me eeeeek. I broke his momentum with a photo which he loved and took the chance to exit. We got to quite a high point where we turned round and there was a chorton pole on top with silk scarfs, prayer players, a Buddhist brass bell and cow skulls decorating it. We passed another larger one adorned similarly but with a set of crutches added to the offerings 🙂 I also noticed blue scarfs tied randomly to bridges or road signs. I believe they are to wish a safe journey but I’ll find out more about this as I go along. The folk here love nibbling on a small round roasted nut. It’s common to see piles of shells scattered on the footpaths and about where folk have sat for a time. We passed a number of small towns tucked in the valleys where the road passed. Townsfolk were selling bags of these nuts by the roadside. There’s also many vendors in town selling the same but it was nice to give my pennies to a couple today very pleased about the sale. They weren’t keen for a photo but. I have read that its important to ask before taking a photo. Ive found it better to invite them to join a self portrait which I did today which they refused and to be respected. And that’s about us for today. I’m still to go to the shops for some fresh bread and download the photos from today so I’ll finish up there. I have a line of dust on my top lip that looks very dodge like vegetate or a penciled on mow. mmmm sexy on the inside? Oh well it’ll give the locals in the supermarket and internet cafe a good giggle 🙂 Talk soon x

PS the Internet place was all shut up on this sleepy Sunday night so hold tight and I’ll sort photos tomorrow. Speaking of photos I had a look through the ones from today and missed a couple of things for the post. I took a picture o a roadsigns to show the cyrillic language. The first name is Ulaanbaatar. You can see what I need brush up on the Cyrillic alphabet oath wise we’ll have little clue about road signs. There’s definitely no English sub titles this part of the world 🙂 It appears the lion is a national symbol and there’s a huge monument at an intersection on the eastern side of town. I carried rube up the stairs to get a picky with her.
We had a giggle at the four lion bottoms facing outwards from the monument. We got a photo of one grand lion butt with the dust storm in the background. Time to de-dust and dinner x

Day 143 588 days to go. Distance: today 0 yesterday 32km total 8091km. Its 6.30pm Saturday 21/4/2012 Ulaanbaatar. Hi there fine folk. I’m currently sitting in the pub lounge of the guesthouse I’m staying waiting for my dinner date to arrive. I’ve forgotten her name and can’t find where I wrote it down bugga not a good start to a social evening. She’s late so I may yet be stood up and won’t have to worry about it. She’s a Russian woman I met yesterday when she was checking out the guesthouse and also traveling solo. I hope she shows it’ll be nice to have some company but if not I’ll head out for the evening by my little lonesome 🙂 I’ve been pawing over maps today getting my head round some route options and generally trying not to panic. It’s a big tough Mongolian world out there and a tricky time between seasons with unpredictable weather. On a positive it means Russia and Kazakh will be peak season but Mongolia’s first on the itinerary and needing some extra thought. I went shopping last night for maps and found a couple of awesome current maps that show the major roads and Tourist Ger camps across the country. These are felt tents catering for tour groups something like a camp site and are good to know where they are for planning. Theres an international road that runs east-west through most major destinations which is where I’m leaning. Mongolia is divided into central, western, eastern, gobi, and northern regions. Each region is made up of provines called aimegs. Ulaanbaatar is in Tov aimeg in the central region. This is where I start my journey west to the russian border of Tsagaannuur (M) and Tashanta (R). The road map I have is great. It was published in 2011 and shows the roads (paved and unpaved). There are state roads and an international road marked amongst the other minor roads. It’s the international road that I’m leaning towards for quality and accessibility plus it also goes through some keys places of interest which is great. Heading west the AH32 passes Lun and Erdenesant in Tov. It then briefly cuts across Bulgan aimeg through Rashaant and into Arkhangai aimeg through Tsetserleg, Tariat and Tsahir. Then it heads into Zavkhan aimeg to Inuul, Tosontsengel, Telmen and down to Uliastay. The countryside west from here where the road travels turns desert as all other routes through this part of the country. My thought is to arrange transport from here to Hovd in Khovd aimeg. From Hovd the international route picks up AH4 into Bayern-Olgii aimeg through Olgiy and to the border. So that’s the first draft plan and seems the best so far. I have made email contact with a local cycle group I just found on the internet this arv that have a shop here in UB. They also offer cycle tours and have a cycle group so are potentially an awesome source of info. I hope to hear from them over the next days but regardless Ill find their shop next week and pay them a visit. I need some spare tubes anyway. Rube and I headed out on the airport road yesterday and eventually found the immigration office to register our visa. All stays in Mongolia over 30 days require you to register. The ride was as beautiful as the day after the snow on Monday. I got some great pics. The scenery was postcard Mongolia with open plains and snow capped rolling hills. There were shepherds moving their herds of goats and cows through the airport grounds which was totally bazar and looked wonderful. Beef, goat and sheep are the staple from what Ive read along with wheat based bread, dumplings and potato. Milk products from the animals are the base for most dishes and drinks. The food seems very basic and distinct. I hope to have lots of experiences ahead eating with the rural nomadic folk that live in yurts along the way. They are apparently very welcoming and generous hosts. Rube ended up getting a flat yesterday and I didn’t think to grab my levers and pump before heading out so I walked her to the airport to catch a cab back to UB. I had spare tubes still in the seatbag but theyre not much chop without the other. The taxi man took us instead to a local mechanic place where we changed the tyre and got her good to go again. I paid him for his efforts and we enjoyed the fresh cycle back into town. Last night I found a cool map place and spread myself across the floor sorting out the crap from the good and settled on the most recent road and tourist maps. When I got back to the guesthouse there were three students staying in the room. They were doing their English homework and bailed me up for some tips. Actually they pretty much wanted me to do their homework so we worked through their exercises and it was good fun. Immigration wanted information that I didn’t have with me so I paid for the forms and will fill them out and attach the rest of the paperwork to submit Monday. It’s forecast snow again on Monday and Tuesday so it may be a cab ride out there after all. We’ll see. Yesterday afternoon I had some time to fill in before a Skype date with my partner so thought it a good idea to try find the Kazakh embassy so I know where I’m going Mon/Tues. Good that I did because I eventually was told the office had moved and have basic directions where it is nowadays. Finding stuff here and access to info continues to be tricky but that’s part of the everyday experiences. Like being in the cab with Rube in the back seat with her flat tire, me in the front seat with the cabby’s 3 year old son sitting my lap us playing with his matchbox cars. All unplanned very cool stuff that makes every bit of challenge worth it. I feel I have to supplement my cycling gear to better handle the weather ahead. The extra warm stuff I have wasnt meant for cycling and is bulky. Allot of the locals here and in China wear a lightweight padded zip up coat that’s water and wind proof. I found one last night for $130 Aus and it seems a good option to be able to rug up better in what will be tough conditions ahead. You can probably hear my anx re the weather but I think that’s a good thing to be vigilant about-What do you reckon? 🙂 So it looks like Ive been stood up. i know she was trying to arrange a shared jeep for her travels so something may have come up. Plan B for me to do some shopping and find an internet cafe to download photos from yesterday and attach to this post. It’s so great to have access again to the blog so Ill upload this and get on with my Saturday night in downtown Ulaanbaatar 🙂 It’s 8pm and the night is early even for this nana after my relaxing day. Talk soon x

PS It’s not even 20 minutes later and Ive found a games cafe and uploaded the photos. These cafes are the best. The computers are so fast. Yay x

PPS It’s such a balmy night early 20s and crazy to think that it can be so changeable. I hear my family talk about this in Germany but it’s different being in it. Makes me appreciate our SE Qld weather that’s for sure!! 🙂 Nice thoughts of home – I’m a bit home sick tonight and need to give Rube a cuddle when I get back to the guest house. She’s so my buddy. Tomorrow’s forecast a nice day so Rube and I are going to check out a rural area I read in the book earlier today. It’s about 15km east of town that’s apparently quite beautiful. Sounds perfect !!!!

Day 141 590 days to go. Distance: In transit total 8059km. It’s 1.25pm Thursday 19/4/2012 Ulaanbaatar. It’s snowing today OMG!!! We arrived yesterday to Mongolian blue skies like you read about. I would have posted yesterday but after arriving, packing ourselves up, finding accommodation, and doing some have-to’s, the internet cafes were closed. Instead I sent a spot message to let family know we had arrived safe. In my travels today I found this dodgy internet games center, fabulous for uploading photos into word press. Yes!!!!!! I’m back into the land of internet freedom. May I say firstly how awesome it’s been to help the help of Janet and Marcus to keep the blog going through China. Thank you darlings!!!!!! I actually started uploading the photos onto an email when I first started today then thought… hold the fort!!! New country!!!! So I’m back online and loving it yay! Hey I’m in Mongolia!! Hi there from downtown Ulaanbaatar. It appears a gritty tough town full of color, strong characters and activity. There’s a blend of classes with lots of young folk. There’s a range of buildings and apparent living standards. The outskirts of town seem poor and run down. Many buildings are graffitied and painted with religious murals. The graffiti presents like statements as opposed to vandalism so I’ll capture some more interesting ones over the days to share. Central city however is this grand square oozing with Nationalism. There are many art centers, and infrastructure aimed at tourists and ex pats. Yesterday I met three ex pats corporate workers and two of the guesthouses were booked out with NGO workers. The road traffic is nuts with police controlling most intersections. It’s quicker to walk through the inner city area. We arrived about 2pm yesterday. Jason helped us off the train with our luggage. He was a good companion. I also met Rachel from that States who was fun and very passionate. We shared some similar interests and I enjoyed our conversations. She’s on a world trip including Morocco, Nepal, Tibet, China, Morocco and Indonesia. Rachel’s from a small southern country town and loves the exposure of travel to new experiences and appreciations. She said this was her last chance to travel before thinking babies and wants to squeeze the most of the time. Back to the platform….Rube and I packed ourselves up and headed into the city using our lonely planet map. It was pretty good and got us there ok. We already got lots of attention on the platform from railway workers who were interested and friendly. They introduced themselves to me from a refreshing change shaking my hand. It caught me off guard in a very niceway!! One of the men’s name is Mork. I’ve been practicing my Mongolian since when I meet folk. ‘Sain uu’ (hello), ‘Ba yar la la’ (thanks) and ‘Ba yar tai’ (goodbye). The hotel man this morning was teaching me how to ‘hack’ the last ‘laa’ in hello. That’s what it sounds like with your tongue behind your front teeth. Just dodge the spittle if you try 🙂 Arriving yesterday it was soon apparent I should have booked accommodation. I tried 7 places before finding one not listed in the LP but it will do the trick. Access to information is again an issue. I had 3 people yesterday offer me help which was greatly appreciated. I would have asked a dozen others and all folk were very open to helping, patient and accommodating. They also seemed to have a mixed grasp of English which makes a huge difference. Tourist information is provided by the hotel so I’m yet to hit mine up for any help. mmmm not sure how that will go but we’ll see. The guesthouse I’m at costs $7.50 and I’m the only person in the dorm so far. Not sure why given how busy the other places were. It was a couple of dollars dearer despite seeming a bit dodge but I have a place to keep Rube safe and the room is clean enough with heating, a comfy bed and lots of space. I have booked into another place for Friday onwards but I may yet stay where I’m at given the amount of gear I have and the small pokiness and business of the other guesthouses I saw yesterday. They were also up flights of narrow stairwells and don’t’ appear Ruby friendly. I found a bank to exchange my Yuen and a department store to buy an adaptor and some food stuff. The money is called Togrog and the Aussie dollar is good at T1350 = $1. After my have-tos, it was 10pm and the 2 internet places I found were closed. By the way the conductor never asked for the excess cash so I’m $150 richer yay!!! I found a café that had wifi but couldn’t log into yahoo for some reason so the spot messenger had to do for yesterday. I had the best sleep last night and didn’t stir until 9am this morning. I have a list of logistics to do over the next 2 weeks first to register my visa as we’ll be here over 30 days. You have to register your visa within 7 days of arrival so it’s the first job given the Kazakh embassy will hold onto my visa while processing my application. Jason gave me a good tip to photo copy my passport, visa and stamp into Mongolia to have on board while I’m without a passport. He learn t this the hard way in Beijing so I’m happy to piggy back his trial and error 🙂 I rugged up and headed out in the light snowfall. It’s still snowing outside a bit heavier now. I think it was colder yesterday with the clear skies. There’s enough snow to be settling on the cars and paths. I’m not thinking about the cold and cycling. Tomorrows forecast blue skies again and in two weeks we’ll see how the average temp has warmed up. Meanwhile I just want to enjoy this new cool place and it’s folk. I walked to where the INFC office was listed in the Lonely Planet but was told it has moved out to the airport about 16kms out of town. This experience itself was really great. There is now a bank in the office space. The staff called to check where the office had moved to. They gave me a coffee and bicky and wrote the address in Mongolian on a bit of paper to give a taxi. One of the women could speak quite good English and we spoke about my trip. She asked ‘why’ very genuinely. I loved that I could so easily answer her. You can’t buy this experience; you can’t read it in a book or find it on-line. You can’t make it up or imagine what it is like. Our job is to keep each other safe and sound. The rest is unplanned stuff that makes every day a challenge and experience. Some good some not but every one priceless. I have the opportunity to do something most people don’t and therefore have something I think worth sharing. ‘How could I not make the most of this opportunity?’ Of course she got a different version. ‘I want to write a book’ was my reply 🙂 She seemed satisfied with this. There’s something so special about meeting local folk. When I say thank you and wave goodbye I feel connected to them just for that moment. Afterwards it’s a great memory and a cool thing that I love to do. It makes what I’m doing count in ways that count most to me!! I probably should have checked on-line to confirm where the INFC was but then I would never have had that experience. I think I’ll keep rolling with how I’m doing things for now 🙂 I headed off with my bit of paper towards the airport road. Did I mention Mongolian uses Cyrillic? It’s cool!! I had learnt it years ago when hiking in Bulgaria to read the trail signs. Most of it has fallen out of my head but I’m enjoying crash course refresher and practicing on signage around town. Oppsy a butterfly moment. So back to the airport. The traffic was crap and I wasn’t keen to sit in it watching the taxi meter. Tomorrow’s forecast fine again so Rube and I will cycle out there in the morning. Depending on how long this will take, we may be able to get to the Kazakh embassy in the arv. There’s no drama if we don’t but it would be good to have the visa application in before the weekend when the office is closed. This afternoon I’ll try find the map shop and have a look at some route options. I like pawing over maps more so when the trip ahead is just around the corner literally. It’s all hands on and very very real yay. I like real!!!! A little scary but makes me feel alive and living. I must say I also like posting and it’s great to be back. I’ve missed sharing stuff with you. So while you’re happy to stay on board and enjoy the ride, I’ll keep on posting 🙂 Talk soon x

Day 139 592 days to go. Distance: transit total 8059km. It’s 10.00pm Tuesday 17/4/2012 Chinese/Mongolian border. Our trains disappeared. Has anyone seen our train? It’s taken off with Rubes . It’s weird, I had just read about ‘not to panic’ when the train disappears at the border. Apparently they need to change something important. We’re all in a transit lounge waiting so great chance to post. I’m a bit tired so if I’m a bit dribbly sorry J It feels like so long ago since stepping away from our cycling day to day. So much has happened between arriving and leaving Beijing. This morning started crazy at the station. They weren’t going to let me take Rube onto the train initially. Then I found this lad who could speak English and it started to improve from there. He helped us find out about excess luggage costs and processes re boarding. Also that Mum and Dad could get a platform ticket which the lad shout6ed plus one for himself. So we all went through the boarding gate when they called the K23. I was quickly pulled up by the station master who said I couldn’t take a bicycle on the train and that Mum and Dad would have to post it to me. Once we explained that the folks had to catch a plane he let me through and said to know better next time yayayaya!!!! It was so nuts. I had to take her front tire and panniers off and carry her onto the train like normal luggage. I was told I had to pay $150 excess and that the conductor would find me to sort it out once boarded so we’ll see. I haven’t seen him as yet so who knows. Right up to leaving China literally I have been helped by these beautiful people. The lad was in transit himself and hadn’t slept all night but just wanted ‘to practice English’ so was happy. It’s only because of his help that we go onto the train today. Ive been so humbled by the folk we have crossed paths with and the experience and the experience continues to be a good good thing for me about stuff that counts. Mum and Dad saw it fist hand this morning how a crappy situation can unravel then knot then unfold then trip then fall on its face then be spat out right way up in tact in the right direction albeit a bit wobbly J The next moment I’m saying goodbye and group hugging the folks and the little fella who was adopted by now. We had out tears and a few more on the train. I’m sharing the compartment with an Aussie lad. Jason works with the Holden Super 8s Team as an Engineer responsible for squeezing every bit of speed out of their cars. He’s an interesting guy and his job is fascinating. He’s heading to Belgium to do a handful of OS traces for the experience how cool. By the way there is no luggage compartment on the train so my girl and our stuff have to find a space in the compartment. Thank goodness there are just 2 of us in a 4 seater. More so thank goodness Jason is totally cool with sharing leg space with my girl who’s parked in between our seats on top of the trailer. The bag’s under my seat, panniers under his, tires in the over hanger. It’s a tight cozy squeeze but we’re in. Between chats and reading up on Mongolia, the time is passing so fast. The scenery was dramatic at first very raw and mountainous as we travelled through the area where we visited the great wall. After this it’s flatted out to dry steppe and grassy expanse. Sometimes it’s undulating but mostly it’s flat with wide blue skies as you would picture coming into this area. We’re spotting farms spotted and grazing herds of cattle and sheep and horses. We even spotted out first yurts which are felt round tents which I hope to see plenty more of up close and personal over the next weeks J There are allot of Kms between towns across Mongolia but I have read that yurts can feature regularly nearby the roadways. It finally registered over sunset that we’ll be soon cycling Mongolia and into the next stage of our tripping. The tests will be the weather and pooches. But first let’s get to Ulaanbaatar and take it from there. I plan to hang out there and do some logistics and preparations for about 2 weeks so let it warm up a bit. Talk soon.

Day 126 605 days to go. Distance: today 35km total 8059km.

Its 8.10pm Wednesday 4/3/2012 Beijing. Today is the last day of holidays for the local folk. Helena was telling me this morning that it’s ‘remember those who have died’ holiday. What they do is reprint copies of the old chinese money and burn it in memory of the dead. So on street corners are folk selling bundles of this old cash. I didn’t wake this morning until 9am can you believe it? How incredibly awesome is that and I feel relaxed and happy and well!!

Just in time for family arriving tomorrow night yayayayayaya 1 sleep 1 sleep 1 sleep 🙂 I’ve already got a small handful of local haunts I want to share with them plus lots more we’ll discover in our own explorations. I’m sorry I haven’t uploaded any photos as yet. That’s one on the agenda for tomorrow. Another is to apply for my Mongolian Visa nbow the Embassies will be open again.

I tried last night on the hotel computer to upload the photos but it’s too slow so it’s definitely an internet cafe jobby. We’ve had such cool and special travels today. There’s a bicycle tour in the lonely planet so that was us on this beautiful blue sky day in Beijing. We didn’t get started until lunchtime as Helena and I chatted all morning first up with coffees in bed then moved outside to brekky in the sun. She is wonderful company and one of the most interesting women I have met. She’s at the opera tonight as Beijing apparently has a new opera house and she scored the last ticket for tonight’s show in her travels yesterday. She was very excited!! Helena’s on a working holiday with the task to purchase Chinese paperback dictionaries for her students far cheaper than what they can buy from Sweden. She has left the husband home to look after the kids so she’s a big kid in a big city enjoying the time out. She’s 48 years old and was an exchange student in China back in the eighties which was very radical back then and a very different China. Anyway she’s fabulous and I hope we get to have dinner with her before she leaves in a few days.

I may have to book that in with her in the morning if she’s open to the idea. The tour with Rube took us past the orem de la orem for Beijing’s imperial sights. The ham, cheese and tomato included a route around: the forbidden city walls and moat, the imperial palace and Tian anmen square. The parks and gardens around these landmarks are hosting a bloomsday of trees waking up with buds and blossom. I found a possie under one of my favourite while blossoms and ate the rest of the baby mangoes for a late lunch. We spotted a couple of very captivating and moving handicapped street performers. One was blind playing an asian string instrument somewhat like a violin sized elongated cello. The other man had been in a terrible accident with skin burns and deformity over his face and body. He had lost the total left side of his upper torso and was singing. It moved me to tears not the tragedy but the resilience, resourcefulness and courage of this man. I sat and listened to him for ages, gave him some cash, and with my arm around his shoulder, the most sincere neehow and shea shea nee. Incredible human being !!! I could only manage a photo at a distance to remember as anything closer felt inappropriate.

It was later by the time we finished our loop and headed west towards the hotel and sunset which was beautiful. Rube and I had a great day together and shared a ‘yay us’ moment and some more tears in the middle of Tian Anmen Square to finish up. We were in time to go to the local market around the corner before they closed at 7.30 and bought a handful of stuffed steamed buns and flat bread. They lasted until I got outside as the ‘must devour while hot’ factor was no match for my ‘wait til we get back’ passing thought. There’s something very cool about asian squatting in a local alleyway, eating local food, from a local market, amongst locals doing their every day Beijing thing. A very good day spent on tour with my girl. Talk soon x

PS Rube wants a mouth for Easter 🙂

Day 125 606 days to go. Distance: today ‘who cares’ total ‘allot’ its 1.05pm Tuesday 3/4/2012 Xicheng District, Beijing.

We actually arrived late yesterday but I only got as far as ‘Day 124 607 days to go. Distance: today 109km total 8032km. It’s 8.00pm Monday 2/4/12 Beijing’  then The folks emailed to say they were good for a Skype. We had the best chats until they turned into two cute pumpkins and had to go to bed. Then I met and got into chatting with my room-mate for the next few days, Helena from Sweden. By the way……… …..

BEIJING BEIJING BEIJING BEIJING BEIJING BEIJING BEIJING BEIJING BEIJING
How good is that!!!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 Miss J, Blue Dog, Rube and I are out on this beautiful Peking day. It’s actually the first of three public holidays. So where I thought I’d be applying for a Mongolian visa right about now, we’re all out for the day in Xicheng district perfect. This is the district where the family and I are staying, at a hotel called Beijing templeside hutong house at No. 8 An Ping Alley. The manager ‘Bobby’ said to go there when i arrived in Beijing and he would find me somewhere nearby to stay until the 5th. However when I got there bobby told me a houseguest Helena had offered me her twin bed – it’s so great yayayaya !!!!! Helena is such an interesting woman She studied in china back in the late eighties and now teaches mandarin at a local university. she regularly visits china to keep in touch with the culture and is a good friend of bobby. Helena is doing her doctorate on chinese women issues over the last three decades.

She said the change in china and it’s folk over that period is mind-blowing. For example finding people prepared to be interviewed was so hard and nowadays people are more likely to speak out as long as they are in a safe space. Woman used to readily blame themselves for acts of discrimination. Now they are more likely to see the underlying cultural and political causes and prefer like most chinese a republic that is freeing up. It’s a relative thing so perspective is needed. For example its by no means on the path to democracy just quite yet 🙂 There’s apparently very sensitive sub division in the Chinese Communist Party re leadership direction (traditional vs. progressive). As you know freedom to comment on some issues including the government is still restricted in china as are the forums which encourage comments like blog sites.  As of today Chinese Twitter has been closed to comments.

I also asked Helena about the woman’s suicide rate. She said that two groups of woman are at risk. One are those who have been exposed to urban opportunities then move to live a rural family life that does not meet their needs. The other are rural mothers left at home to care for both extended families, the children and the farm while the patriarch lives in the city where work opportunities are. Simply the women can’t cope with the onerous responsibilities. We also spoke about the ‘foreign diplomat ‘ restrictions of some hotels. Helena said that hotels are registered to a standard and only above a certain standard are allowed to have tourists stay. In other words I have been very very very lucky to have had the opportunities and experiences I have had.

 I loved sharing the Truckee  stories with her and could hear how much happiness these simple experiences have given me. I haven’t spoken to anyone about this stuff for the last six weeks and it was really cool. It was also really funny listening to myself take the edge off my enthusiasm to keep a bit of social etiquette. I’m so socially unsound it cracks me up. That’s a mission over the next days to interact myself back to some sort of social sanity for the family. I can see my partner ear to ear with a good luck grin x the park here is beautiful and reminds me allot of the English garden in Munich. It has a chinese tower so maybe they were inspired by parks like this in their design. The exception is everyone has their clothes on.

On a day like today there would be lots of nudey rudey’s having their lunch break in Munich, sunny side up on the grass,with their work attire folded neatly beside them. But otherwise folk are out in numbers enjoying the lake and park very cool. There’s an inside ledge on the fencing around the lake where I have found a perfect possie in the sun. I can’t understand why folk aren’t enjoying the same except for the occasional fisherman. No complaints but. Its great to be removed from the crowds but still amongst the atmosphere. The district is very much an old town as you would expect Peking to be like with narrow alleys and traditional architecture. 
Of course there’s the modern but understated and in keeping with the local feel. It’s a great spot my partner found on the Internet for us. Well done my love!!!!

On our way here and back I’ve kept out direction very simple as I’m a bit vague but am taking side trips down the intriguing alleys begging to be explored. They are full of local traders, food vendors and markets. I love this atmosphere for exploring but not getting lost. I don’t want to do lost today. So that’s going to be prettying much me over the next days and I’ll do my visa on the 5th when all the shops are open again. Forced down time. How incredibly perfect. I also want to enjoy more of the company at the hotel. Theres this family from the States working in Shanghai and holidaying in Beijing. About 7 months ago she was offered a contract at a private school working special Ed. Melissa has already introduced a knitting squares program that the whole school has embraced boys and girls.

 
Basically they knit squares that are sent to Africa and made into blankets for children with AIDS. Her husband Michael is the stay home dad and their three-year old Lucus gets free day care and schooling as part of her contract. What an amazing opportunity for an amazing woman and her family. Speaking of amazing. I haven’t even told you about yesterday yet. I packed Rube up with clear intent to cycle through to Beijing. We’ve clicked over 8000km and with 80km to go Rube gets her first flat tyre. So I sorted the flat while the fella from the hotel found the puncture and time for a picky with the Ateam. We got the momentum going early and did a huge wod of kms before a lunch. We stopped at a roadside market at the smell of roasting baked sweet potato. Yummy yum!!!! Hot and soft and delis and I peeled it and ate it like a banana. With a head and belly full of calories again we headed off for our last 25 km. The map popped out of the bungee and I stopped to pick it up.

When I got back to rune a cyclist had stopped and was checking her out. He wanted to ask me a few questions and invite us to ride with him into Beijing. So he called a friend who translated and soon were under way following someone who actually knew where they were going. Thank goodness like really… Thank frigging goodness. If you have been to Beijing you will appreciate the size and sprawl of this most populous city in the most populous country in the world. He was able to cycle us into the 3rd ring metropolitan area. From there we asked a handful of locals for their helping hand and at 5pm arrived at Templeside to stay with Helena for a few days. The alleyways in the district are a network of rabbit warrens and bobby sent a worker out to the main road to meet and take us back through the maze to the hotel . The coffee whilst sending the spot message yesterday tasted extra good. We’ve done good and it’s time now to turn that part of the brain off for a bit and enjoy a different perspective with family. We’re very happy.  Talk soon x

Day 122 609 days to go. Distance: today 71km total 7817km.

It’s 6.30pm Saturday 31/3/2012 Wangdu. I had originally planned to go a bit further today but decided to get off the momentum wagon and have an earlier one. I can be a bit notorious that way once I get going. I can hear my family and friends going ‘Nooo!!! You think!!!!’ 🙂 So loving rasberries to you all I’m listening to my body and will turn it down a notchover the nex few days. This afternoon’s been great. I found a place to stay that has a computer and done the emailing I needed to do now before Beijing. I even snuck in a quick yahoo chat with my partner yay.  Today’s been a bit of a sluggish day.

The headwind was there again and I just didn’t quite get into and over it. I did however spot a snickers bar at the petrol station we stopped at for our break and that was devoured with a coffee. Oh dear yum!!! I haven’t had chocolate since leaving home. Well actually that’s not true. My partner sent me Lindt mint chocolate in my care package back in Hue. The fact that the entire block didn’t see midnight and I didn’t share any of it 😉 almost made me forget the loving gesture in the brief moment it lasted. Other than this I haven’t had chocolate since leaving home and it tasted dam dam fine!!!! The other highlight today was passing the 199km marker to Beijing. I am going to break that up over a few days as opposed to trying to do it all in one in my usual excessive style.

 Then again I’m riding around the world on my bicycle so you can’t really say I’m one for moderation 🙂 !!!! It’s been really lovely to touch base again with family over email. We won’t have too many more chances now before Beijing so today was good timing to be out of sorts and on-line early yayaya. One thing I did really enjoy today was everything budding. I’ve mentioned it before but once started spring gathers such a momentum doesnt it? The road was lined with trees I’m not sure what the are, but the black branches were draped in strands of lime green buds all blowing in that crap headwind. It kinda looked quite beautiful 🙂 

So in a few days we’ll be in ‘protecting elephants’ or at least thats what the Beijing Chinese characters look like to me. Tomorrow we head onto ‘hunters and gatherers’ or Boading and through to the ‘three robots’ of Gaobeidian. I ate my snickers at ‘pusycat’s wiskers’ otherwise known as Dingzhou and Rube and I are overnighting at ‘two men and a pole.’ As you can tell the names are not rocket science nor crowd pleasers. They are the first thing that comes to mind. I say it out loud and it sticks. Whatever works!!!! Until we meet again in three robots. Talk soon x

PS Never put me in charge of anything requiring code names – what a goose!! 🙂       

 

Day 120 611 days to go. Distance: today 120km total 7650km.

It’s 6.30pm Thursday 29/3/2012 Gaoy. It’s nice to be squeaky clean, have my to-dos done and be posting to you fine folk early this evening. I’m a bit weary tonight so a few extra zzzz’s won’t go astray. After yesterday’s awesome day of it, today didn¡’t have any stand outs except the weather which continues to show off China’s spring. The trees are starting to bud and it’s an exciting time to see the country come out of its winter. We’re certainly appreciating the warmer and drier change.

For a country that eats anything with wings except planes there’s no shortage of birdlife. It’s a real standout feature particularly with the start of spring now. Except for the giant willy wagtails the common birds are sparrows and a sort of finch with different colored heads they’re sooo cute. They keep us company beeping and busy along the roadside grasses. Another regular feature along the 107 is the train line that runs parallel also on route to Beijing. There are two main passenger trains, a bright red multi carriage classic that looks great against the green agriculture. The other is a white pointed bullet train that zips past periodically as a reminder of China’s mish-mash of old and new. That reminds me of another story Giong Long told me about buying tickets for train travel in peak season. He said that folk can queue for up to two days for the popular routes. Isn’t that crazy!!

 I woke unusually early this morning so we were on the road by 8am. We stopped for brunch and I bought this delish spinach pancake filled with a mix of garlic, onion and the clear stringy noodles made from potato that was in the traditional dish yesterday. We passed lots more farmers shepherding their sheep today with a few goats thrown in to add a bit of character.

A large part of the km were along open plains very dry and dusty. Perfect conditions for a wicked headwind that challenged us a bit. Two times today we took advantage of a passing moped truck travelling similar speed. They are awesome to draft behind and the difference is huge. We squeezed about 5km both times and it was enough to give the legs a break and find a second wind. In saying this we’re going along really well just happy to be out there amongst it and being given the chance to cycle through to Beijing as hoped. All going well we should arrive on the 3rd and will find accommodation until meeting family on the 5th. I’m a little excited!!! Well actually I’m totally busting to share the sites and excitement of Beijing with people I love and miss. For now one peddle and post at a time as we still got cool safe stuff to squeeze out of the next days. Time for dinner and a veg in front of the TV. I feel like my Dad watching SBS. Talk soon x

 

When you’re helping hearts appear

is when we least expect it.

If we’re in a tricky spot

you always seem to find us.

 

What makes your hearts so generous

to a foreign stranger?

It is such a special gift,

the Chinese giving nature.

 

So if you’re ever in our land

I hope we can repay you

as it remains my sincere wish

Australians may be like you.