Apr 22, 2015 | Asia, Blog, China
At first, I was shocked when I saw Yangshou. Even in winter, all hell was breaking loose. There were parties, pubs, animated activity, and huge crowds of Chinese tourists. The prices were outrageous and it was anything but a beautiful, natural idyll surrounded...
Apr 9, 2015 | Asia, Blog, China
The border building at the Chinese side looked like a massive showing off structure. Luckily they processed the paperwork quickly. Thus, I had entered the monster sized country China for the third time since I left home. I was certain that this time, the country would...
Dec 7, 2014 | Asia, Blog, China
Although the road was exhaustingly strenuous due to the endless steep hills, the landscape was breathtakingly beautiful. The mountains were blanketed lavishly with green vegetation and the fields spread across the landscape in a myriad of lovely colors. Perfectly...
Nov 24, 2014 | Asia, Blog, China
I left Shangri La on the main road to the south, which was a mistake, because there was significantly more traffic on that road than I expected. I would say it was the busiest highway I was on since I began traveling in China. There wasn’t much to see...
Nov 4, 2014 | Asia, Blog, China
Shortly after Ganzi, I turned off the main road into a side valley. It was an excellent road that led me directly along a swiftly flowing river. It was as beautiful as a dream. Fir trees – the entire hillside was full of fir trees! The air was clean and fresh...
Oct 16, 2014 | Asia, Blog, China
For once, it was sunny and warm as I left Yushu and in the open space outside the town, there was a huge Mani stone wall, where believers were placing their painted, labeled “Om mani padme hum” stones. May glory be to you, you jewel in the lotus blossom....
Oct 12, 2014 | Asia, Blog, China
After a 17-hour bus ride, I arrived in Xining in the middle of the night. Surrounded by giant skyscrapers, I searched the town for a place to spend the night. Luckily, in one hotel, the desk clerk was unaware of the regulations. At least, I was able...
Sep 30, 2014 | Asia, Blog, China
Golmud is a faceless city with a youth hostel where I looked forward to a shower. But – who would have thought? – I heard those familiar words again: “mei you”. “No! That can’t be true” I...
Sep 20, 2014 | Asia, Blog, China
After Gansu, the traffic signs were in Chinese and English, which made my life as a cyclist somewhat easier. The Gobi Desert seemed to be endless, but I was able to continue to motivate myself and was not really bored which could have easily happened in...
Aug 18, 2014 | Asia, Blog, China
For seven long miles I cycled through a corridor secured with barbed wire – a brand new highway that, like a snake, looped from the Kazakh border to the Chinese border. There were cameras hanging on every lamp post along that highway. From then...
