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BackOnTrack – reports

  
12. May 2009

BackOnTrack – reports

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12. May 2009



Bangkok!17215 km, Bangkok (TH)The way from Siem Reap to the border was very boring - and not easy for us. Very hot, and our bodies are weak. Though ride. From Aranya Pradhet to Bangkok we took a bus.......

29. April 2009



We are at Angkor Wat!17050 km, Siem Reap (K)A lot happened since the last news from Savannakhet. After Bine and me got the Thai Visum from the consulate, we rolled on to Pakes. On the totally uninteresting main route. Pakse was nice and - for Laos - quite busy. Afterwards we relaxed for a few days on Don Kong and Don Dhet, two of the "4000 Islands" in very southern Laos, where the Mekong gets very wide with a lot of islands in between. Then we proceeded to Cambodia, where on the first day i had a little bit of a breakdown. Severe muscle cramps, nausea and nearly collapsing. After a few hours in hospital and 5 days rest i was fit again. We tried to cycle the jungle paths west of Stung Treng to Cheab and Tben Meng Chey. But we got stuck in the mud and had to return. The long southern route......




In the middle of southern Laos15764 km, Savannakhet (LAO)Vientiane is for sure the smallest and most “village-like” capital we ever have been. Everything is so small: the houses, the official goverment offices, the roads... The way south east from Vientiane to Southlaos was not very interesting. Because of the heat, we started cycliing at 6 o clock in the morning, and stopped after about 100 kilometer at a guesthouse at lunch time. Heat, flat area, fields...But sometimes also the Mekong on the right side of the road, and very nice rainforest. For a Visa-Run (for a new Laos Visa) we crossed the Mekong at Thakek to Thailand. Because the people have been so nice, and the food was so good and cheap, we stayed in Thailand. We cycled south to Mukdahan in Thailand, and entered there Laos a seco......

18. March 2009



In the capital of Laos15254 km, Vientiane (LAO)After Stephan&Astrid said good bye and headed via boat to Thailand, we both relaxed two more days in Luang Prabang. Then we set off for the last mountainous legs to Vang Vieng. As Uli unfortunately got diarrhoe, it have not been easy days. Additionally to the bad food supply on the countryside of Laos. In Vang Vieng there was plenty of cheap and good backpacker food. From there it was easy cycling to Vientiane. No mountains anymore. The capital fits perfectly to Laos. Small, quiet, relaxed. Nearly like a small village.........

7. March 2009



We have reached SO-asia!14854 km, Luang Prabang (LAO)After cycling 6 months through China we finally made it to our first country in SO-asia: Laos. Many thing are different here. Communicative people, a lot of children, bad food supply in the countryside, more expensive... The last kilometers to Luang Prabang we did by boat. Here we met Stephan&Astrid from Vienna/Austria during their holiday journey through Laos and Thailand. After 2 very nice days they are now on the way to Thailand - by boat along the Mekong. And we both will cycle - after a short rest in Luang Prabang - south to the capital Vientiane.......

25. February 2009



At the edge to SO-asia!14578 km, Mengla (CN)After cycling further 900 Kilometers and about 12.000 meters in altitude, we reached Mengla, in the far southern corner of China. After nearly 6 months and have cylced 7.000 kilomters in China we are now just 60 kilometers away from the border to Laos. On the way to Mengla we enjoyed one of the highlights of our China-episode: the great rice terracces of Yuanyang! Thousands of rice fields, dig into the steep slopes of the Yunnan mountains. Terrific! And on the last to Mengla we had beautiful rain forest.......




From winter directly into summer!13723 km, Kunming (CN)After intensive, selective and great weeks cycling from Chengdu along the "National Highway 108", we finally reached - after about 1.200 kilometers and 14.000 meters in altitude - the capital of Yunnan province - Kunming. At the beginning we had a lot of fog and dense populated area, totally depressive. Up in the mountains we once had totally icy road, cycling impossible. So we pushed our heavy loaded bikes for 11 kilomters and 1.000 meters up to the pass. But on 2008-01-28 a lot changed: the sun came out and it got really, really warm. what a pleasure! Since then we had the best cycling weather of the world. No cap, no gloves anymore, we even cycled without a jacket! From Winter directly into summer. The (for us last) visa extensi......




CHINA-WORKSHOP I: Counting with hands (Uli)How to show the figures 1-10 with the hands in China13713 km, Kunming (CN)Be aware that there are regional differences for some of the figures (especially for 5, 7 and 9). The symbols shown below are at least valid for Xinjiang and Gansu provinces. ......




CHINA-WORKSHOP II: Cyclists supply (Uli)Tipps for perfect supply for cyclists cycling in China…:))13713 km, Kunming (CN) ......




Christmasholiday in Chengdu over12538 km, Chengdu (CN)Two very nice and relaxing weeks with Bines parents in Chengdu are now over. We together explored a lot in Chengdu City, the life on the streets, public parks and their teahouses, some interesting temples. We travelled 18 hours by train to Xian, and admired the worldfamous Terracotta Warriors. Also the city Xian itself was very interesting, especially the muslim quarter by night. We did a further excursion to the Giant Buddha at Leshan - a huge, 70 meter high Buddha, which has been carved in stones. One highlight of course had been the visit to the Giant Pandas near Chengdu. It is also a successful breeding base of the Giant Panda and the Red Panda. In the evening we nearly every day enjoyed beer, wine and an excellent view of the n......




Freezing times seem to be over!12538 km, Chengdu (CN)After recieving the 1-Month Visa for China we were heading back by train from Hong Kong/Macau back to cold Lanzhou. To reach 1200 km away Chengdu in 2 weeks we had to cycle straight forward through cold middle China. The scenery was unexpectedly very nice. Desert was over, we had some very nice forests, a lot of mountains (!) and the landscape turned slowly but surely into green. Nevertheless it is still winter here in middle of Sichuan. Now we stay in Chengdu for 2 weeks, Bines parents are visiting us. Good to have a rest now.......

1. December 2008



At the Yellow River!11410 km, Lanzhou (CN)Winter is getting harder and harder. After Bine decided to take a bus to Lanzhou, i cycled alone the 550 Kilometer stretch from Zhangye to Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu province. During the first night in the tent, a severe snow storm was blowing and i had a freezing night. With icecold hands and feets i luckily find a small shop with a warm oven on the next day morning. What a relief! Afterwards i approached to a 3000 meter pass on snowcovered roads. A few kilometers before the top, the road got totally ice covered, the traffic collapsed. But i pushed my bike for 10 kilometers, passing all the trucks and cars. Just before Lanzhou i reach the Yellow River.......




Now changing direction towards South10919 km, Zhangye (CN)The sky during the nights are filled with billion of stars, deep blue sky and sun during the days. But it is cold, awfully cold. Very chilly during the night(-20 degrees Celcius ), during the day just a little bit above freezing point. Bine and me reached the Great Wall at Jiayuguan, a great feeling for me to have cycled so far. Afterwards we cycled together with Samo from China to Zhangye, where we celebrated Bines birthday and are recovering from our bad colds.......

8. November 2008



At the Dunes of Dunhuang10218 km, Dunhuang (CN)We now had a very nice, beautiful and lonesome route from Hami to Dunhuang. Nearly no villages in between, just 2 truckstops. We had blue sky and sun all the time, nevertheless it is very cold also during the day. At night we have 0 to -3 degree celcius inside the tent. Well, seems to be that winter is not far away anymore...:)......

22. October 2008



Lowest Point of the Tour9346 km, Turpan (CN)After cycling more than 1.500 Kilometern along the Northern Silkroad to Aksu and Korla, we now reached the depression of Turpan Basin at -150 Meter below sea level. It is the hottest place in whole China, but at this time of year, we have to wear fleece jackets and gloves.........


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