Approaching voices in the distance sent a shudder up my spine. Eric and I fell into an immediate silence. It was our first night in Myanmar. We were wild camping. And suddenly we weren’t alone. Finding a suitable spot to pitch the tent hadn’t been easy. Small settlements of bamboo huts and simple dwellings [...]
Where’s your sense of Adventure?
Eric normally hammers out our routes. I trust him, most of the time. We both like big mountains and empty spaces. Neither of us are big city people and we’re fairly indifferent towards most major tourist meccas. After China, I was up for some easy cycling. Scenic Highway 13, with all its facilities catering towards [...]
China Loop: the grand finale
The blog’s been quiet for the past few months. Many of you have wondered what’s up. Well, we haven’t tossed in the towel, if that’s what you’re thinking. And no, we haven’t been lounging on some Thai beach attempting to recover from the rigors of China. And if you’re imagining 8+ years on the road [...]
The Yi and the Yangtze
After the austere beauty of the Tibetan Plateau, we thought the rest of China might turn into a big disappointment. Not in the least. Alright, the first few days out of Chengdu were a blur of smoke belching factories and a succession of grubby provincial towns filled with locals hacking and spitting as they went [...]
Tibet for Foreigners: Part 4
I don’t suppose many people get the chance to celebrate a birthday at 4,487 meters. That’s how Eric began his 47th year, on the top of Balang Shan Pass in China’s Sichuan Province. We hadn’t planned to celebrate his big day way up in the clouds. Like so much of our bike tour, things just [...]
Tibet for Foreigners: Part 3
All was well. We’d solved the headset crisis. Some big mountains and amazing landscapes lay ahead. Rains had plagued us since we hit China, but as we rolled out of Litang, the day shone bright and clear. Life was perfect. At least for around 15 minutes. Then I noticed a strange rattling. Upon further investigation, [...]
Tibet for Foreigners: Part 2
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh all the way down the mountain for 15 odd kilometers. Ok maybe it was more like bump, curse, bump. The rock-strewn Daxuenshan Pass road was rough, and we maxed out at around 8 kms an hour. Still, it was fun to finally be going DOWN after such an arduous ride up. [...]
Tibet for Foreigners: Part 1
Independent Tibet travel for foreigners has been officially off-limits for years. The occasional intrepid cyclist does manage to sneak in, but most who try it get booted out by the ever-vigilant officers of the PSB (Public Security Bureau). Unwilling to risk potential lock up in a Chinese prison, we opted for the next best [...]
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