Tag: wanderlust

China Part 5: Camping Amongst Wolves on the Tibetan Highway (Chengdu to Litang 13/01/16-27/01/16)

Mar 10, 2016

After my slightly chaotic visa run in Hong Kong, I hopped off the plane and re-entered the Middle Kingdom. I was back in China, there was no mistaking that. Two steps outside the airport exit I was mobbed by a million shouting and spitting taxi touts. I took few more days to relax in the … More China Part 5: Camping Amongst Wolves on the Tibetan Highway (Chengdu to Litang 13/01/16-27/01/16)

One Year On The Bicycle: A Retrospect (16/01/15-16/01/16)

Feb 5, 2016

One year on the bicycle. Blimey. Where do I begin? I normally start these blogs with a picture of the route being discussed in the post, so I’ll do the same here. Below is the line I’ve cycled over the last 12 months.  Would you like some stats? Distance: 19,326km Countries visited: 27 Days cycled: … More One Year On The Bicycle: A Retrospect (16/01/15-16/01/16)

China Part 4: Most Wanted in Chengdu (Langmusi to Chengdu 19/12/15-02/01/16)

Jan 11, 2016

Langmusi was geared towards tourists, but clearly not receiving any at this time of year. There were a whole bunch of hostels in the village but every single one was closed. I haggled an open hotel room for less than a quarter of their ‘rack rate’ but it still wasn’t as a cheap as a … More China Part 4: Most Wanted in Chengdu (Langmusi to Chengdu 19/12/15-02/01/16)

China Part 3: Tasting Tibet (Jiayuguan to Langmusi 04/12/15-18/12/15)

Dec 28, 2015

This blog begins by closing the cliffhanger I left the last one on. I returned to the PSB office in Jiayuguan to find my visa extension ready to go. I was annoyed I’d lost another day waiting for it but thrilled to find it was indeed 30 days commencing from collection date. Before giving it … More China Part 3: Tasting Tibet (Jiayuguan to Langmusi 04/12/15-18/12/15)

China Part 2: Escaping the Gobi desert at The Great Wall (Turpan to Jiayuguan 18/11/15-04/12/15)

Dec 19, 2015

China is a world of opposites. The culture, the landscapes, the people… everything. Even while I’m cycling through the desert, snow-capped mountains loom over me. The friendliest people are right next to the most unhelpful in the world. The Han-Chinese natter on their new smartphones while the local Uighur people drive rusty old carts past … More China Part 2: Escaping the Gobi desert at The Great Wall (Turpan to Jiayuguan 18/11/15-04/12/15)

China Part 1: Welcome to the Middle Kingdom (Kazakh border to Turpan 06/11/15-17/11/15)

Dec 2, 2015

I was finally given my Kazakhstan exit stamp and I cycled over to China along with Bertrand the Frenchman and the Aussies Sarah & Scott (who I’d cycled across Kazakhstan with). The no-man’s-land was a pointless 7km that snaked around in a strange loop before dropping us back just a stone’s throw from where we’d started. On … More China Part 1: Welcome to the Middle Kingdom (Kazakh border to Turpan 06/11/15-17/11/15)

Kazakhstan: Searching for Borat (26/10/15-05/11/15)

Nov 23, 2015

From Kyrgyztan’s capital Bishkek it was only a 25km ride to the border. I met up with the Frenchman Bertrand (who I’d cycled with in Tajikistan) and we headed over to Kazakhstan together. The border was a total shambles. I’ve come to expect nothing less from Central Asia’s border crossings, but the last couple I’ve … More Kazakhstan: Searching for Borat (26/10/15-05/11/15)

Kyrgyzstan: Meeting the willy snatcher and wearing strange hats (02/10/15-26/10/15)

Nov 10, 2015

Between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan there’s a long 20km of no-man’s-land. Unsuprisingly there’s not much going on in there but one family, it turned out, had a tea house right in the middle. It was getting late in the day when I exited Tajikistan and I was over the moon to find some civilisation. After struggling … More Kyrgyzstan: Meeting the willy snatcher and wearing strange hats (02/10/15-26/10/15)

Tajikistan Part 2: The Pamir Highway (22/09/15-01/07/15 Khorog to Kyrgyzstan)

Oct 30, 2015

From Khorog you have a couple of choices regarding which road to take. The main Pamir Highway (M41) leads up into the mountains, while a southern route continues to follow the Afghan border as the Wakhan corridor narrows. Recently there was only one choice, as the M41 was closed due to big landslides a couple … More Tajikistan Part 2: The Pamir Highway (22/09/15-01/07/15 Khorog to Kyrgyzstan)