And so it goes

I'm having a very bad day today.
While I was enjoying the beauty of this area, two motorcycle boys came up behind me and took my waist bag. I tried to fight them, but they cut through the strap and ran off. I didn't lose much, but I did lose my camera. And all the cool pictures I have of China. And my room-mate Jane, and ... I don't really care about anything else in the bag, most of it can be replaced with varying degrees of ease, but the camera is a major bummer. I think for the rest of the journey I will get those cheap disposable cameras. I don't really love them because of the pollution problem, but at least I won't be heartbroken if I lose it.
Sigh.
I am going to take the bus to Cenxi, because to be honest, I'm a bit tired of this province, and I want to see some of Yunan. I only have 5 more days in China, and then on to Vietnam. According to Lonely Planet, the kind of theft I experienced is more common there, so I will be more careful. I almost hate to post this, because it make China sound dangerous or bad. That is so not true. OK it isn't always safe, but then your own bathroom is fraught with dangers, like slipping and molds etc. And really, I haven't had much of a bad time, and for everything bad that happens, so much more good happens.
Till I post again, be safe, be happy, and have fun.

Can't think of a cool title at the moment

The next day, it had rained so the shoulder situation was much much worse. I peddled, thinking zen, peddle peddle, think zen. Then the road widened and life was good. I made it to Dangguang and I must say it was a lovely town. I wanted to stop but it was only 12:30 and I know I kinda have a deadline now. I did find a map however. And I only got lost a little bit, and that led me to the book shop with the map. It is a beautiful little city, clean, lots of parks, and a good atmosphere. Like I said, there really isn't much difference between cities, just that each one has its own personality. I liked this cities personality a lot. But I kept going.

I stopped at a little roadside stand a few miles away, and got dive bombed by bird poop. They got me twice. I swear it was like they had smart bomb bird poo. It didn't get my bag (bright yellow target that would have been) it got me. I decided it was a sign to move on.

I found a cheap little hotel, and the people were quite nice, but the bed was not comfortable and they had mosquitoes. So I didn't sleep very well. But at 7:00 am I was happy.
I was just outside of Guangzhou, and I thought I could get onto the next road by noon. Ha. I didn't even get lost!! It was just that Guangzhou is a huge city. Spread out huge. The road I was on led almost to the road I wanted to go to, but .... I kept going and going. I thought the city was pretty cool, and I did get a picture of a bike with baskets of chickens and ducks (I wanted one because it is so very China) and I did get a nice lunch of roast duck, but... The road kept going, through exurbs and suburbs and this nightmare of a train station. I kept peddling and thinking zen peddling and thinking zen. By 3:00 I wanted to cry. I turned off where the police said I should, and there was a sign before a very long bridge. No bikes, No pedestrians. Everyone was passing me on foot and on bike, ignoring the sign. I saw another police booth and asked the police man (thinking he was going to wave me away)- and he pointed over the bridge. I guess the sign wasn't valid anymore.

I crossed the bridge, next to the train tracks ( I even got to see two trains pass very close by) and got into a small town. (not quite on the road yet) I kept thinking- will this city never end?
It is a nice enough city, but....
This morning I woke up early, and decided that if the city didn't end by the end of the day, and I didn't get on the right road, I would quit and take a bus. But the road did show up finally and the city did kinda end. I felt pretty good. I got into Sanshui by noon. Sanshui was another really nice little city. Busy and clean and friendly. So many people smiled at me. I went into a little shop to buy something and the three boys running the shop insisted on giving me tea. They were watching a basketball game between the Boston and Huston. They were fans of Boston. (I think).
I didn't make it all the way to Zhouqing, but I'm in a very nice little town, with very nice people and some very good food. Tomorrow is another day. Peddle peddle, think zen, peddle peddle, think zen.
Till I post again, be good, be happy, and have fun.

Hey now

Apparently you must take a bus to get out of Hong Kong. And. I got lost getting out of Shenzhen (I don't think it is very funny, but go ahead and laugh if you must).
So.... I was hoping to get to Guangzhou today, but then when I got on the right road (finally) I realized that was going to be a joke. I average about 50 km a day. Some days I push it to 70 and a couple of days I made it to 80, but most of the time it is around 50-60. Guangzhou is 13o km from Shenzhen. And. I didn't get on the right road until 11:30. Once on the road I had a nice lunch. It was like the little bouzi you get in Suzhou, but with vegetables, and there was a lovely peanut sauce. Plus the roadside stand had my favorite ice tea. So I was cruising, despite some seriously messed up traffic. Apparently there are a lot of "local" buses that go between towns. They don't have one stop- they stop and pick people up all along the way. (this causes some "interesting" traffic situations) Then the shoulder disappeared. They are, I think, adding some lanes to the highway. So the shoulder is either not there or seriously not paved. I'm trying to be zen about the whole thing, and just put it as part of the adventure and another margarita story when I get home. If I don't make it to the border by March 3rd I'll take a bus. My visa is only for 2 weeks and it starts March 5th. The woman at the embassy in Hong Kong said that I couldn't go earlier, or enter later. Apparently they are a bit strict.
I still don't have a map.
But that is part of the adventure too.
Till I post again, be good, be happy and have fun.

Update

I got the visa to Vietnam. I will get the map to Hanoi. I will keep going.
Till I post again be good, be happy, and have fun

War

I'm at war with myself today. I go to the Vietnamese embassy to get my visa, but there is a part of me that really really wants to quit. To ask Uncle David to buy my ticket home. I did good didn't I? I went across China and that is cool. I am tired and I don't want to go back on my bike. Plus Hong Kong is VERY expensive. It has almost broken the bank. However, I also said that I would go all the way to Singapore, and that is what I should do, plus these are the set backs - the feeling like you want to quit, that you need to push through. And I know Vietnam and Laos and Malaysia are going to be beautiful. And plus if I were to fly out soon it would be better to go on to Guangzhou. If I go to Guangzhou I might as well keep going. I guess I will keep going.
By the way -- Hong Kong is worth it, it is a great city. I Love the engergy here, and the fact that I can get almost anything I want (I've re-supplied myself a bit, one of the reasons H.K. has been so expensive)
Till I post again, be good, be happy, and have fun.

Hong Kong is wonderful

In Hong Kong now. Yes it is dreadfully expensive and because of the new year holiday it was a major ordeal getting a hotel. But I'm safe have room for the next few days and a really cool guide. He didn't believe me when I told him I was one of the luckiest people in the world, and yes I do get lost in every major city, but all in all, I must have a ton of angels looking out for me. I meet at least one in every city.
Till I post again, be good, be happy and have fun.

Almost there

HongKong tomorrow. I hope the banks are open because I don't have any HK dollars. I kinda cheated a bit and took a bus for 50km and that is why I'll be in HK tomorrow instead of the day after tomorrow. I am at a hotel office (again) so I can't spend much time, but wanted to say that the small town was actually quiet. At about 10:30 the fireworks ended and then the young boys jumped on their motorcycles and scooters, in twos and threes, and roared off. The girls giggled and shouted after them and went home. There were a few odd firecrackers then it was quiet and I slept very well. I really like the small towns in China, they all have their own personalities. All the cities have the same things, a market, a grocery store, clothing stores, shops and all, but each one is special, each one is different. I guess it is all in the details.
Till I post again, be good, be happy and have fun.

If It weren't for bad luck.....

As I was going to leave the dusty town (after sleeping in a bit and starting way late) I noticed I had a flat tire. #$%! - but then I realize that I am indeed fairly lucky. There was a bike repair shop not one block a way. The guy fixed my intertube, patched it up, and refused to charge me. That was the end of the nice guys -- as I entered the new province and went into Shantau, I had a semi nice trip. I was even able to find a rest stop that had kau ya, (roast duck)- In Shantau I found a good hotel, but they didn't have a very good breakfast, only rice porridge and some pickled vegetables. Leaving Shantau I got lost. Way lost. Apparently you need to take the ferry if you want to go to the G324 and since that was indeed the road to my destination, I wanted to take it. The ferry was kinda fun, until I realized that many of them sink. But of course we didn't. Actually I'm thinking of taking the ferry to Hong Kong. It would give me an extra day of rest and let's face it, ferries are fun.

After such a late start out of Shantou I went into Puning. And had the worst hotel experience ever. (0k not ever, it does get worse after this, but still) Ok the first hotel I stopped in, didn't have keys so you had to get the maid to open your door. There was a guy while I was checking in who kept asking my name (apparently the only English he had) As I was getting my passport and money out he kept hovering -- I had to ask him "duibuchi" or excuse me, several times. He wasn't too happy. The door didn't lock properly and I just didn't think it was worth the money.
The next hotel I went to They tried to move my bike before I even had a chance to ask how much the room was. I wasn't too pleased. So I went on down the road. Found a fairly nice room. I didn't see the sign for the KTV. They played until 3:00 am and some of their singing was truly painful. Then the people in the KTV went to their rooms, shouting and slamming the doors. There were mosquitoes too. I overslept somewhat understandably and went on my way. I was not feeling so good, mostly because the air was hazy and there was garbage everywhere. I've been in China for quite a while and this area is just plain dirty - and I despaired of finding some open road. I rolled into a fairly nice big town around 11:30 and was tempted to stop. I should have. I did take the time to go to bai bai (temple)_ and say hello to the gods and thank them for everything, because although it hasn't been easy and although I had one sleepless night, China has been very cool.

After the very nice biggish city there was open road again. I saw flowers overtaking some of the garbage dumps and even though I know they were weeds, it still made me feel kinda hopeful. The next town big enough for a hotel (two in fact) was small and dusty- I went to the first hotel, and they didn't have any towels. No towels!! They charged 100 yuan and they didn't have any towels ( mind some of the nicest hotels are around 80 yuan). So I asked for a towel. They got angry. I didn't ask meanly I just said please give me one. They said something then got a guy who did speak some English. He said he'd give me back my money and help me find another hotel. Well, I got in the little taxi tricycle scooter truck thing, and he takes me to the bus stop. It is getting to be 4:30 so I'm feeling a bit well, tired and worried. The hotel the guy recommended was 40 km in another direction!! from the one I want to go!
So I go back to the hotel, tell them that that hotel would be not good because I want to go in a different direction, please give me my room back. He said no, and then put me in another little tricycle scooter thing to a hotel in town. The woman at the hotel in town said she didn't have a room. (I know damn well she did, it was a small town and really) I said please, it is getting late and I can't make it to the next town. She said no. I said it is bad luck to turn away a stranger on new year's day. ( although I don't think she understood me.) I want to cry about now. I go to the bus stop and see about getting a bus to the next biggish town. They are finished in that direction. So ... what can I do? I go towards the next biggish town on my bike. (the taxi tricycle scooter truck things can't go that far) I wander into another very small town and ask - is there a hotel? Well, there is. A very nice hotel. Clean sheets. Towels. And the daughter (it is a family hotel) even led me here to the Internet cafe. And it cost only 60 yuan - So I watched some fireworks, and I am about to get ready for another sleepless night (it is new year's and you know the fireworks and firecrackers are going to go on all night). I am seriously thinking of taking a detour to a port town on my map that I think has a ferry to Hong Kong.

However, as I was leaving Puning I did see something. An old woman, she was carrying a bag that was almost as big as she was. It was heavy too, she was almost bent double carrying it. I only passed her, but she did make me see something important.

Despite the flat tires, the bad hotels, the interesting toilets, the mosquitoes, my knees hurting, being tired, the mountain that would not end, the miles with nothing but cows for company, the heat, the sweat, the rain, the mud, the cold, the frustration of not being able to ask for what you want, the noise, the bad traffic, the semi-paved roads, the @##$ jerk who cut me off, the trucks that spew out black smoke, the taxi drivers that take perverse delight in giving you the wrong directions, the wanting to give up because it seems too hard, despite all that, I have it very very good.

The map's end

Rolling into one of the towns on your list at 2:45 presents somewhat of a dilemma. On the one hand you know you can keep going for about 2 more hours. On the other hand you also don't know if there is a town big enough for a hotel within two hours biking distance. ( by 4:30 I am Tired. With a capital T. - and I always want to take a walkabout in the city I stop in because you always find something interesting and it is good for my knee). I decided to stop. Even though I had an extra rest day. After a short walk around town, I realized that the whole town was without electricity. It came back on after 8pm so I was able to take a hot shower. I also had a very good rest. I realized I had made the right decision when a) I found underwear in my size. I know - too much information- but here in China, it is a major issue for me. Even after all my biking I still don't have a Chinese size bum. and b) When I moved on I realized there really wasn't a hotel sized town within 2 hours biking distance. And there were hills (not quite the mountains I had already traipsed trough, but still.....)
I made it to the end of my map. Unfortunately I'm in a rather sleepy dusty little town and I haven't found a bookstore to by a new one. I think I'll just keep on this road until the next big enough town for a bookstore shows up. I still find the choices for the map somewhat strange. There are very small, barely a village towns on the map, and fairly largish towns that are not included. I know there is some logic to the choices, but so far I haven't figured it out.
Till my next post, be good, be happy and have fun.

truckin'

Well, Thank you Uncle David (and if I know them, Aunt Paulette) and Aunt Mary Grace. I am now well rested, soon to be well fed, and on my way tomorrow. I am so grateful that in China, the post office is open 7 days a week, and worst didn't come to worst. And Jane, don't worry too much--
Things I've learned:
1. Always eat where the locals are, the food tastes better and is cheaper, plus you can point to what you want.
2. There is very little correlation between price and quality in hotel rooms here in China. Some of the nicer rooms were cheaper. Also, NEVER get a room in a hotel near a KTV.
3. Chocolate melts. Rather obvious I know, but.........
4. Things always seem better after a hot shower and a cup of coffee. (even if it is only coffee mix)
5. As much as I love China, it needs some noise laws.

And one question-- is it bad when you start singing Chinese pop songs to yourself, even when you don't know the words?

Till my next post, be good, be careful and be happy.

bad karma

sigh. My bad karma is kinda continuing. I am ok, but I lost 100.00USD to a couple of con men from India. I feel so stupid. Thankfully they did not take my rmb (Chinese money) or my passport. I made it to a semi-largish city, got a room, and was lucky enough to run into a very very kind man who spoke English fairly well. He helped me to call my aunt, and to e-mail my uncle, letting me use his laptop when I couldn't find an Internet cafe near by. He then showed me around town and to the cheaper grocery store so I could get some coffee for the next morning. I can't believe I am so stupid!!! Aunt Mary Grace did make me feel better about it, by saying "these things happen, we're just glad you are alright."
I didn't sleep that well of course. But today I made it to Zangzhou, and found a very cheap hotel. it isn't very luxurious but it has the triumvirate of things I need: clean sheets, my own bathroom, and hot water. Tomorrow morning I will check my e-mail for the Western Union tracking number from Uncle David, and then go to China post (sorry David, but Agricultural bank is closed on Sunday, but China post isn't).
Actually I am very lucky if you think about it. I have enough money for tonight, tomorrow night and if I need it, the next night. I have my passport. I am ok. I have family that can bail me out, and I can get the money I need (although I am very irritated that I have to get the money early :( . but I do have the money I need. If worst came to worst I could probably find a school that would give me room and board and enough money for the next leg if I taught for a month. I have a safe place to stay tonight and I will be getting dinner soon. I have coffee for tomorrow morning.
Thank you Uncle David, Aunt Mary Grace and David Lu.
I will post tomorrow and tell you how it went.
Till then, be good, be careful and have fun.

And so it goes

It has been flat and nice, and I'm doing well. So when I get to one small town, past Putian, I decide I can keep going (it was only 12:00 noon)-- first mistake? So I keep going and pass several small towns with hotel/motels. Well, it is getting later and later so I decide I need to stop. I ask a police station, Nali? where is a hotel/motel? I usually have to use a lot of sign language, but it usually works. Not this time. Well fortunately or unfortunately, I ran into a kid about 15 years old he said, "follow me" I know where a hotel is - about 1 km away. Well 1 km out of the way isn't so bad. Ha. after one more hour of riding- I ask - where the hell is this hotel? - We keep going. I ask where we are on the map. It turns out we are about 15 km out of the way, and I'm not so sure I know how to get back on the main road. Hmph. Well the hotel was nice, and relatively cheap and I was about to forgive the kid after my shower. That is when the bad Chinese disco music from hell started. I want to kill that kid.
The next morning I woke up late, and a bit grumpy (not my usual start). Hmph. I make it to Quanzhou, at around 2:00. I decide to stop and take half a rest day. I can't find a hotel. I am starting to worry about getting lost in the city. I did finally find a hotel, for more than I wanted to spend. Then I found this Internet cafe. I almost didn't get on the computer though because you need a special card, and of course I don't have a special card since I'm not from here. Finally I was able to purchase a special card and here I am. I don't know what god or gods I've offended to run into this bad karma - but I will burn some spirit money tonight and hope that it goes away. At least this hotel has breakfast (although I don't really think that it is worth it, the street bouzi are so much better)
I should make it into Hong Kong in a week. (If all goes well)
To be philosophical about it all, I've been traveling a lot, and for the most part, it has been a good journey. Sandy you are right, I am having a blast.
Till I post again, be good, be careful, and do something nice for the next person you see.

Oh yeah

Leaving Ningde was actually quite easy. I didn't get lost once. I was quite happy. It was also semi-flat. I was really happy. However there was one largish hill that I had to climb, but when I made it to the top there was a very sweet, very cute, police man who spoke English and gave me water and oranges. It made my day. From Ningde to Fuzhou is 120 km. I decided to stop at 60 km. The road was pretty easy and only once did I see mountains looming (but thankfully the road curved around them). Unfortunately at 60 km there was no signs of human habitation. I of course, pressed on. I found a nice little town, and a brand new hotel about 10 km later.
The road was again mostly flat and so I was mostly happy. I made it into Fuzhou by 1pm. It is unusual for me to stop that soon, but Fuzhou was one of THE stops so I found a nice hotel and decided to explore. I found three berries ice cream, and melons on a stick. And a few markets although I wasn't really wanting to shop it was nice to go through them eating ice cream.
The weather is getting much much warmer. I'm going to have to be more careful of my skin and sunburn.
Leaving Fuzhou was a bit more problematic. I like the mid size cities the best. The really big cities are much harder to find things in and much harder to find your way out of. I asked around and one very nice young man decided it was easier to show me than tell me. He got on his bike and said "follow me"- He led me to the highway and when I tried to pay him for his time he wouldn't take it.
The road out of Fuzhou has been really nice. A few small hills and some nice scenery. I really like how here in the south they have such pretty gates into the towns and cities. Some are really beautiful.
I should make Putian by tomorrow evening.
Until my next post, be good, be happy and have fun.

In Fuzhou

I am writing from the hotel front desk. I don't want to take too much of their time, so this is brief. I'm still alive, pretty happy and will write more soon.
Till the next post, be safe, be happy, and have more chocolate

All part of the adventure

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. It has been quite the adventure. I left Wenzhou in good time, and started on the road with the sun in my face and a nice breeze on my back. I should have known it couldn't last. I wanted to make much better time, but the road was under construction, and so it was very slow going. By now none of the signs have any English, so I don't quite know where I was going but it was on the map.
I got into the first town-whose-name-I-don't-know-how-to-say-in-English-but-I'm-glad-I-could-find-on-the-map in the late afternoon. I found a semi-nice hotel that was really quite cheap. I was feeling pretty good until I gave them my passport. This seemed to freak them out somewhat, so they called the police. The policeman had to make several phone calls while I waited, rather nervously. He asked me a bunch of questions, but I'm not sure what they were, as I couldn't understand him. Finally he asked when I was leaving and where I was going. I told him I would be leaving early in the morning and I was headed for Fuzhou. (I'm sure the town had an internet cafe, but after the brouhaha I felt it much safer to just stay in.)
I left very early the next morning. It was cold, but the road seemed flat.
I should have known it wasn't going to last.
I kept going, and then ran into the mountain-that-wouldn't-quit. I'm serious. I went uphill, and uphill and uphill and uphill. The road was really bad in places too. It had been paved in concrete and it was all broken up so that it was like a cobblestone street, but loose. I had to get off the bike and push in several places. This did not make me feel better about making good time on my trip. The road went down somewhat a few times, but it was just a ruse to give me false hope. It would go back uphill very quickly. It was very beautiful, but I still wanted it to end soon.
I couldn't find the town I was finally came to by sunset, it wasn't on the map. I found a room for only 20 yuan a night. It was exactly as you would expect for that price. (and the bathroom is something I never want to talk about again-and I'm traveling in China, so I've seen some "interesting" bathrooms)- however the people who ran the place were pretty cool. The husband had had a stroke or something, he couldn't use one hand very well, but his son was really funny and they invited me to eat with the family. I slept good though, between the exhaustion of the hill and the quiet of the little mountain village.
The next day it went much better, I went down hill much more, but not totally, and although down hill is much more fun than up hill, it is still kinda scary especially since the roads don't have any safety rails and in some places it was a straight drop. It was still beautiful. That day was much easier, but I was still in the mountains so it wasn't really easy going. I did have to push up the bike in a few places just because the incline was so steep. I finally made it to the second-town-whose-name-I-don't-know-but-I'm-glad-I-could-find-it-on-the-map. I was now 80 km from Ningde. It was quite the bustling little burg, but I didn't find the Internet cafe. To be honest I was pretty knackered and went to bed quite early. The hotel used to be quite nice, and you could tell that once upon a time it was quite luxurious. Not today mind, but once. It made me a little sad.
The day started cold again, but you could tell it was going to warm up. It was much more down hill and I even followed a river for most of the journey to Ningde. I still had to climb a bit, but the inclines weren't as steep and didn't last as long. I thought I made ok time. I was very tempted to take a bus when I was 20km before Ningde. ( I was sitting at the cross roads eating some kind of bread with green bean filling that was much better tasting than it sounds, when the bus pulled up.) but I decided in for a penny and all that, plus it was only20 more km. Most of it was flat. I should have known it wasn't going to last. There was one more steep -and I mean steep incline right before the town. I almost cried when I turned the corner and saw it.
Needless to say I made it. I'm in Ningde now, and tonight, tomorrow I will head for Fuzhou, and I'm hoping to make it in two days. I got my bike maintained (brakes tightened, gears lubed, tires checked) and I've checked my e-mail, and I do love you all. Thanks for comments it does encourage me.
I've decided that after all this, I like flat best. Although downhill can be fun, flat is really really good.
Until I post again, be good, be happy, and have some fun.