After 73 days on the road, Ross and I were in need of a bit of a steam, rub down and a couple of hours relaxing. Our guide Sun Ji found a place near where we were staying. Quite a grand looking building, professional looking staff and cheap as chips. Ideal we thought.
After an impromptu and intense game of arcade basketball (Jim – you were lucky!), the day ended sitting in a backpackers bar in Kunming, which is the main hub to South China and the Himalaya. This was entirely accidental as we were following our guide Sun Ji who randomly picked it, what are the chances! Perhaps he was sick and tired of the attention we were getting everywhere we went and was keen to see if this was reciprocated in his favour. Either way despite these “westerners” not being the slightest bit interested in our arrival (philistines!) or indeed Sun Ji (definitely philistines!) we found a table in the corner and listened to Jim Stevens give a debrief of his 2.5 weeks on the expedition. He leaves tomorrow, and will be missed. Read more →
High point: Ross reversing the wrong way round a roundabout
Low point: Ross reversing the wrong way round a roundabout
China has been absorbing, intriguing, tiring and a hell of a lot of fun. Architecturally stimulating however, it hasn’t been. The Chinese advance to economic powerhouse and the legacy of the cultural revolution have left the majority of its towns and cities bereft of the historic buildings, statutes and monuments that you’d expect in a country such as er……China. The country therefore faces a mad scramble to save what it can from its past as it awakes not only to the opportunities of the future but an appreciation of its own long and distinguished past. Unfortunately many towns in China have realised the value of history too late.
From our guide SunGi. A man who goes running in his pants and flip flops.
Today, we visited the biggest sitting Buddha in the world, which is about 71m high and was engraved more than 1000 years ago. This Buddha locates in Leshan city, where three big rivers(Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi) merged together and then flow towards the Yangtze. in ancient times, this area was often suffered flood, a monk sponsored to build this giant Buddha so as to bless local resident avoid any disaster. Today, when facing this world heritage—Leshan giant Buddha, a kind of complex feeling suddenly fulling our mind, several years ago, Taliban destroied two highest standing Buddha sculpture in Afghanistan, the whole world was so shocked by this news. Read more →
High Point: Today was really an incredible day and we got the real taste of modern China in a couple of ways. The Panda research centre and breeding base at Chengdu was totally brilliant and this was followed up by a wonderful lunch at Sun Ji’s parents house in Qing Shen.
Low Point: Our waist lines!
So we finally got a rest day. Our first one since Ullan Bator in Mongolia. I planned to sleep for England. No distractions, bosh out a cheeky 16 hours of sleep and maybe watch some tele. I have however lost my ability to sleep on demand. Very frustrating as it feels like I have been hit by a freight train at the moment. The sleep deprivation and road has upped the general feeling of shabbiness amongst the crew. Weary heads make it hard to appreciate the whole experience so today was key on recharging out batteries.
Location: Chengdu
High Point: Being treated like celebs and receiving £500 in donations and some items to auction.
Low Point: Taking an absolute hiding from the Chinese firemen
Now this might surprise you but despite all being very talented sportsman (yes even Steve……so he tells me…at what I’m not sure?) we haven’t previously represented Blighty in competitive sport. What a disgrace!
Langvhong to Chengdu
High Point: Barham finding the clutch.
Low Point: The 6th rather than 2nd gear that followed.
Ignoring the Point: Me almost wiping out a taxi rank whilst feeling a slightly sleepy.
Made up game of the day: The Tea Pot of truth. Like palm reading but more scientific.
Location : Guangyuan to Langvhong
Sun Ji update from the crew.
1. Like the lady in rentaghost can make himself disappear when we’re all ready to go
2. Knows a girl in every town
3. Nodding donkey. Can fall asleep sitting bolt up right in seconds
4. Still hasn’t mastered right and left
5. Never wears the same colour FTFE top as the rest of us…..rebel
Location : Xi’an to Guang Yan.
High Point: After doing a monster day in the truck today driving over 450km we decided to splash out and book ourselves a nice hotel. Sorry stage 1 & 2, China is a cheap place and one has to take advantage of the finer things that life sometimes offers you.
Low Point: Sitting in a traffic jam for two and a half hours stuck behind hundreds of trucks in 35 degrees heat is misery at the best of times, throw in a couple swarms of bees and it compounds the agony ten fold. Seeing lorries carrying beehives is a first for me, getting stuck behind one for over an hour is not much fun. Windows were closed, the sweating began and then I decided to turn on the fan. This only ended in disaster when half dead angry bees started to come out of the vents. Only in China and only on FTFE!
