Updates from Varanasi

Hi guys,

Its been about 2 weeks since you last heard anything from me and during that time many things had happened both pleasant and unpleasant. First the unpleasant. I am now in Varanasi(2nd day) after leaving on the train from Kolkata "on the sleeper" with my son Aedewan who flew in from K.L with his bicycle. At the railway station in Howrah(Kolkata) I lost my wallet(pick pocketed) just before we boarded the train at 11.50pm (after a delay of 3hrs and 15 minutes) to cut the story short what I lost is just some Thai Bhat and some Chinese Yuan, amounting to about RM50/- what is worse, I also lost 2 ATM cards my I.C my driving licence, insurance card and other cards of lesser importance. Adding to that misfortune, on arrival at Varanasi our 2 bicycles were not unloaded and went on to Lucknow or elsewhere of which the Railway Authorities have no clue. Till today (30th) we still have no news of the bicycles' whereabouts and we'll be at the station again tomorrow to check.

I have informed the 2 banks in Malaysia of the loss of the ATM cards, and luckily I have been told that the cards have not been used, meaning all the money is intact. Aede (my son) has his card but the amount in it is barely enough to take us to Iran. I am now making arrangements to have more money banked into Aede's account for us to use as we proceed along. All is not totally lost.We shall continue as we are not beaten yet.

Below are the updates from Luang Prabang to China.


Leaving Luang Prabang

I left Luang Prabang with a heavy heart because there I met so many nice people and the place is really captivating that cater for so many different needs for the adventurous, for those with religious interest or just relaxing by the Mekong or its tributary at the numerous cafes.

Cycling from Luang Prabang to the border with China is an adventure by itself and the whole journey is one torturous pedalling through forested hilly country that seem endless going up and down. Most of the road surfaces are unpaved and potholed all the way. After 3 days of hard riding my bicycle decided that it had had enough. The rear wheel was slightly warped and that impeded further riding. Luckily it was only 600 meters from Oudomxay. I pushed the bicycle all the way to town but no bicycle shop could mend or replace the wheel. As it was late afternoon the only choice I had was to take the coach from Oudomxay to the border at Botan and on to Kunming, China, arriving in the morning. The irony is, after Oudomxay, the road all the way to the Chinese border is well paved, apparently with aid from the Chinese Government. The coach was a sleeping coach and the bicycle was loaded into the luggage compartment with both the wheels detached.

Leaving Laos was a simple process at immigration post, but on at arriving at the Chinese immigration post all passengers were thoroughly checked. For some unexplained reasons a young Chinese officer(probably trying to impress his seniors) gave me a 100% check. I had a tough time explaining what was in a packet containing washing powder. He probably thought it was some explosive materials. I was the last to board the coach and it was getting dark before we proceeded on. After dark we stopped at the town of Mengla for an hour for dinner. I had the good fortune of having chicken noodles at a Muslim shop with the fresh noodle being made in front of me, the dough being thrown, twisted and pulled through the fingers before the noodles are ready for serving. Much of the journey was through hilly country and from what I recall, we went trough countless number of tunnels both very short and very long and a lot of roadworks are still underway.

The bus(coach) reached the southern bus station in Kunming early in the morning and on leaving the station with my bicycle(limping) ready to ride I was swarmed by hotel and guesthouse operators looking for clients with placards in Chinese characters all trying to persuade visitors who had just arrived. After much persuasion by sign language I agreed to follow one operator while he rode his bicycle to the guesthouse/hotel about 800 meters away. What I didn't know was that the place was just 10km away from where I should be, the city center in Kunming. The place looked like the city itself with skyscrapers and huge crowded shopping malls. I then spent the whole day feeling miserable with no one to talk to as no one spoke any English.

The next day before leaving that part of Kunming I sought out an ATM machine to draw some Chinese Yuan but on trying one machine it failed to dispense any money. I was quite alarmed, thinking that my cards would not work in China. I then managed to go to the Bank of China branch and an officer(a lady) who spoke perfect English explained that not all ATM machines dispense money to foreign card holders. After helping me to draw what I needed she also drew a sketch map to show me the way to my destination in Jinbi Road. She also wrote something in Chinese for me to show people I meet along the way should I need to ask for directions. She proudly told me that most Bank of China staff speak English. How's that.

5km from my destination I stopped to ask for direction and to my pleasant surprise 2 young cyclists who speak English stopped and offered to ride with me to Jinbi Road. The 2 young men are University students who were free for 2 days. They kindly agreed to be my guide in Kunming. The 3 of us stayed in the same room at the Hump Hostel in Kunming and from then on my stay there was a pleasant experience. We visited several places(cycling) around Kunming including the University of Science and Technology where I had the opportunity to interact with some senior gentlemen flying kites in the varsity square I was also taken to Muslim eating places which are numerous in Kunming. We also went to a bicycle emporium where thousands of bicycles of different makes, including imported ones, are for sale. Then we went to a bicycle servicing outlet to try and repair or replace the rear wheel of my bicycle. However I could not find replacement for the wheel because most bicycles in China use the 26" wheels while mine is a 700c wheel. I could still use my bicycle after some adjustments to the spokes had been made and the bicycle is now working  with 70% efficiency.
That's all for today and I will post some interesting pictures when it's possible.

LUANG PRABANG

Hi all,





I am now in Luang Prabang. I left Vientiane on 8th Nov. for Vang Viang and I am glad to be able to blog again. The road from Vientiane is hellish to say the least. The distance to Lg. Prabang is about 400km. I don't have adequate vocabulary to describe the conditions. The first 60km or so is quite flat but horror of horrors the surface is not paved all the way and has potholes in the thousands.Every few hundred meters the surface is unpaved and it is repeated all the way to Vang Vieng, and the dust  kicked up by the passing vehicles is unbelievable. Then you have the hills to tackle which is normal for seasoned cyclists, but when you have to avoid the countless number of potholes the difficulty is multiplied many times over.The only consolation is the small number of vehicles plying the route.

With Shi Heng Chong from Singapore

Shi Heng Chong's partner

 The bicycle sleeps with me sometimes

Vang Vieng as a perfect place to rest your tired body and the if you have the time and energy, the things you can do here need a few days to enjoy. The place can be compared to Gua Musang in Kelantan with its rugged limestone hills, the difference being, it is more spectacular here. It is a heaven for rock climbing, kayaking, tubing,caving, trekking, etc. Such being the case, most of the visitors here are 'kwai loh' youngsters seeking thrills and adventure. The little town is dusty when dry and muddy after it rains. The main street is not paved and there are no street lights at night. One thing I find interesting is that 80 percent of schoolchildren cycle to school. It is also normal to see cyclists or motorcyclists riding with umbrellas, which is rarely seen on our roads. I spent a night here at a guesthouse by the river and in the morning while having breakfast able to see the kayaks passing by, going under a bamboo bridge across the river, a beautiful sight indeed.

                                               The bamboo bridge by the Guesthouse


It is about 200km from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang and a minimum 2days of hard riding is needed.The road conditions is slightly better than previously described but to give you an idea of the terrain, it is going up and down Cameron Highlands two days in a row. While Luang Prabang is only about 700meters from sea level the route goes up and down endlessly passing several little settlements along the way until finally down to Luang Prabang. Unlike the road to Cameron Highlands, the surrounding hills are mostly devoid of thick jungles, probably extensively logged during the French presence here. And there's not much agricultural activity evident. I only saw four touring cyclists along the way but did not speak with them as they were riding fast downhill as we passed.







                                           A local admirer by the Mekong in Luang Prabang


Luang Prabang is really a beautiful place nestled in a valley with the mighty Mekong flowing through it. The French legacy is obvious in the many buildings that are very beautifully restored and occupied as government offices, hotels, restaurants and guesthouses. There must be hundreds of guesthouses here and some are very basic with bathrooms outside that go for as low as USD4/- a night. Of course there also the 5star outfits.The Mekong waterfront is about 1km long dotted with restaurants, cafes and guesthouses. Many people who planned a day stay here end up spending a week instead. Beside visits to the Wats and museums, the other activities include river cruise, the waterfalls, cycle tour, the elephant sanctuary where you can take a 'mahout' course, cooking course ,etc.,or just laze around drinking beer ,like what many westerners do. The place is cool and ideal for walking without sweating or the heat.










                                                  By the Mekong with a Lao friend

At the same Guesthouse I met Sarah from Canada and she is trying to circle the globe overland, meaning without flying if that is possible.She is giving herself a year to do it and she is also travelling alone. She is here after spending some time in Malaysia and Thailand. She was in KL, Melaka and Cameron Highlands. All my best wishes to her.








                                                 Sarah from Canada is circling the Globe


Food is slightly more expensive here than Vientiane as all the ingredients have to be transported from there. Nasi Bryani that cost Kip25,000 in Vientiane is Kip 28,000 here. I shall try to blog again tomorrow before I leave because after this I am not sure when I can do the same.I am told that I cannot blog in China as it is blocked by the govt. ,and after leaving here I may not have easy excess to the Internet. So, be prepared for a lull for many days. However I can still be reached through SMS that I cannot afford to reply to all , but they are much appreciated. I thank all those who wished me Happy Birthday on the 7th of November. I am now only 69 and not 70 as some people perceived. InsyaAllah I shall survive way beyond 70.






                                                        Orlando from Switzerland



I am not able to take many pictures because of the absence of my camera,but when convenient I use the IPad. Trouble is, I don't take the IPad everywhere I go and it is cumbersome to use it in public. I also don't want to attract too much with attention with it.That's the only valuable thing  left with me with all the stored images since I left PJ. Well, maybe some kind soul may want to sponsor another camera? .Wishful thinking .I shall take more pictures and post it in my next blog , but you may have to excuse the awkward positions of the pictures in the blog as I am still struggling with its functions. Taking pictures with the iPad is awkward sometimes, because the images can be upside down when you touch the 'click' button. This is the outcome  of guys of my generation who refuse to learn to use the computer . Yes, you don't stop learning till the day you die. God Bless All Of You.







                                                      That takes many years to achieve this







                                              A handsome house in Luang Prabang









                                               A guesthouse at the Mekong riverfront

Building a bamboo bridge on the Nam Khan river

A stunning view - Vang. Vieng

                                             Tourists boarding the boat for the river cruise

Pictures from Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Pleasant and unpleasant in Vientianne

I







I can actually stay here for weeks and not get stressed as the city is not crowded nor busy with the traffic of cities like Bangkok or Jakarta. There is only one shopping mall that I know of and it is nowhere as large as Amcorp mall in PJ. The tourist area is close to the Mekong river and the usual bars and cafes that cater for the tourists are no different from those found in Hanoi, Bangkok or Phnom Penh. Most tourists are French and quite a number of Japanese.Prices are rising and rooms in the tourist area has risen since I was here in 08 .







So far I have not met a single Malaysian on the street, I wonder why ? What do Malaysians look for ?







I joined the Muslims for the Hari Raya Korban prayers this morning and most of those present were Indian Muslims with about 10 percent Lao. there is another mosque that is patronised mostly by Indonesians. After prayers, a meal of chicken curry and French bread was served, that I enjoyed thoroughly. A unique thing that I noticed is that after the completion of the prayers those present went about hugging and embracing each other in a brotherly fashion, something I have not seen elsewhere. A. total of about 150 people were present with about a dozen women.







My stay in Vientianne was made pleasant by the kind treatment I got from the Bari family.They are jewellers from Chennai who have been operating here for about 40 years.They not only shared their meals with me, I also used their premises for internet connection, and the food they served made me feel like home.I could never repay their kindness.








Now the unpleasant part.I lost my camera today and the irony is I lost it at the mosque..I shan't go into details of how it got lost but really all is not lost. 95 percent of the pictures taken with the camera are already imported to my IPad. That's really a consolation. That reminds me of my Thai friend, Somchai, who lost his camera in Vietnam and his was by a snatch thief. And worst of all he lost all the pictures taken throughout his journey.

















- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

15.jpg

Writing fromVientianne

Hi guys, I am sorry for having you guessing what happened to me for so long ,since I left Bangkok, but the truth is : I was in the rural areas most of the time and without access to the internet.




Unable to move north due to the floods , I joined a group of senior cyclists in Aranyapathet and spent a week cycling (touring ) the eastern parts of rural Thailand ,close to the Mekong and Thai / Cambodia border. What is unique about this tour is that it is organised and led by an engineer ,Mr Jaruke (63) and covers a total of 74 days beginning on the 10 of October 2011.The tour will end somewhere in Chiangmai.







When I joined them, there were 18 people in all, including 3 senior ladies. What is interesting is that these seniors are seasoned cyclists who are well equipped and prepared for the long haul.They are disciplined and independent ,everyone with tent,camping equipment and spares. Some of them start from the beginning to the end while others join the group at their convenience. For example you can join from day 6 and end on day 19 or join at a place of your choice and then cycle back to your home.




Their routine is simple. : up at 4.30 to 5.00 am and leave at 6.00. By 1 or 2pm they are done for the day and would have cycled some 70 to 100 km.There's no briefing or instruction given and they move in groups of two or three. The time I was with them we slept at 3 Wats, 3 National parks and 1 Chinese Association Hall.





The oldest in the group was a 75plus year old man and he is also one of the strongest that I have ever met. So are the rest and I must admit I was never able to keep pace with them on all the days I cycled with them. After a week , I left the group and spent 2 days with one of the cyclists, Mr 'Chop', at his house in Ubon Ratchetsima.I had a wonderful experience with the group in spite of the language problems, that's Thai friendliness for you.





Leaving the group, I made my way to Nong Khai and on reaching Nong Khai I had to leave quickly as the guesthouse owner pointed out to me that my passport showed that I had overstayed for 4 days. At the Thai immigration before crossing the Friendship bridge to Laos I was slapped with a 2,000Baht fine. It was an oversight on my part I must admit. You are only given 1 month for each entry .




Well, from here I should be moving north towards Luang Prabang and eventually Kunming in China, a daunting task, if you should ask. Well, we'll see.








- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Writing fromVientianne

Hi guys, I am sorry for having you guessing what happened to me for so long ,since I left Bangkok, but the truth is : I was in the rural areas most of the time and without excess to the internet.

Unable to move north due to the floods , I joined a group of senior cyclists in Aranyapathet and spent a week cycling (touring ) the eastern parts of rural Thailand ,close to the Mekong and Thai / Cambodia border. What is unique about this tour is that it is organised and led by an engineer ,Mr Jaruke (63) and covers a total of 74 days beginning on the 10 of October 2011.The tour will end somewhwre in Chiangmai.

When I joined them, there were 18 people in all including 3 senior ladies. What is interesting is that these seniors are seasoned cycliSts who are well equipped and prepared for the long haul.They are disciplined and independent ,everyone with tent,camping equipment and spares. Some of them start from the beginning to the end while others join the group at their convenience. For example you can join from day 6 and end on day 19 or jion at a place of your choice and then cycle back to your home.

Their routine is simple. : up at 4.30 to 5.00 am and leave at 6.00. By 1 or 2 they are done for the day and would have cycled some 70 to 100 km.There's no briefing or instruction given and they move in groups of two or three. The time I was with them we slept at 3 Wats, 3 National parks and 1 Chinese Association Hall.

The oldest in the group was a 75plus year old man and he is also one of the strongest that I have ever met. So are the rest and I must admit I was never able to keep pace with them on all the days I cycled with them. After a week , I left the group and spent 2 days with one of the cyclists Mr 'Chop' at his house in Ubon Ratchetsima.I had a wonderful experience with the group inspite of the language problems, that's Thai friendliness for you.

Leaving the group, I made my way to Nong Khai and on reaching Nong Khai I had to leave quickly as the guesthouse owner pointed out to me that my passport showed that I had overstayed for 4 days. At the Thai immigration before crossing the Friendship bridge to Laos I was slapped with a 2,000Baht fine. It was an oversight on my part I must admit. You are only given 1 month for each entry .

Well, from here I should be moving north towards Luang Prabang and eventually Kunming in China, a daunting task, if you should ask. Well, we'll see.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad