Into Laos.

Local beverage 

The Lao customs was well organized chaos. I had an (expensive!) eVisa, so dodged the first queue and got myself stamped into the country. I handed my bike documents to the same guy who stamped my passport and he just looked confused and waved me through. Can't be that simple?!!

It wasn't. Some of the group were outside by a line of tables selling SIM cards and changing money. I asked if they'd got a "Temporary Import Permit" (TIP) for their bikes. No. I asked the guy selling SIM cards and the moneychangers (all of whom spoke/were Chinese). I also changed some money at the same time becoming millionaire as the exchange rate was about £1 = 25,000 KIP.

I was pointed to a building where I found other members of the group at automated machines putting their bike information in. A grumpy attendant in the office was losing his patience with us when the machine wouldn't accept some of the information offered; he started putting in random numbers, just to get to the next screen. Then a sticker was spewed out of the machine with my bike details on it and a QR code. Then to another office where I acquired another mystery bit of paper with an official looking stamp on it. 

I think that was it; so most of the group reconvened and we set off into Laos. A final checkpoint where they wanted to make sure we had the sticker/QR code thing. They only checked the first couple and then waved the rest of us through.

Gerald's birthday 

Everyone, minus the 2 couples then followed Nikolay to Luang Namtha where we had booked the first nights accommodation as it wasn't too far from the border. 

It was slow going as we took a wrong turn and were sent back. The roads were also in a terrible state: broken tarmac, potholes, mud, dust, gravel, sand and Chinese trucks. Came as a bit of a shock after the nice roads in China.

We finally made it to the small, sleepy town and headed out for food and beer. It was Gerald's birthday and a few of us spent the afternoon and into the evening drinking and listening to Olli philosophising!

Leaving Luang Namtha

Most of the others spent 2 or 3 days in Luang Namtha, but I wanted to get deeper into Laos. Heading out on the atrocious roads and through the gorgeous scenery bound for Nong Khiaw.

It was a very slow, dusty ride along the twisty mountain roads. I'd ridden this road back in 2012 and don't remember it being in such a bad state.

It did improve a little after Muang Xai, and the views were spectacular. 

Stopping for a break, I heard rustling in the bushes by the road. A local farmer appeared with a stack of bamboo and a rifle. He introduced himself in very good English and proudly pointed to his land saying he raised buffalo. I was more focused on the gun.

Great views, shit roads

Many hours after setting off, I pulled into the extremely picturesque riverside town of Nong Khiaw. Very small and relaxed town where I stayed a couple of nights to get my breath back after the race through China. Did nothing much at all. Nice and relaxing.

Nong Khiaw

View from my Guesthouse 

Private parking

Roads weren't always this good....

Nong Khiaw, still a small, sleepy town

Then it was off again for the short hop to Luang Prabang down a better road. Another beautiful ride through the lush green mountains and across the  muddy brown rivers.

On the road to Luang Prabang 

Pit-stop

Luang Prabang is the cultural and tourism centre of Laos. An old French colonial town, with much of the old architecture converted to hotels and restaurants. 

Lots of foreign tourists were around. Many times more than I had seen during the entire month in China. You could see why though; Luang Prabang does have a certain charm. I stayed 3 nights and finally managed to see a couple of the Rugby World Cup games.

Other members of the China group appeared and disappeared during my time there. All with our own individual timeframes and plans now, but it was good to catch up.

Motorbike only bridge

Secure parking 

View from the Aussie bar

Mekong River

 

So, a few days playing the tourist and making plans for the next phase of the ride.

Wat?

Wat, wat?

Big, gold fella. Didn't catch his name

Which way next......?

Sunset from Phousi hill

Night Market

I did make it out to the Kuang Si waterfall, which I first visited umpteen years ago on a rented scooter (one of my earliest biking experiences). The road was predictably shite, but a fun ride out none the less. 

Last time, as my ailing memory informs me, I parked up by the waterfall and strolled over to see the cascade. Now, the car park is a few Kms short of the waterfall where you pay an entrance ticket and get on an electric bus to take you up to the last few Kms to the site. Obviously been taking lessons from the Chinese... monetize, monetize, monetize!!

Bumped into Martyn and Ali at the falls. I chose to take the steep, slippery path to the top, they sensibly didn't! Overgrown and under-maintained with the water level too high to get close to the edge. 

Kuang Si waterfall 

Old mile marker

Soundtrack: "Pneuma" - Tool

Yunnan

 

Ongoing issues with JBs bike

The previous day, the 3 younger members of the group decided to find a more off road route over the mountains to avoid the expected heavy traffic. While Jah made it clear he couldn't officially sanction this, with a smile and endless patience he didn't try to stop them. Inevitably, JBs bike broke down, again. Electrical issues this time, the wiring to his reg./rec. burning and melting. A rescue truck was found (as the van was already 150kma ahead) and several hundred euros poorer, he arrived at the hotel after 1 am. He emerged the next morning as relaxed as ever as Gerald and Nigel set about fixing his bike, again.

We were heading into Yunnan province now, very much on the quiet back roads at first. The route cut deep into the mountains along a narrow valley, the walls often crumbling with evidence of previous landslides puncturing the road. A beautiful, if a little nervous ride; who knew when the next rockfall would happen?!?

Riding past more Tibetan stupas and prayer flags on what was proving to be another great days riding.

Going to be a good day

Landslide valley

More Tibetan influence 

Then back out on the main route south into Yunnan; this was the road we should have been on if we'd been through Tibet. A detour to a viewpoint of the "first big bend of the Yellow River" (I think?). The ticket office wasn't manned, which made the view even sweeter.

Then on to Shangri-la. Yes, that one. Well not really: the town of Zhongdian had renamed itself several years back to attract more tourists. And the tourists had dutifully arrived.

Big bend of Yellow River

The new "old" city was nice to wander around; a magnet for the Chinese tourists again dressing up in Tibetan garb for the perfect photo op. Why don't Europeans dress up as 14th century peasants, cover themselves with shit and take selfies in front of castles? Europeans are weird!

Shangri-La

Watched the dancing in the square for a bit, then off to a bar for a change.

More beer

The next day, the group went off on a detour to see something that didn't interest me (I forget what??). So, I pointed the bike towards Tiger Leaping Gorge, taking the quieter National road through a bit of early drizzle. Arriving at the gorge to see the road and rail bridges spanning the mouth of the valley. The infrastructure in China really is something to behold.

That is like, soooo deep!

The gorge itself was impressive; the legend is something about a tiger jumping across the river using the big rock as a stepping stone. Clearly nonsense, but it was a dramatic site with the thundering rapids. I walked down to the Riverside down steep steps, eschewing the escalator that had been installed. The walk back up was exhausting, but I was too mean to pay the exorbitant price of the escalator. 

Tiger Leaping Gorge

More impressive Chinese infrastructure 

Lijiang

Then on to Lijiang, the no.1 tourist destination in China, or so I heard. First came here more years ago than I can remember; it has changed beyond all recognition. The Disney effect was painfully apparent. A shame, but who am I to stand in the path of "progress"? The indigenous tourists loved it, but really not for me. 

It was a rare "rest day", so I hopped on a bus to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (no snow now: wrong season, global warming??). Apparently the local tourists still like to take the cable car up to the mountain so they can experience the effects of altitude sickness! I had had this experience several times over the past few days over the high passes, for free! And here were people paying money to feel unwell! People are weird.

Unspoilt (spot the sarcasm)

I contented myself with the vivid green/blue lakes at a lower altitude. Beautiful, but with a slight hint of the artificial; never can be too sure in China?! 

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

Ever onwards and the next stop was Dali, another restored Ancient town. But Dali was nicer, with less of the tourist masses. Would have preferred to have the rest day here rather than in Lijiang. Next time.

Approaching Dali

Intriguing signboards

Fight the power........

Passed the evening in the Bad Monkey bar (as recommended by previous bikers who had passed this way). Turned out to be a very Bad Monkey: whether it was the tuna pizza or the copious homebrew wheat beers I drank, I don't know, but I spent the night with severe acid reflux and occasional vomiting (must have been the cheese!).

I was not well enough to ride out with the others in the morning, but stayed in bed to give the Chinese medicine a chance to kick in.

Eventually feeling more human, I crawled onto the bike and headed through the rain to Jinghong for the night. A fairly non-descript town where the arrival of a group of foreigners caused a minor sensation (as it has in a few places off the beaten track).

Very bad monkey .........!

Then it was off to Jingdong/Xishuangbanna, the main city in the sub-tropical south of China. I'd wanted to come here for years as it seemed to combine the best of China and South-East Asia. But, yet again it was a one night stop and a torrential rain storm scuppered my attempts to explore. Next time.

Xishuangbanna 

A short-ish ride to the final night in China. Slippery back roads and my last fuel stop in the country. One last group meal (courtesy of Ride China). 

An early start to get to the border early was slightly offset by the main highway being closed, so back roads it was. 

The end of the China leg of the trip was upon us. It had gone really quickly, which I guess is a good thing. Some tough riding days but ultimately an interesting and rewarding ride. Everyone in the group got on well, with nobody falling out with anyone. Jah and Tang (the van driver) were great, allowing us to do our own thing within the confines of the situation. 

I would do it again; but only if Tibet was confirmed and I had more control of the daily distances and location of the rest days.

L to R: Gerald, Nigel, Olli, Colin and JB

Arriving at the border, we were ushered into a staging area with all the lorries belching noxious fumes as we all waited for a mystery bit of paper that allowed us to leave China. This appeared an hour or so later and we were allowed to ride to the final checkpoint where our passports were stamped (an inexpicably slow process); and we were free to head to the Lao customs, officially out of the Middle Kingdom.

Waiting to leave China (Colin having a go on the KTM)

More stickers

Final check on the Chinese side

Laos awaits......

Soundtrack: "That Leaving Feeling" - Stuart A. Staples