A tour through China with no guide

[KTMphil]

Babies are strapped on the mothers back and work goes on

Shoe menders at the market

This guy had a syringe full of something, no idea what he was up to

LOTS of card playing around the market'
'

'

 

[KTMphil]

Keep fit

Some of the Chinese cars were starting to look good

 

[KTMphil]

Day 6 - Mile to Shilin

Distance 80km







We took a bunch of small roads north from Mile. It was rice harvest time and the farmers lay the cut rice in the road for the big trucks and tuk tuks to run over so that the rice husks are released

Timeless horse and buggy

About 40km south of Shilin, we started to see evidence of the "stone forest" attraction

Time stands still in rural China

 

[KTMphil]

Into the town of Shilin which is famous for the rock forest, the tourism board has a saying "you haven't visited Kunming until you've been to the stone forest".

Being a huge tourist attraction, we knew hotels were going to be super expensive right next to the stone forest entrance so we were ready for the sticker shock.


This is the brand new Hong Ya hotel in Shilin, directly opposite the entrance to the stone forest.

https://foursquare.com/v/ya-hot-hotel/4 ... 95a52b3c7b


Superb rooms, not cheap as expected 380 Yuan / 1,900 Thai Bht

Complete glass bathroom ... not my cup of tea

Street vendors are everywhere

She didnt like having her photo taken & ran off

The stone forest in Shilin is well worth the visit, quite unique. There are several in the area, the most popular one is about 1km square. Entrance fee is 175 Yuan / 800 Thai bht a person.

 

[KTMphil]

This place is very popular with the Chinese, looked like we were the only westerners there

They call this elephant rock

Tradition dress in Shilin

 

[KTMphil]

Couple more stone pichers

 

[KTMphil]

Owner of the Hong Ya hotel doing her afternoon tea service

Directly behind the Hong Ya hotel in Shilin is this restaurant . This might have been the best food we had in China.

The staff were fantastic, really went out of their way to make the food perfect

Bill was around 120 Yuan/ 600 Bht, excellent quality food

 

[KTMphil]

The Hong Ya hotel, Shilin all lit up

 

[KTMphil]

Day 7 - Shilin to Kunming


The very long way via back roads - 160 km

My bike was making some nasty crunching noises, thought it was a stripped grearbox spline problem but turned out to be a worn out front sprocket.


Off we go north, 20km the great scenery starts

Huge dam

Great looking suspension bridge

 

[KTMphil]

Ancient brick furnace along the way

My bike was really starting to make some nasty noises now, 50km back to Kunming, we thought we could make it

On a tiny side road, that was it. the worn out front sprocket was acting like an angle grinder blade and finally sawed its way through the chain when it was slipping

Being self sufficient, knowing if we were stuck it could be serious, we had a tow rope with us

 

[johnnysneds]

A trip of a Lifetime by the looks of things. Photos akin to National Geographic Magazine. Well done Phil and Som.

 

[KTMphil]

Managed to get the bikes to a village and call the bike owner

Collecting water the old fashioned way

We really forget how luck we are

She had a good load and couldnt fit through the gate

Waiting for the bike owner --- he had gps as well, so from a text of our co-ords it would be easy to find us

Making new friends

 

[KTMphil]

Village veg. wholesalers waiting for the farmers to come down the mountain with the days gathering

Big old baskets they were using here'

Got the bikes all dropped off, then back to the Enjoying Intl Hotel in Kunming, 200 Yuan with no breakfast / 1,000 Thai Bht

 

[LivinLOS]

An old lady with bound feet on her way home at the end of the day

I always thought bound feet kind of doubled them over into like stumps ??

 

[LivinLOS]

Then off to Mengzi morning market to see if there was anything interesting - this wasn't bad next to the steamed bun seller

mmmm.. Buns..

Some sensational pics in this Phil.

 

[KTMphil]

This Chinese jeep looked pretty nice outside the hotel

Yuantong Temple in Kunming is one of the biggest attractions in the city, being 1,200 years old. Its a big draw for pilgrims and stories about them have been carved into the temple walls.

 

[KTMphil]

Then a walk around the old city of Kunming

Great old buildings

& the newer style

 

[2wheels]

Armored taxi? That's interesting.

Wonderful report and pics Phil.
I imagine very few, if any, Thai women have done what Khun Som did during that trip.
Would be interesting to read her impressions too.

 

[KTMphil]

The new and the old Kunming - The New Era Hotel towers over most buildings

This hotel actually makes a good landmark in Kunming as it's in the center of town around all the shopping and decent food areas

The 4-floor Carrfour supermarket a few hundred meters away makes a good place to provision before you head off, the building is quite astonishing

Not quite sure what Jaguar would make of this Kunming police vehicle

 

[KTMphil]

With the economy thriving, interesting to see which high end foreign companies want to commit capital in Kunming

The flashy Telecommunications Hotel on the left

For value for money and location, the Camillia Hotel is hard to beat - room rates are around 180 Yuan a night/ 900 Thai Bht

https://foursquare.com/v/%E8%8C%B6%E8%8 ... 74ac6a8f82


They do have a dorm section as well which will be much much cheaper

You've got Aomai's Kitchen restaurant that does ok western food 300 meters to the west

 

[KTMphil]

If you're in Kunming - this restaurant is a must-try, it's in the center of town

It's been been open about 6 years and been built in a very old traditional house

Dinner for three people (Jah came with us) was around 120 Yuan / 600 Thai bht

 

[KTMphil]

While I was there, I did purchase a Chinese registered bike, it's a Qing Qi 250cc enduro style bike.

It is a1 year old with 6,000 km, I paid 11,000 Yuan / 55,000 Thai bht. The Chinese owner (a friend of a friend) is prepared to keep it in his name for me and change the front wheel to 21".

We were able to draw up contracts and make it all official

even thumbprints over the signatures - Chinese style!

 

[KTMphil]

There is an area about 20km outside Kunming city that has 100's of new Chinese motorcycles together, its convenient, all the shops are next to each other.

The below directions would get a taxi to this area:

It looks like this when you get there

New bikes range from 4,500 Yuan to 17,000 Yuan ( 22, 500 Thai bht - 85,000 Thai bht). The problem is finding someone that will register the bike in their name. Some will do it to make the sale, its luck of the draw & then you have to find somewhere to store it, or just sell it after your tour is finished.

 

[KTMphil]

This new Qing Qi 150cc enduro bike was 10,800 Yuan 55,000 Thai bht

If you're just doing a road tour, this 150cc bike was 6,680 Yuan / 33,000 Thai bht new!

This Sheneray 250cc MX bike was 16,800 Yuan / 85,000 Thai bht, fely quite solid

 

[KTMphil]

Amusing copy of Honda!

There was Honda XR 125 L there, 11,000 Yuan / 55,000 Thai bht, shame there were no 250's

 

[KTMphil]

Loads of options there, i think this was 6,000 Yuan / 30,000 Thai bht

This one even had it's own panniers

 

[harrygps]

Great report and fantastic pics, Phil. The upper orange bike is DR 250 copie, the DR is one of best reliable bikes ever. Your trip was much cheaper than my visarun to Mae Sai, which costs me all in all 100000 THB. You´re lucky fellows had a wonderfull adventure for the half. I´m jealous. Good luck

 

[KTMphil]

Great report and fantastic pics, Phil. The upper orange bike is DR 250 copie, the DR is one of best reliable bikes ever. Your trip was much cheaper than my visarun to Mae Sai, which costs me all in all 100000 THB. You´re lucky fellows had a wonderfull adventure for the half. I´m jealous. Good luck

Harry --does it look like Dr 250 parts will fit this bike? "exactly" the same?

 

[KTMphil]

This is another great restaurant in Kunming near the Camellia Hotel. Its down some back streets.

They had some of the best shrimp dumplings ive ever had

 

[KTMphil]

Some quick notes from this trip


Check the rental bike thoroughly. Start it look for dripping fluids, check chain and sprockets, remove the from sprocket cover if necessary to check it.

Get some basic spares for the bike - levers, tire changing tools, innertubes etc....

Get a Chinese phone SIM card, with internet if you have a smart phone, was very useful having internet.

Take a GPS map of China, it means you're not scared to go exploring which really made our trip.

October to May is the riding season in the Yunan/ Kunming region... July -Oct, the NE Monsoon rains come there. You can ride later in the (Aug-Sep) in the NW towards Shangri-La and the Tibet border.

Don't go on the toll highways.

Take a tow rope can save huge hassle with a bike you dont know.

American plug socket type are in all hotels for charging appliances.

Take chap-stick or Vaseline for your lips, we both got chapped lips in the mountains.

Activate international dialing on your Chinese SIM card, not automatic.

My smart phone as a WIFI hotspot did not work in China, maybe a way they control you there not being able to get on social media (FB/ Twitter etc..).

Kunming is at 1,800 meters, the weather is mild and windy, bring a warm jacket. Temperature there only varies by about 10 deg C all year in the 20's deg C normally.

 

[KTMphil]

There used to be a high speed ferry running from JingHong, China to Chiang Saen, Thailand, I think it took 7 hours.





Since the problems with some Chinese sailors throats were cut on the Mekong a few months ago, the ferry have stopped running.


You can inquire if it's running again Chiang Saen Tour and Travel they have an office opposite the river in Chiang Saen, Thailand.
Their number is 053 777051, 01 1112470, -18817827.

 

[Franki]

Hi Phil,

It was very interesting & amusing to read your first RR of China. Due to the communication barrier, I can see there are loads of misinterpretations (except for the meat dog vendor). I guess that made up part of the adventure of China. The more you visit, the deeper you will dig into this wonderful country.

As for the photo of the wedding planner, it was their grand opening. They just open for business.

I know each one of us have different styles of touring and focus on different things that presented to us. However, I can't believe you have not visited the biggest and most beautiful rice terrace in China (at least there was no mention of it when you travel through Yuanyang). Spring is the best time of year to see the rice terraces in Yuanyang. Here are a few photos I took when I was there.

[img=left8xpsp78]http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9dd09b3127ccec6ed1c851a6a00000040O00AaNnDhk3Yt2IPbz4M/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/[/img8xpsp78]
Morning fog

It took them over one thousand years to make it like that.

As daylight changed, the colour of the rice terrace changed.

The Hani ladies sang during making a toast at the long street fest.

 

[KTMphil]

Frankie- we "hoped" that the road we were on through the mountains towards Yuan Yang would lead us to that famous tiered rice fieldd, but alas, we missed it.

 

[barrygrussell]

What a fantastic trip. And the photos are just amazing - some real gems in there.

Congratulations and welcome back!

 

[Franki]

Frankie- we "hoped" that the road we were on through the mountains towards Yuan Yang would lead us to that famous tiered rice fieldd, but alas, we missed it.

Phil, all road to that area were blocked off to collect entrance fee. There are two Yuanyang town. A new town down the mountain and the old one which is near the rice terace. If you go to the new town, there is nothing to see. But no worries mate, you have a bike waiting in China, there are plenty of reasons now for a return visit. :MJ

 

[KTMphil]

Want to talk to you about heading north-west towards the Tibet border and the possibilities of getting into Tibet. Jah was mentioning that after midnight the border between China and Tibet wasn't manned, you have any enlightenment on this?

Frankie- we "hoped" that the road we were on through the mountains towards Yuan Yang would lead us to that famous tiered rice fieldd, but alas, we missed it.

Phil, all road to that area were blocked off to collect entrance fee. There are two Yuanyang town. A new town down the mountain and the old one which is near the rice terace. If you go to the new town, there is nothing to see. But no worries mate, you have a bike waiting in China, there are plenty of reasons now for a return visit. :MJ

 

[Franki]

The police check points are every bigger village. You may get by one but you can't get by all. As for midnight passing, Rob can give you his side of the story.

If you want to see how Tibetan lives and their culture, there are planty of them in Yunnan, Szechuan & Qinghai. Why do you need to go to Tibet?

 

[KTMphil]

The police check points are every bigger village. You may get by one but you can't get by all. As for midnight passing, Rob can give you his side of the story.

If you want to see how Tibetan lives and their culture, there are planty of them in Yunnan, Szechuan & Qinghai. Why do you need to go to Tibet?

Would like to get through to the Everest base camp

 

[Grathiam]

This must be the most inspiring trip report yet!
Thanks, Phil, and you may have just created a mild stampede to ride in China!

 

[KTMphil]

This must be the most inspiring trip report yet!
Thanks, Phil, and you may have just created a mild stampede to ride in China!

It was really an exploratory trip to see what was fees-able.



Looks like this is an interesting option now for many, Frankie and Jah can help make it easy for people interested.