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English Version 17
Friday 18.04.08
Xiangfen 17.00 o’clock
It’s raining a little this morning, I roll on, don’t have to go through
town, cause the road crosses the river and continues on the other side.
It starts to rain more heavily and just when I enter a gas station for
shelter a heavy shower starts. It rains for 15-20 min and then stops as
quick as it started. It’s like in the tropical zone. The sky looks
unchanged, will there be more?
I dare leave and have no more rain this day.
It’s looking greener de last 4-5 days. When I cross over the railway and
can see far away there are for the first time green fields as far as you
can see. It cheers me up.
I am beginning looking forward to see the blue sky south of Xi’an, I
don’t think it will be before then.
Just as I’m on the bridge a train passes and I get the opportunity to
count how many wagons an endless good train carries: 62 – filled with
coal – and only one engine.
The dust in the road has turned into mud for the next kilometres, but
the surface is all right. In the end a man with a fruit cart turns up
and I buy 3 bananas.
I’m conscious about eating sufficient and varied. I can do one day on
water and bread alone but in the long run it’s no good.
Today I add some Chinese coffee chocolate I bought in the supermarket in
Pingyao. When I passed it by accident I had to go inside, because in
there I can get everything, I thought.
I went around for 15-20 min without finding ANYTHING I could use. At
last I found some bars with nuts, I hope resemble those I bought in
Beijing.
I see a wash basin at a gas station and ask if I can wash my hands? Yes,
of course. She pours in some more and adds some hot too. And there’s
soap. Thank you, so much! Since yesterday I can’t touch anything without
getting dirty.
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| A dirty bicycle | Shop opening - tradition - superstition? |
At another gas station I find an old towel all wet after the rain.
Perfect. I start cleaning the bike. I spray the chain, it’s been too
noisy lately. During the process I find out that the front mudguard has
come loose. A nut has disappeared. I ask with gestures a girl at the
station if they’ve got one? Meiyou! They havn’t. Shortly after another
girl has arrived. I ask again. More people have arrived, I often attract
crowds. She seems declining too, but then a man stands up and says: run
over to the garage, they’ve got to have one. I can’t naturally
understand it, but I have no doubt that’s what he says, and she gets the
bolt and returns soon after with one. I have the unbraco for it but…damned,
the adjustable spanner is at the bottom of one of the rear panniers. But
they immediately produce a spanner that fits. She must have had it with
her from the garage. I totally forget to ask if it costs anything. I
don’t think it does.
The city of Linfen I never see. A by-pass has been constructed with 3
lanes and a shoulder in each direction divided by a planted verge. Some
have the means.. For the first time I see commercial signs by the road.
What’s in peoples dreams here? Cars! Honda Civic and Nissan.
I easily find a lüguan for 50, but then it’s without private shower and
toilet. There isn’t even a mirror, so I can see what my face looks like,
the trousers doesn’t look good at least. I did borrow a brush this
morning, but it’s more than that to make them look good, and now they’re
all muddy up to the knees. When I get to Xi’an I’ll buy another pair and
THEN I’ll wash them.
107.45 km
19.79 km/t
5:25:38 tim
38.9 km/t