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English Version 8
Wednesday 09.04.08
Laiyuan 8.50 a.m.
Yesterday nights hard rain is over. The crossing outside was more or
less like a river. I almost got my feet wet when I waded across. The
taxi drive wasn’t long, so I decided to walk back, the rain had ceased.
The empty square outside is completely full of people. At least now. It
probably looks like this every morning. It’s mainly sellers of fruit and
vegetables and street kitchens that are active. I’ve bought something to
eat and decided despite other considerations (now I’ve found G108 which
I will be able to follow for the next 1000 km) to try to find my way up
to The hanging Monastery, in the direction of Datong. My plan is to turn
away from the main road and go for Lingqiu, where I’ll buy a Chinese map
of Shanxi province in which I’ll be staying for a long time. I’ve had
the girl in the reception to write Lingqiu in Chinese characters, so I
can recognize the name on the sign.
In the market I draw attention. It’s not usual to see a Laowei (foreigner)
here. All Chinese are able to speak one English word: Hallou. I’m not
answering EVERY time.
14.45 p.m. Lingqiu
I leave the town at a moderate speed. There’s much traffic. After 8 km
it weakens a little. I remember my washing. I’ve made it an habit to
wash my dirty underwear and socks with hand soap every time I get the
opportunity. I pull it out and hang it to dry. Not the white until now,
because the trucks are whirling up so much dust. One dangerous situation
occurs: At the side of the road there is a big bump and so much gravel
that the front wheel skids and I nearly falls into the ditch, which is
of concrete. I get the bike back on track but almost falls to the inner
lane. Luckily it turns out right. Must not happen again. Have to be more
careful!
The sun is out. It’s still only to be seen through the mist, but it’s
much brighter than before. It’s a nice day of spring, a little chilly
still, but I try to go dressed in t-shirt. I’m beginning to look like a
wayfaring camp with washing, my cycling jacket and a bag of waste fixed
to the straps at the back. The herdsman crosses the road with his sheep.
There are coal yards all over. It doesn’t seem to come from here, but it
tells about the consumption. But the smell of coal smoke itsn’t as bad
as I’d expected.
With my note from the girl in the reception I know exactly when to turn.
And when the road shows up, there’s no doubt. The characters are there
very neatly. 35 km. According to the map I’ll have to follow the river.
The surface gets real bad for some distance and the rest of the way to
Lingqiu it’s not good. Meaning filled with potholes from the heavy
traffic. The traffic is heavier than on the road I came from. It’s being
used as a north-south connection. It makes a horrible noise when the big
trucks with three set of rear wheels have to overtake through the
potholes. The usual way of driving is to choose the part of the road
that looks the best. So it’s a common sight to see a 20 tons truck
coming right against me in my lane. Being a weak road user I sometimes
lower my speed or stops to let them pass. The road creeps up the river
valley, which is pretty narrow. It’s more like a gorge with the
mountains arising almost vertically on both sides. In the end it’s as if
the mountains get lower. It looks strange.
A last climb reveals a surprising view. I go on into flat land behind
the mountains. Little forrests of poplar and birch.
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| The plain behind the mountains | A narrow spot in a village unevitably leads to a traffic breakdown |
A wide plain is up here and is drained by this narrow gorge in the
mountains. I go too far. I’m too busy following where the traffic is
heaviest. I realize my mistake and go back, unfortunately upwards. I
find the road to the right to Lingqiu, it can’t be far away. The road
almost disappears. Mud holes all over. The cars are hopping and dancing
through at low speed. I actually overtake a lorry at one time, as I’m
better zig-zagging. Lingqiu shows to be a bigger town than expected.
There MUST be a book store there. I find a young couple to ask. Commit
myself to a whole sentence – excuse me, can you tell me, where the book
store is? They can. I understand as much as it’s straight ahead and to
the left? I go on looking. Ask again. Still straight. At last I arrive
at a big crossing, and there to the left thanks God, it says: Book Store
in big readable letters. It’s on the first floor, I get my map, and
outside a crowd is gathering around me. I utilize the opportunity to ask
for The hanging Monastery, and have it drawn on my map. I’m in the right
direction! I just have to follow this main street, it’s turns into S203,
which leads all the way to the monastery and even to Datong, where I’m
not going.
Ask for some place to eat. It’s annoying not being able to read the
signs. There should be eating places both to the left and to the right.
At last I spot a window and some tables and chairs in the opposite side
of the road. The lunch is achievable. I try the usual trick: Ji rou –
chicken meat. There is always a lot to say, that I don’t understand. The
food arrives after the restaurant has been stormed by young Chinese, who
wants to look at the “Laowei” – and say hallou, and things like that.
I end up sitting by my own quietly, while a chickens head is staring at
me from the plate – you can’t be lucky all the time! My appetite
disappears, and I don’t eat it all. But it’s not only due to the head.
The dishes are really big.
The continuation is beyond expected. What seemed to be a dangerous
experiment shows to be to exact right choice. I really had no idea, but
that’s the way it often is. Not only have I come to this plain which
means that the road doesn’t climb and descent so much, the road is much
better than the G108. It has got shoulders and the surface is fine.
Before I get out of the town I’m confused at a roundabout which is
crossed by S201, which was the one I was following up through the
gorge??
But I’m confirmed I’m right. It was just a road you could take IF you
wanted to find S201.
I’m going at a good speed. Have to stop several times because someone
just HAVE to say something to me. At last the plain turns into a narrow
valley and turns north. We follow the railway, which doesn’t fit the new
map, so it’s probably not bulletproof. There are also some distances in
almost unreadable blue, which are hard to find out. After the turn to
the north there are no buildings and it’s almost 6 p.m. When suddenly
some houses and cars are seen, amongst which the police I go over there
to ask for lüguan. A well dressed Chinese woman can speak a little
English and end up (after having established that there is none – and
the men want me to turn back) to say that in 3 km something should turn
up. And before that in 15 km….
I thank them and go on. Through a window I see the bunk beds and
estimate the sanitary installations to be un sufficient, so – go on. I
aim at 100 km, but at the same time the red sun disappears behind the
mountain, so it’s mustn’t take long – and here are quite deserted.
At last I arrive at some buildings. Immediately ask some young men on a
motorbike. It’s all right, there is something. It costs 100 RMB!! But
then there are granite tiles on the floor and the bathroom is higher
standard than yesterday. But it’s not very cosy!
When I look at myself in the mirror, I have to laugh. The light is
better here and I see clearly how black my face is.
After having written this, I need a shower. Now.
About hotel standards.
In these Chinese hotels what is needed seems to be: a double bed, hard
as a rock, 2 l’s of hot water in a thermo, cardboard mugs, and sometimes
even tea leaves, a thin towel by 25 x 50 cm (once even a thin bath towel),
hot water where you as a rule have to turn the electrical power on
yourself and last but not least a TV with all the Chinese channels. (I’ve
given up knowing how many, but CCTV up to 15-16 and a couple of others).
Another thing I forgot the other day: In the area around Lou Cun I for
the first time saw persons with crash helmets. So you can get them here,
but they’re an extra expense. That day in the morning I saw a
three-wheeler coming racing with two persons dressed up with helmets. It
all looked ludicrous. I came to think that they were recording the new
film: "The Jedi returns to China" and that it was Luke Skywalker in his
newest vehicle.
94.20 km
14.75 km/t
6:23:04 tim
33.5 km/t