Guilin to Gucheng

Day 106: Guilin (rest day)

Got up at a respectable 10am and cycled to the PSB in all our gear. The visa fella was very helpful but explained that if we were to get an extension today, it would start from today (meaning that we would lose the 17 days still left on the current ones). Dammit! He informs us that we can apply for the extension in another city on the last day of our current visa, even maybe a day after it expires (we wouldn't risk it) and that it can be extended twice for 30 days each. This will allow us to cycle all the way to Beijing without having to leg it there. After, we drop into the Giant bike shop and have our babies cleaned and serviced for £5 but Kate's back tyre finally gives out on the journey back to the hostel – we will have to return to Giant tomorrow to buy a new one. For dinner we have another McDonalds (we don't know where the next one is!!!) Kate seems to be developing an obsession over the Snickers bars in the fridge at the hostel, counting them and reporting back to me?!

Kilometers: 0

Total Kilometers: 2788


Day 107: Guilin (rest day)

We did absolutely nothing apart from get Kate's tyre fixed today so nothing much to report. Most of the day was spent in the youth hostel planning the next stage of our journey to Changsha, about 600km away. We decided to spend just one more day here; Kate has not yet had her lie-in and will be grumpy if she doesn't get one! We didn't have a McDonalds today as Kate felt sick yesterday after her Big Mac – our bodies aren't used to fatty foods, but she did devour two snickers bars.

Kilometers: 0

Total Kilometers: 2788


Day 108: Guilin (rest day)

Day of some sightseeing for us today after the rousing of Kate from her pit at 1pm; well we said she was having a lie-in. We started our day with fruit for brunch which we ate alongside the Li river (my river!) and we watched a local fisherman catch a few fish. After cycling round the scenic park, taking care not to attract touts (nearly successfully), we stopped at a cafe for a coffee and Kate had a super duper strawberry milkshake the only problem being the cost; a quarter of our daily budget. Oops...

Later we venture out for what is to be our last McDonald's for a little while but we are happy to have had a rest from chicken fried rice.

Kilometers: 0

Total Kilometers: 2788


Day 109: Guilin to Xing'an (via Jiangtouzhou)

Today was a whopper. We had decided to make a detour to the 1000 year old village of Jiangtouzhou to which Lonely Planet had described a lovely 25km cycle ride north of Guilin.



We decided it wasn't too out of our way, however the km's piled up and we reached the village at the 45km mark, having followed LP's directions to the letter. That's now the fourth indiscretion (yes, we're counting) made by them and they are now officially on our hit list along with Marks and Spencers, Halfords and Nationwide Building Society. It was all worth it though; the village was superb.





The scenery on the way was also excellent, far outweighing anything Guilin (in our humble opinion!) offered in way of karst hills. It's funny in a way; other travellers go to Guilin to sight-see but we go there to rest! We sight-see every day with our bikes and find that what the things we see (ordinary China life and the scenery at a slower pace) are far better than the tout and travel tour ridden cities that everyone else sees. This is what makes cycle touring so amazing. I would recommend it to anybody.



We finally reached our destination of Xing'an at 6pm and located a friendly hotel for Y60 (£6) who were tickled pink to have foreign guests. We also managed to find a restaurant that didn't just do the dreaded “CFR” and we had pork with green peppers with fried courgette.


Kilometers: 115

Total Kilometers: 2903


Day 110: Xing'an to Quanzhou

We know that there is a comparatively short journey today of 65km, this afforded us another lie-in but only till 10am (not enough for some). We went for breakfast across the road, which was pointed out to us by the hotel staff but after being told that CFR would be Y20 (should be Y5 from a street shop), we decided not to eat there. Having seen us start to leave, the fella offered it us for Y10. However, Lee has a strict policy when it comes to these things... if the price is outrageous, not just a little extra (which we don't mind), we leave and go elsewhere. The fella got a bit put out by this and was getting a little jip of his mates for it, when he mimed that we should eat ... well you guessed it. Very glad we didn't eat there and quite disgusted at the lack of decorum showed by a native. Anyway, back to business; post breakfast we hopped on the bikes and headed off down the main G322 which was not that scenic. Therefore we put our thighs down and got to Quanzhou in double quick time, only thwarted once by rain. Arrived there about 3pm and after the checking in process, which took longer then usual as the 'computer said no' to Kate's passport at first, we gladly jumped into a hot shower, ate and after finding an English language channel on the TV, had a relatively late night..

Kilometers: 63

Total Kilometers: 2966

Day 111: Quanzhou to Yongzhou

This morning I regretted staying up so late to watch, of all things, a football programme. We left the hotel at 10am and found a cafe that did fried noodles with pork! It was great. Off along the 322 again, thankfully there is an expressway nearby that most of the articulated vehicles use, so it was a little quieter. Adding the fact that today is Sunday, and we've never cycled on a Sunday before, we find that there are hardly any places open for food cos everyone's busy screaming at each other over a game of majhong or cards. We ate out of a convenience store for lunch, forcing down out of date bread cakes, ice creams and sweets. The scenery was sometimes lovely, others were just views of coal mines and dead rats on the road, of which I ran over three. We came across two other cyclists today, both Chinese and heading to Guilin.



We reached Yongzhou late in the afternoon after finding the journey was chronically hilly (but nothing compared to Wangmo) and found a hotel which had some English speaking staff. Bonus! However, with great power, comes great responsibility; we're given a curfew of 9pm; if we're not back before then, we think she'd come looking for us. Lee had the best dinner since entering China – sizzling beef platter – too hot for me. I ordered the sweet and sour chicken (which was promised as not spicy) only to find that it was actually too spicy for me to eat. Also, when I stirred it, a chicken's head and claw poked out of the surface. Eugh. I actually squealed on recognising it, as it did take quite a close inspection. Lee left the restaurant full. I had to make do with egg fried rice. I actually wanted CRF back. The hotel staff were relieved to see us walking through their door at 8.30pm.

Oh, I nearly forgot... today we reached the 3000km mark. Yippeee! Halfway to “Kate and Lee cycle 6000!”.



Kilometers: 81

Total Kilometers: 3047


Day 112: Yongzhou to Qiyang

Short ride today, however due to chronic hills (again) it took us what felt like ages. The weather was poor, raining on and off. Add to that a puncture near to Qiyang and it was a day to forget. When we arrive there, we follow a local to the Xinli hotel – OMG........

We don't venture inside the very expensive looking hotel instead we attract a crowd outside and when Kate uttered those dreaded words “duo sian qian” we waited to hear.......... a massive 300Y (£30) which to be fair, is a fabulous price for a 5 star hotel. Pity we're on a budget. We tried to explain that we could not afford this and asked if there were any discounts in force to which they lowered the rate to 228Y. Still far too much and at this point we began to make our excuses and leave but this only served to encourage them to lower the price yet again to 198Y with breakfast still included. Unfortunately this was still to much for us to justify and off we headed to the hotels in the centre of town, leaving the staff and crowd gobsmacked to see two “laowei” turn this fantastic rate down. We finally made it to the Huatian Hotel in the centre of Qiyang and we dined on pork with fried onions and rice at their restaurant, too knackered to search elsewhere.

Kilometers: 57

Total Kilometers: 3104



Day 113: Qiyang (rest day)

We set the alarm for 7am for the anticipated 115km ride but on awakening, the miserable sound of rain started to drown out the alarm and we decide to sleep for another hour before making a decision. 9am, 10am and 11am go by and the decision is finally made; today is going to be a rest day, and that is exactly what it was. Kate scored two packs of chocolate eclairs and a bag of jelly sweets for breakfast and slept again from 2pm to 5pm.

Upon fixing the inner tube from yesterdays puncture it becomes apparent that there is something rattling inside; on closer inspection it is the 2 inch nail that had caused the hole in the first place!



Kilometers: 0

Total Kilometers: 3104


Day 114: Qiyang to Hengyang

Lee Lee lost his temper good and proper today at lunchtime when yet again we were filmed eating, not just from a distance but right up close, the phone being shoved in Lee's face. He was not best pleased and a minor argument ensued which culminated in the “cameraman” making a swift sheepish exit via the back of the restaurant, just after Lee had shown him the Chinese symbol for “rude”. Completely unacceptable behaviour. We would not even entertain filming someone and do not expect it to happen to us, especially whilst were trying to eat. We left without finishing our meal but we did pay for it this time and I got the distinct impression that the women present were not impressed with their friends behaviour. I wonder if what he did film will end up on You Tube!? Apart from that, we did cycle 110km and my bottom was pretty chaffed on reaching Hengyang thanks to the new cycle gear I was wearing.



We end up staying at the Hengyang branch of the Huatian Hotel for 128Y; a little chi-ching, but needs must – my derriere can't take much more. Dinner consisted of peaches, bananas, apples, crisps and sweets after we were unable to locate a restaurant close to the hotel.

Kilometers: 110

Total Kilometers: 3214


Day 115: Hengyang to We Don't Know Where Exactly

Having had a little lie in this morning, we got going on our 62km journey but all the way chewing over whether to go just to that distance to Hengshan, or try and get a little further thus reducing the massive 115km we have to do tomorrow. When we get to Hengshan (having skirted the awesome mountain range) we feel good and decide to cycle on even though the road has been hilly and today has been an absolute scorcher so far. We pass several small villages and when we get to 87km we decide enough is enough and book into a hotel for the night (Y40, shared bathroom). We don't know where we are exactly but the owners try to point it out on the map and are very friendly, as are their kids. After a cup of Chinese tea we shower, change and return for dinner (pork with fried onions and fried noodles with beef). Later, we took a walk around the village to grab Kate some ciggies, causing a stir. People were a lot friendlier on our way back to the hotel, probably having had enough time to register us and get over their initial shock cos we get people waving at us and shouting “helllooooooo”!

Kilometers: 87

Total Kilometers: 3301


Day 116: We Don't Know Where Exactly to Changsha

After completing the extra 25km yesterday we're prepared for an 80km ride into Changsha, however asking several people on the way they all stated that is actually still 100km away- and today is a scorching 35-38C. Again out on the highway there was not a lot to see so after stopping for breakfast (the biggest bowl of egg fried rice ever seen) we knuckle down to our task and eventually reach Changsha's suburbs at around 5pm. One and a half hours later, at 96km, we are at the hostel in the far north of the city – it would appear that Changsha is the equivalent of Birmingham in size – absolutely huge. Lee also suffered from the heat towards the end of the day; feeling pretty bad and hardly able to cycle properly. It didn't help that the cycle lane was being used by everyone else; pedestrians, motorcycles and cars.

On the plus side, we had a great day with the local Chinese people on our days ride. Lee Lee was stopped by a motorcyclist who had a good grasp of the English language and we pulled into a someone's driveway to have a chat and a rest. The owners also came out and gave us Chinese tea and we all sat down and had a conversation (of sorts) about who we were, where we were from, where we were going etc. On entering Changsha city, we asked directions off a local, Michael, who pointed us in the right direction and half an hour later he returned to deliver us personally to our hostel.



Kilometers: 96

Total Kilometers: 3397


Day 117: Changsha (rest day)

Had a pretty good lie-in this morning, rousing about 11am. We ordered 3 omelets each for breakfast and got 3 fried eggs each! Later we headed to the local supermarket which proved a challenge, but we managed to get something for lunch and a few sweets to please Kate. After that we rested in our hostel (Changsha's International Youth Hostel Y115, member rate), playing on the computer, reading and chatting with other travellers who were mostly Chinese and wanting to practice their English language skills. We met one Chinese bloke, Seth, who has bought a touring bike after being inspired by a 3 strong group of 50+ year olds who were cycling to Tibet and wanted to know if he could join us in about 15 days time on a section of our journey. We told him he's be more than welcome to come along. For dinner we headed off to KFC (we did pass two McDonalds as we rode through the city but they are now about 10km away) which provided a disappointing meal. Snickers bars scored at the shop around the corner and Kate's well happy!

Kilometers: 0

Total Kilometers: 3397


Day 118: Changsha (rest day)

Another day of rest for me and Lee Lee, a bit more chatting to Seth and loitering around the hostel. We didn't go to KFC again after our disappointing meal last night, opting instead for the Chinese fare being cooked by the hostel's chef – it was delicious; cabbage, sugar snap peas, fish, beef with chillies and of course, rice. Cost Y10 each. Bargain. Later, Seth offers to take us to the Giant bike shop tomorrow, as well as the PSB to extend our visas and also to the local Subway eatery to satisfy my craving for western food. I didn't know Changsha had one and I'm very pleased to say that I will be eating Subway every day until our visa's are approved!

Kilometers: 0

Total Kilometers: 3397

Day 119: Changsha (rest day)

Got up early and followed Seth to the Giant cycle shop, where we invested in one new back tyre for Lee Lee (mine had been replaced in Guilin). The front tyres are still looking good, so we decide to hold off on replacing those until Beijing (or maybe Xi-an). I also bought a pair of cycling sunglasses as my current ones let in a lot of dirt and I hate being temporarily blinded whilst I'm cycling. We arrived at the PSB only to find that it had moved across the river so we had a pleasant cycle ride over the 2km bridge but when we get there, disaster strikes. We are informed (by a not so friendly jobsworth) that Changsha PSB does not issue visa extensions and we have to go to a “tourist” city. AAGGHHHHH (followed by several expletives). We are not happy bunnies. They are very firm on this matter and later, when I phone the visa hotline, their message is confirmed – no visa extensions in Changsha for tourists. We are advised to head to some touristy place 300km west of Changsha though later (when we've calmed down a little), we decide to head to Wuhan (about 400km north) where we know other tourists have secured what we're after. Unfortunately, we will have to bus it there – our current visa runs out in 4 days and from a quick look at the map it's clear it would take us at least 5 days to cycle it. Chaos reigns for little while as we try to decide whether to go tomorrow without the bikes, and return to this hostel and await the visas, or just head lock, stock and barrel to Wuhan and start cycling from there again. After much debate, we decide on the latter as the PSB will probably insist on an address in Wuhan and we make reservations to stay at the Pathfinder IYH. So we have to leave Changsha tomorrow and we don't get to see the 2100 year old mummy with a frightful look on her face. Bugger. I really wanted to see that. To add insult to injury, Subway don't even have a store in Wuhan. And they say it's a tourist city......Grrrr.

Kilometers: 18 (not added to total)

Total Kilometers: 3397


Days 120 - 127: Changsha to Wuhan (by bus) and Wuhan and Wuhan and Wuhan and so on......

Wuhan is sooooo not a tourist city. They didn't have more than three interesting sights (McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut) and we only saw one of them (McDonalds). Our time was spent visiting the local beauty spots, braving a pretty windy ride around the East lake (the car drivers were bullies),







playing cards and eating chocolate, crisps and lots and lots of yoghurt and fruit.




The city was clouded in a haze for the entire stay due to pollution. The drivers, cyclists and pedestrians all had a death wish so cycling was interesting. On the seventh day we had an infestation of mossies in our room and were moved next door to a room with a double bed. Pretty miffed off as we'd spent the last six nights in a twin room sharing a single bed (and paying top dollar for it). We were counting the days till we left. On a more positive note, we were absolutely overjoyed (if a little overwhelmed) to hear that my didi (“little brother” in Chinese) got married to Lian in a drive through ceremony at the Little Chapel of Love in Las Vegas during our stay in Wuhan!

Kilometers: Quite a few actually, around the city itself, but not included in total

Total Kilometers: 3397


Day 128: Wuhan to Makou

After eight days of long lie-ins, it was tough to get up this morning and the alarm was snoozed more times than it should have been. We caught the ferry across the Yangtze River and made our way to collect our renewed visas and passports (320Y).




I was wolf whistled outside the PSB by a really old man who went even further as he got closer, pursing his lips, looking me up and down and giving me the thumbs up as he was stood next to Lee Lee, who took great offence to this and told him to bugger off! The journey out of Wuhan was protracted; this city really doesn't want to let us go and our mileometer read 29km before we reached countryside. The ride to Makou was uneventful but we enjoyed some good times with the locals. Zoe, one of the staff at Wuhan Hostel, had written out some information about us in Chinese language and it broke down a few barriers with the townsfolk who are now able to understand where we're from and what we're doing. We arrived in Makou, had a shower (after a comical scene between with the hotel staff who were insisting on a deposit and a fella who'd just happened to be passing by; “why do you want a deposit?”, was the general jist “when they're travelling on bicycles – they can't steal anything!”) and headed out for food, deciding to stop at the restaurant that we'd asked directions to a hotel from just an hour earlier. We had a great meal of stir-fried cabbage, pork with green peppers (no spice) and rice. When we went to pay we were told our meal was free and “Welcome to Makou!”. We then stopped at the local supermarket where there were about 30 women partaking in a dance exercise class which we watched for a little while. When they stopped, we clapped them and we all laughed. It was a refreshing change after some of the towns where we stop where people ignore us, laugh at us or are generally quite standoff-ish. We make a renewed vow to act positively at all times and we hope that this kind of reception will continue as our journey progresses.

Kilometres: 67

Total Kilometres: 3464

Day 129: Makou to Zaoshi

A stop at the local supermarket for some fruit for brekkie and off we go. The ride consisted of long roads which at times were quite dusty and bumpy and made for hard riding. We stop for lunch at 50km thinking that we had 100km ride today and quickly attract the whole village.







This was a fab experience as everyone was nice and very interested in what we were doing, when Kate arose to get the camera for some piccies you would not believe the gasps in total awe at her height. Several pictures later we set off again and make it another 20km when stopping at a roadside shop for a drink when yet again we quickly attract the locals attention, showing them the note we have saying where we have come from and who we are, which seems to create quite a buzz. We make it to Zaoshi where we find a hotel and go for dinner; we were excited about finding a Chinese version of KFC (only it was not that good).

Kilometers: 82

Total Kilometers: 3546


Day 130: Zaoshi to Jingshan

We decided last night that we would not cycle to Xhongxiang today, as it looks like it could be 100km and 60km of that would be through Dahong Shan mountain range. The only town which is sure to have accommodation in-between is Jingshan, but the problem being is that it's a poxy 30km away. We haven't cycled such a small amount since southern Thailand and the thought is depressing. However, it's not so depressing when we finally rouse at 11am! Today is absolutely scorching, it must be in the high thirties and we take a break every 10kms, finally reaching Jingshan mid -afternoon.




People again are very friendly and seem to respond to our positivity – we say “Ni-Hao” to absolutely everybody now and whip the letter out at every stop. The scenery is quite bland but improves as we near Jingshan and see the mountain range we have to conquer tomorrow. We pull up at a rather posh looking hotel and are quoted Y188, more than ¾ of our daily budget and that's the discounted rate. I can't help but take a look at the room and I'm left disappointed. It's pretty filthy in there and I turn the room down. Digs found down the road for Y80.

Kilometres: 38

Total Kilometres: 3584

Day 131: Jingshan to Zhongxiang

We get up fairly early today and head out to get some breakfast. Back to the hotel to collect our bikes and gear, only to find a punctured back tyre. Puncture fixed and off we go, but as it is hot again today we decide to stop every ten kilometers for water to keep ourselves hydrated. The ride is fairly straightforward; we encounter a few gradients but nothing major and all the while we expect to get to the mountain range depicted on our map but it just wasn't there. We get to Zhongxiang at around 3pm and scout out a hotel, one suggesting that we can't stay because we were English another was 'minging' (as Kate put it so elegantly) and so we stumble on one which was the third best of a bad bunch. We will stay here and rest for a day then head off towards Wudang Shan.

Kilometers: 63

Total Kilometers: 3647

Day 132: Zhongxiang (rest day)

We had to move to another room last night at 2am cos the shop backing onto our window was undergoing refurbishment and the owner did not seem to think that drilling, sawing and banging until well in to the early hours of the morning was unacceptable. The new rooms' bathroom is flooded – we point this out but we're too tired to move again tonight. We finally get off to sleep at around 3am but all is not lost, we can have an extra long lie in as it is our rest day today. Wrong. At 7:30am there's a knock on the door; the maid is waking us up for breakfast - we politely decline her offer and go back to sleep. At about 3.00pm there comes another knock on the door. This time we are requested to move two doors down as our bathroom ceiling is about to collapse under the weight of water coming from the floor above.

Kilometers: 0

Total Kilometers: 3647

Day 133: Zhongxiang to Yicheng

We start off the day at the hotel breakfast buffet, usually these are abysmal but today Lady Luck is shining upon us and we are blessed with chocolate filled bread!!!! We start off at 9:30am - the sky is overcast and provides good conditions for today's ride. After a 5km trip to the road we came in from yesterday thanks to the wrong directions from a local we get out of Zhongxiang and head to Yicheng which proves to be just shy of 100km away. The scenery isn't great – we pass through many concrete villages on the way and the terrain is quite flat and boring. We stop every 15km for water and make good progress, reaching Yicheng at about 5.00pm. Dinner is gorgeous – chicken hotpot, with reduced spice. It's got potatoes, beansprouts and cabbage and it's lovely. We can't eat it all so we take the rest away with us for later.

Kilometers: 99

Total Kilometers: 3746


Day 134: Yicheng to Xiangfan

Last night we had the fortune of witnessing a tremendous thunderstorm and although it kept us awake most of the night, it was an amazing experience. Accordingly we stay in bed till 11:00am before having fruit for breakfast and checking out of the hotel. We should be headed for Xiangfan today at 30km distance but we're contemplating cycling an extra 70km to Gucheng. However the road proves hard going, the weather is not the best and we decide to aim for Xiangfan and hunt out a hotel with internet access. We get what we want at the second hotel we stop at and head out for lunch/dinner about 4pm, the lunch/dinner was delicious; pork with green peppers and another dish of pork with mustard greens all accompanied by RICE of course. This sees us through the night. We catch the weather report for the next few days and it looks like there may be rain following us up to Wudang Shan.

Kilometers: 40

Total Kilometers: 3786

Day 135: Xiangfan to Gucheng

On the way out of Xiangfan this morning we passed two McDonalds, the first turns out to be only half a kilometre from our hotel. Kate's fuming but when she's reminded of how good the dinner was yesterday, she concedes that she's actually glad we didn't see the juicy 100% beef burgers with crispy salted fries and ice cold Pepsi. Stop it. McDonalds bad, RICE good. McDonalds bad, RICE good. The ride is uneventful and the scenery still flat and pretty boring but we're very very near Wudang Shan now and getting excited.

Kilometers: 75

Total Kilometers: 3861