Saturday, October 25, 2008

Day 26: The Silk Road Begins

Arrived at the town at about 6am. Had breakfast and waited for the bikeshop to open.Got a new chain, fixed the speedometer and for the first time after riding for weeks, I had a bike wash.

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Finally it is as clean as new.

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Another bike getting washed. A replica of Suzuki. Its called Susnki.

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(Sidetrack)
Ok, time for another toilet encounter. While I was waiting for the bikeshop to open, my tummy suddenly felt so bad that I had to relieve myself urgently. There are no public toilets around and the only toilet that they use are the one in the school which is about 200m away. After knowing that, I rushed to the school and went straight into the toilet only to realise that I had no paper with me. Too late to go back and take and so I answered to nature's call first. When I was done with my business, I decided that I shall use my tishrt to wipe my ass. So I took out my keys and used it to tear my t-shirt apart. Just as I was cleaning up myself with pieces of my tshirt, the school bell rang and many students entered the toilet. The toilets in china had no doors and so they could clearly see what I am doing. They all stared at me like I am some sort of mad guy. Imagine, I am in a tore tshirt with holes all over. Ofcourse they stared.

HAHAHA... Back to my ride.

Now that my bike has revived, its time for me to carried on riding. From this point onwards, it will be another new experience for me. No more tibetians. I am now riding on the SILK ROAD, a route that I had always dreamt of travelling/riding on. An important route that first linked the east to the west centuries ago. A route where many important trades were carried out in acient times. A route which many great explorers like Marco Polo, Ghankis Kang and Tang San Zhang had taken. A route with great history. A route where many shed blood. A route that is worth travelling on.

The start of the Silk Road in China begins in Xian, which was the capitial years back. However, I did not start my ride in Xian. Instead, I entered the Silk Road at a few hundred kilometers west of Xian. Reason being: Do I have a choice? I was stuck in the mountians, remember?

So with much anticipation and excitment, I begin my journey to the west. What excatly will the silk road brings? I am so looking forward to it.

No more mountains, no more snow. I am now riding into dry lands. Landscape became flat and soon I am in a semi-desert area.

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I always repsect long distance cyclists. If you think that I am crazy, they are crazier. If you think that I am great, they deserve more applause than me. In this semi-desert I saw 2 cyclists paddling their way to the west. Hats off to them.

I arrived at a junction not long after. If I turn right, it will lead me to the place where China launched its spacechip. I took the left which brings me to JiaYuGuan. A border town in ancient China; A frontier town which guards ancient China.

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The new town of JiaYuGuan

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After I had gotten a place to stay for the night, I went to visit the JiaYuGuan Fort. This is the first and most important fort which guards ancient China from outside attacks. The first fort along the Great Wall of China. The entrance and exit to ancient China. Now, this is a UNESCO protected site.

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Ok. Sad to say that my camera refused to work after I entered the fort and so I cant take any photos. Water might had entered the camera somehow when I used it to take photos and video in the snow. And so I toured the whole fort half heartedly as I see no meaning to it when my camera is spoilt. After awhile, I decided to leave, got back to the town and try to get my camera fixed. I will return here tomorrow when my camera is fixed.

Lucky enough, there is a camerashop in town and I managed to get it fixed. It is the one and only camera repairshop around. If not, I may have to buy a new camera.

Went for dinner and guessed What I had?

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Donkey's meat. Anyone wannt try? YUMYUM!!!


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1 Comments:

Anonymous Nana said...

Poor Donkey =(

4:38 PM  

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