Tag: shangri-la

25 October 2014

Litang 理塘 – Kunming 昆明 – Silly Aftermath

We know our chances of getting back to Kunming on this death trap are very, very slim indeed. But six days on the road, scaling mountains and defying snow storms has germinated a combination of hubris and rash boyishness. The plan is to make it back to Kunming in three days, with a first leg to Xiangcheng or even Shangri-La, then Dali and finally Kunming. If the motorbike survives, the cost of the bike, the express courier and the lodging would be less than the two of us taking public transport back home. Plus it would be a lot more fun.

Contraption of doom
Contraption of doom

We put on a total of 8 layers of clothes against the cold, deliver our bicycles and luggage to STO Express, and elicit a couple of laughs from bystanders as an unintended wheelie nearly launches our motorbike into a flock of SWAT police. Upon regaining control, we make an elegant exit out of town and ride towards the sun that is slowly rising over the Litang plain.

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19 October 2014

Shangri-La 香格里拉 – Wengshui 翁水 – Paradise Lost

I wake up feeling a little bit under the weather. It’s freezing cold outside but the sun is casting a few promising rays across the city. We warm up with a large bowl of Tenchong Ersi, find out that Sandy’s Camelbak only holds one litre of water instead of the expected two, and head out towards the mountain.

The going's a bit tough in the beginning
The going’s a bit tough in the beginning

The road is dusty and filled with trucks. Looking left and right, however, our souls are soothed by peaceful pastures, grazing yak and brilliantly white Tibetan houses gleaming in the morning sun. They build their houses quite differently from China’s other minorities, usually preferring large, fortress-like houses with beautifully adorned window frames, wood features and roofs consisting of wooden panels held down with stones. Larger ones also feature a courtyard.

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10 April 2014

Acrophobia Pt4: Central Pasture 中甸 to Book Pine 书松

Having rested for a full day, we make another early start into what is now really unknown terrain. A cartload of steamed buns (包子 baozi) and soy sauce eggs (卤蛋 ludan) fill our stomachs and what doesn’t fit goes into a lunch bag. Skies are clear, air is crisp, perfect day for a bike ride.

Leaving Shangri-La in the morning
Leaving Shangri-La in the morning

As we’re climbing out of the messy outskirts of Shangri-La, we’re accompanied by a cloud of ominous buzzards, lazily circling above our heads. Traffic’s relatively busy and we’re hoping to hit the actual old road to Deqin soon. We’re not too sure whether it still exists. On one hand, constructing a new second-class road requires making much more level roads, an ice-free surface and there are certain requirements as to how sharp curves are allowed to be. (more…)

8 April 2014

Acrophobia Pt3: White Water Terrace 白水台 to Central Pasture 中甸 (aka Shangri-La 香格里拉)

We’d had a rest day at Baishuitai to explore the terraces and the forest around it further because it was so pretty. It also allowed us to get a good night’s rest and to leave early on what was supposed to be one of the hardest rides of this trip.

Leaving the hotel at 8am
Leaving the hotel at 8am

No surprises for me this time. I had ridden the murderous 131km from Haba to Shangri-La in one day before and I had literally fallen asleep on the bicycle from exhaustion and altitude. And that was after 4 months of continuous biking. With a lot fewer kilometres in our legs this time, I thought it wiser to cut the distance by 30km by staying in Baishuitai instead of Haba, and also to leave early enough. By 8am we’re on the road.

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