Where On Earth is Jeff

Home in Melbourne after 17 months and 30,000km

2008-09-02T06:51:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess that's it... Melbourne... Back to the real world...

-o- Melbourne from the south side of the Yarra River

I arrived into Melbourne on Saturday 30th August, and home to the eastern suburbs on the Sunday 31st, after delaying my arrival with a few days in numerous places along the south coast of mainland Aus. (I needed to delay my arrival until the tenant would be out of my house. I gave notice when I got to Darwin, but I guess I should have done it from East Timor or Indonesia.)

It's quite a long time since I've had cold & wet every day, but SA & Vic in winter reminded me what it was like. (Of course my arrival into winter happens to coincide with the best snowfalls for many years. Great for the ski resorts and skiers - not quite so ideal for cyclists.)

What lies ahead now is painting the house (before I empty all the furniture out of the self storage unit into it), job hunting, moving in, organising the house the framing of many paintings and other artworks/craftworks I purchased along the route and mailed home. I shudder to think of how long it'll take to finish organising the thousands of photos I've taken - and wonder if I ever will?

Yesterday I spent much of the day on the phone at my parents house arranging power, gas, phone and other services for the house, and such mundane but real life things like as Ambulance membership, Curriculum Vitae, and beginning to get together the items I need to fix up the house. My heart sank when I saw that several water leaks in the roof would mean that I couldn't paint as I'd planned. I've decided though that I'll paint anyway and the water affected places will get patched up after the leaks are fixed and the weather has warmed enough to dry out the plaster sufficiently.

After only one day of no riding. This morning it hit me & I felt I needed to get up early for a ride. I've delayed it now to write this, as the water once again falls from the sky outside.

The trip from Adelaide to Melbourne:

When I left Adelaide, I knew I had to take my time or I'd be home too early to get into the house so I decided to head to Kangaroo Island and fill in a week travelling to and sightseeing around the Island. I headed out to the Adelaide beach side suburb of Glenelg then followed the coast toward Kangaroo Island (K.I.) and home. The weather - as I eluded to above - has not been ideal cycling weather and as I got closer to Cape Jervis and the K.I. ferry I learnt more about what it was going to cost me to go to K.I. From what I'd read "free camping" on K.I. would not be so easy so combined with the expensive ferry, I decided to forgo K.I. and go there some other time when the money wouldn't be wasted on a trip in such lousy weather. It meant that I'd need to fill in time elsewhere but my plans of a grand entrance to Melbourne had slowly been fading anyway. With a tenant still in the house, a weekend arrival with an open house / welcome home / house warming wasn't going to be possible unless I delayed even longer. For extending the trip Mum came to the rescue with contacts and accommodation available in both Warrnambool and Apollo Bay, I also arranged some warm & dry accommodation in other places through the touring cyclist hosting website warmshowers.org

-o- Strathalbyn A very pretty little town centre.

-o- Bike chasing cows, they followed me, running as a bunch the entire length of their paddock.

After passing by Cape Jervis I endured more horrid South Australian wind as I crossed from the Fleurieu Peninsula around Lake Alexandrina and down the coast toward Mount Gambier. One morning in Kingston S.E. (after riding from 1:00AM to 3:00PM the previous day in order to avoid the wind) I awoke to a tent shaking violently, and giving the impression that a cyclone was in full swing outside. I lay there in bed and conceded that I wouldn't be going anywhere today. Robe was only 40km down the road but with a head wind this strong 40km was probably all I'd be able to ride in a full day. After taking some photos & a video clip inside the tent with it violently reacting to the wind I decided to get up and just have a look outside (after which I would crawl back into bed). When I stuck my head outside, I was shocked to find that the wind had swung right around and was blowing with this incredible intensity from the North West. With Robe 40km down a bendy road to the SouSouWest and Mt Gambier 160 km down a straight Princes Hwy due South East, the temptation to leave the coast to get a gale force tail wind for a day was just too great. With the wind immediately behind me as I sailed down the Princes Highway, I made the 108km to Millicent in record time. Millicent to Mt Gambier wasn't quite so good as the road was well protected by Pine plantations and the rain really set-in for the first time.

-o- It felt like a cyclone was in full swing

-o- "The Old Jail" (H.M. Backpackers prison Mt Gambier )

As always seems to happen when you are on a bike, the day I stayed in Mt Gambier the wind would have been behind me if I had continued on toward Victoria instead of taking the day to look around town. I left the following day into not only a strong head wind, but also head on rain and hail as I headed to the Victorian Border and toward Portland.

As I mentioned above I filled in a bit of time staying in Warrnambool for two nights then after one more camp near Princetown had four more comfy nights in Apollo Bay. The trip from Princetown to Apollo Bay was a bit more hilly than I'd expected. I haven't been there for a long time and I was expecting hills near Cape Otway, but didn't expect to start climbing real hills so many km's before Lavers Hill (I guess that's why they called it Lavers Hill ) I ran into more touring cyclists on this leg, one from Austria who said he was a bit surprised that Australia actually had hills and wasn't all flat. The other cyclist a Kiwi from Nelson approached as I was watching a koala moving between trees. Good timing meant that the Koala was on the ground changing trees as I rode past - you never tend to see them if they are just sitting up in the canopy eating. Apollo Bay was a good introduction to normal life again. Cooking with more than just one billy, cooking a more varied diet, listening to radio, watching some TV, even mowing lawns - then of course cleaning before I left. The only cleaning my tent would get was the daily sweep out with the bare hand each morning as I prepared to roll it up.

Once I got a little north of Lorne I was in familiar territory, riding roads that I've seen many times in my life. Now it just seemed like I was riding, Lorne to Torquay, Geelong and up the Geelong Rd to Melbourne. It certainly didn't feel like the same trip as Paris, Brussels & Prague, or riding through Eastern Turkey to cross the border into Iran or Trekking in Nepal all those months ago. The highlight of the day was on the Geelong Road when the Cycle computer clicked over to 30,000km.

-o- The Great Ocean Road view

-o- The 12 Apostles the bike & I

-o- 30,000km and smiling (The Geelong Rd)

-o- Cute but the toy shop ones are cuddlier (Koala near Apollo Bay)

Once in Melbourne I made my way to Burnley where I camped beside the river. It somehow seemed fitting that the last night before I got home should be a bush camp somewhere in the middle of an inner suburban area of my home town. For all the Melbournians reading this, the camp was in Loy's paddock. That's the bit of bush between the inbound Burnley on-ramp (tunnel approach) and the river. It's not quite as deserted as it once was, with the cycle path going through at a high level above the river, but there's a lovely bushy bit down the hill to the river flats. And that bushy bit has some ideal small tent sites in it. Next time you are on the cycle track check it out.

-o- Melbourne

I wanted early morning shots of the bike and the city but I didn't get the lovely Blue Sky morning that I wanted. I headed back along the river for the photos anyway before passing through the city and heading east on the Yarra main trail, Koonung Creek & Mullum Mullum Creek bike paths. I remember a time not too long ago when I thought riding from Ringwood to central Melbourne was a long way, but today it felt like nothing. I had so much time to do it that I used the time to drop in on various friends that lived close to the bike path. With the opening of a new section of bike path alongside the new Eastlink Tollway it's now possible to ride from the city to within about 1km of my home (about 40km - via the path) without needing to ride on or even cross a road. (actually there is one - but only one - crossing, Bulleen Rd). With all the stops along the way I used the whole day to do that short distance and didn't actually get to the house until it was dark. I couldn't stay in the house that night as although the tenant drove the truck out of the driveway while I was there looking at it, the tenancy wasn't going to be officially over until the next day.

Now the house is empty, I've fixed one leak in the roof, I still have a couple to go before I start slapping on the paint that I bought today. I passed by the self storage unit today and confirmed to myself that there is no way I'll be getting things out of boxes until the house is ready for all the furniture. My best friend David and I packed the self storage in the same way that we used to pack audio gear into the back of our "JDE Audio" truck. There is very little "air" in my storage space. We were always good at high density packing and that's just what we did in the self store.

I'm now back in the real world, house repairs, gardening, bills, job hunting and eventually I'm hoping to get around to sorting out souvenirs and photos from the trip.

Jeff

Adelaide, and feeling very close to home

2008-08-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

I've made it down the Stuart Highway - and done a week long detour into Uluru (Ayers Rock) Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) and Watarrka (Kings Canyon). It wasn't quite as bad as I thought it might be (knowing that the prevailing winds would be Sou-Easters. I had some really shocking days, really demoralising ones when you struggle like crazy and make very little distance. On these days you can't hear anything but the wind buffeting in your ears and you really wish it was over. But then there are other days when it isn't quite so bad. In fact I had one incredible day after I'd visited Kings Canyon. I set a new record for my longest day - one that I am sure will last for the rest of my days. 235km in a one day, with a heavy touring bike!!!!! I was impressed. But I can't take all the credit though, the wind was blowing my way that day. As they say "Make hay while the sun shines" - I just kept riding until it got dark - and then some. From Kings Creek Station all the way to Erldunda and back to the Stuart Highway.

Some mornings got a little cold - both these bottles were frozen.

The bike and Uluru

Me and Kata Tjuta

(Lizard) Footprints in the roadside dunes

Dust storm near Mt Ebenezer (N.T.)

My bike leaning against a road train (some have one more trailer than this)

Grey Nomads - as we love to call them. This lot at the S.A/N.T. border roadside stop. More free stew. Yum!

From Uluru and surrounds it was down into South Australia and what I really imagined the outback to be like. Northern Territory had been a bit of a surprise for me. I had imagined that N.T. too would have lots of nothing, but the nothingness is really all claimed by South Australia.

Around Coober Pedy lots of nothing, then a small break and a little bit of scrub around Glendambo before heading back into the nothingness of Pimba & Woomera.

Coober Pedy mine tailings

RFDS landing strip - A.K.A. The Stuart Highway

A roadside camp near Glendambo (a region of scrub in the middle of a huge nothing)

I was expecting a lot less of Port Augusta than what I saw. Port Augusta town centre is actually a very pretty little place, but the day I left there I rode all day and didn't even make it to the place I planned to have lunch. The road has the southern Flinders Ranges running along the eastern side and they just tunneled the wind straight into my face. Add this to delays when taking 20 to 30 minutes shelter avoiding the rain every few hours and it wasn't a very fulfilling day.

I left the highway at Port Pirie, to go into the town centre and collect a spare tyre and get yet another patch on the tooth I had previously had patched in Brussels and Bangkok. (Hopefully this patch really will last until Melbourne when I can get it fixed properly). Heading south from Port Pirie I was on minor roads with a very green and pretty roadside to Port Wakefield before heading down into Adelaide.

Lots of nothing near Woomera

Down further south the very picturesque Port Broughton

40km north of Adelaide is a little place called "Two Wells". They have a very helpful information centre where I picked up info on where the backpacker's budget accommodation was in Adelaide plus info on Kangaroo Island and the roads to Melbourne. One of the ladies there just couldn't believe that I was going to ride from Two Wells... "...all the way to Adelaide." (all 40km of it). Her co-worker tried to tell her that it really wasn't far compared to where I'd been !!!!!!! It left a smile on my face and it still does when I think of it.

Adelaide, the river Torrens and the Adelaide Festival Centre.

From here I think I'll now head south to kangaroo Island to fill in a bit of time. If I headed straight to Melbourne now I'd arrive before the tenant vacated my house.

Jeff

--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Alice Springs

2008-07-20T20:30:00.000-07:00

I'm now in Alice Springs, - about 1500km south of Darwin and 1500km north of Adelaide - half way through my North to South crossing of the Australian continent. With the distance riden so far being around 26,500km and only about 3000km to go, I'm feeling quite close to home.

After problems finding vacancies in any Darwin accommodation places I found a temporary home with Ross & Sue, Ross being the brother-in-law of my best friend. That allowed me to stay a few more days in Darwin, exploring and resting.

-o- At the friends, in-laws (Darwin) David, Sue, Ross & Kaitlyn
-o- At the friends, in-laws, in-laws (Berry Creek) Jessie

From Darwin, my next stop was Berry Springs and the Territory Wildlife Park where I continued with my free accommodation courtesy of the friends and in-laws chain staying with Judy & Rocky. (This time the in-law of the in-law of the friend.) The gossip chain had worked well and Judy presented me with a tube of Vegemite - having just missed out on the last one in the supermarket in Darwin. Rocky, works at the wildlife park and he and Judy they live with daughter Jessie a few km's down the road. The wildlife park is a great place to wander around as they've very nicely reproduced a whole series of different natural habitats within the confines of the park. It was here at the wildlife park that I ran into a school group from back in Ringwood, travelling through Central Australia to Darwin. The group from Norwood Secondary College included Callum the son of friends Tim and Marie from back in my Youth Group days.

-o- Birds of Prey display - The Territory Wildlife Park. Berry Springs N.T.
-o- Termite mound vs bike

It was a few days later in Katherine that I got talking to some people whilst sitting in the shade of a tree beside the main road. It turned out that the father and son - from Melbourne - were heading to London in a car and we sat under the tree whilst they quizzed me about how I got from Dili to Darwin and then about the inter-island ferries through Indonesia and to Singapore. I was able to re-assure them that once they'd used Perkin's shipping to get to Dili, they'd be able to cross the Indonesian Archipelago through Flores, Sumbawa, Lombok, Bali, Java and Sumatra - as I had done - using roll-on, roll-off ferries. No problems for a car... I couldn't help them with info about a roll-on/off ferry to Singapore though, the one leg they are really desperate to find. After we'd (I'd) been talking for a while I began to think that the father looked vaguely familiar. Nobody I knew or had met personally before but a just little familiar. After mentioning Timor and Balibo once, it was when he mentioned Balibo a second time and said "We will go to Balibo" that I thought... "maybe he's from the media..." I asked his name to see if that sounded familiar, he responded with a cautious but polite "Jon". I pushed a bit further saying "Jon......" and waiting for him to fill in his surname. I nearly died when he the response was "Faine". For all those that are not from Melbourne, or for Melbournian's that dont listen to the ABC 774 (shame..). Jon is a presenter on the main ABC AM station in Melbourne. I think he looked vaguely familiar because of thumbnail sized photos I'd seen on printed radio program schedules. I only recognised the voice afterwards, but couldn't mistake it then. (In my defence it's not a voice I'd heard since I started the trip 15 months ago and it certainly wasn't "in-context".) It seemed incredible to meet him as I did, as he is my favorite talk show presenter, and here I was sitting on the nature strip next to the Stuart Highway in Katherine, explaining Indonesian Ferries and talking about my last 15 months, which will - in some small part - be like what he is just starting. You can read about his trip, see his photos and read his version of the encounter at www.melbournetolondon.com

-o- Me, showing Jon Faine my route - photo Jack Faine
-o- Jon & Jack Faine on their way to London by car quizing me in Katherine.

I didn't stay in Katherine as I had planned, because the Katherine Gorge tours were booked out, instead I filled up my food pannier with fresh stocks from the Supermarket and headed on down the highway. Instead of taking a day's break in Katherine, I stayed for an extra day in Mataranka, visiting the various springs.

The road from Darwin to Mataranka had been tree lined and not at all like the "nothing" that you imagine for Central Australia. The wind too, although head-on (Sou-Easter) didn't - like in many countries before - get strong until 2 hours after sunrise. So by getting up at 5:30AM I could eat, pack and get on the road and have about 3 hours of wind free riding, before struggling for the rest of the day to complete however many km's I felt I wanted to complete. Once South of Mataranka things changed. The wind would blow through the night and be still blowing when I wanted to start riding. There was no longer any point in getting up really early, as the wind was there regardless. With overnight temperatures starting to drop - as I headed inland - it was better to wait until the sun had risen before setting off for the day.

My last good windless morning was my early start from Mataranka. I reached my intended destination of Larrimah for lunch and continued on wondering if - with a long day - whether I might be able to make it to Daly Waters. This became my first long day in Australia, reaching Daly Waters that evening and setting a new record for the longest "riding time" 9 hrs. At about 167km it was about equal to my longest day in km also.

It was in Elliot a couple of days after Mataranka that I met up with 5 riders from Germany that had been coming along the highway behind me. They'd pulled into Mataranka late the evening before I left. I had left pre-dawn the next morning so never saw them to speak to until they arrived at Elliot a couple of days later - just as I was about to head out of town to find a camp. Instead of heading out of town, I camped in the camping ground with them and rode the next 2 days with their group, slipstreaming them when I could and wearing myself out taking the lead in turn. In Germany they came from the small village of Borchen, which they said was about 100km east of Dortmund. I rattled off the names Soest, Erwitte, Lippstadt and got a very positive response as they realised that I had come through Germany and passed through their neighbourhood about 20km west of their village. After a couple of days of riding at the faster speeds of the group I decided to leave them to ride on at their pace whilst I would continue at my own. Yes, it's harder pushing through the wind yourself than behind somebody else, but when their speed is just a couple of kilometres per hour too fast it very quickly wears you out. I would cover the same distance myself going slower into the wind and and taking a hour or two longer, being less tired than riding fast. As we were to arrive into the town of Tennant Creek on the weekend, and I needed to be there in normal business hours to go to the Post Office, they would continue to Ayers Rock a few days ahead of me.

-o- Saying goodbye to the riders from Borchen, Germany - Attack Creek, N.T.

It was during my couple of days in Tennant Creek that I wanted to upload a few photos to the web & check emails. With the only Internet Cafe in town being closed on weekends I decided to drop into the nearby Motel to see if they had - or knew of - any intenet access. As I approached the Motel I was stunned to see Chris Newman walking across the forecourt towards me. We both echoed "What are you doing here" and then went on to explain that I was riding home from Europe and he was helping his son in the Eldorado Motel during the Tennant Creek busy season. Chris is a guy that I knew of from his work in the early 80's, when he'd worked very closely with communications group of the State Electricity Commission of Victoria -(My first employer). Since then we've got to know each other through the YHA bushwalking club in Melbourne. It was great to spend a few hours with him talking and doing odd jobs around the Motel before sitting down to do my Internet work on the motel's internet browser PC.

From Mataranka, south, the country was far more open than it had been further north. It enabled views way into the distance where previously all you could see were tree's. It also allowed the wind to howl across at you and be far more annoying than before. Vast horizons far more like the Central Australia that I was expecting. With the openness came longer straight stretches of road, 30km or 40km in length with no bends. With the land being flat the road disappears toward a vanishing point but before it gets there dissolves into a sea of nothing, a mirage that makes it appear the road in the distance is covered with water. Being able to see the road straight ahead for such a long distance is quite deceptive, as the roads perspective approaches the vanishing point it plays tricks on your eyes and you'd swear the road was cresting and you were on an upward incline. (Pushing against a head wind, your legs add to the upward incline perception).

-o- I stupidly left a battery on charge in the caravan park in Tennant Creek when I left. After hitch hiking back to get it, these guys from Thursday Island drove me more than 80km back to where 'd left my bike then returned to Tennant Creek. (I think they were amazed when I emerged from a clump of bushes, in the dark, somewhere along the stuart highway with my bike.)
-o- The Devils Marbles
-o- On the road again - near Aileron N.T.

Towards Alice Springs the trees get a little larger again, you actually do get a few (little) hills and the country feels a bit more like it did closer to Darwin. I had a couple of good days on the approach to "The Alice". Days with the wind partially behind me. It enabled me to cover better distances more easily again. From a camp near Barrow Creek I made it to Ti Tree for lunch instead of camping, and did what I'd planned as the next days ride in the afternoon. This left me about 120km north of Alice and ready to head to town the next day.

In Alice Springs I wanted to find some warm gloves (very much needed for pre-dawn riding in Central Australia), a replacement Cycle Computer (I'd lost mine in Tennant Creek), and to locate Robert & Marijke (parents of my mate David) who I knew would be camped in one of the caravan parks in Alice Springs. I managed to get a cycle computer like the one I'd lost, a set of gloves that I'll get to try out once I start riding tomorrow and to trip around in a 4WD vehicle to areas around Alice Springs that I'd never have got to if Rob & Rake hadn't been here. Travelling out to Gem Tree yesterday (140km N/E) and to Hermannsburg and Palm Valley the previous day.

-o- Alice Springs
-o- Christine, Me, Rob, Marijke, Rudi at Hermannsburg - Touring around Alice in 4WD's

-o- Stranded with two flat spare tyres, these guys were happy that Rob had a compressor.
-o- Tyres Changed and they're off.

From here I'll head south, then off on a long 300km side track to Uluru (Ayers Rock), before continuing south toward Adelaide.

Jeff

Australia - Hey I'm home - well almost, Darwin

2008-06-28T04:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, almost home, just a few thousand kilometres of Stuart Highway through Central Australia to go.

From Maumere on the island of Flores Indonesia, it was a ride to Larantuka at the far east end of the island. Then the last of my Indonesian island hopping ferries to Kupang - at the west (Indonesian) end of the island of Timor, a ride to the last border crossing and my final country before home. Timor Leste and Dili. From Dili a plane trip to Darwin my current location.

Just East of Maumere there is a stretch of beach with a few lots of cabins - lovely
Weighing the bags - they are always packed the same

I had been told by a couple of motor cycle tourers "there are some serious hills near Larantuka", but what constitutes a serious hill to someone on a BMW need not be on a bicycle. There were hills, not steep but with lots of bends. (which probably gives a motorcyclist the feeling of "serious hills") A windy road usually means the road wont be so steep. It's going straight up a hill that's a problem on a bicycle. Of course this was a pleasant surprise, although many locals had told me the road was nowhere near as hilly as the stuff I'd just done. Maumere wasn't as large as I had expected, so instead of staying an extra day there I rode just 30km up the road to some beach side cabins and spent my 2nd Maumere day there at the cabins. In fact, the cabin place was so nice that I spent 2 nights there. As I had budgeted 2 days to ride from Maumere to Larantuka (but now found it was less km than expected and could be ridden in 1 day) I decided to stay 2 nights at the cabins. I'd then still have time to spend a day exploring Larantuka before the twice a week ferry would whisk me away to Timor.

In Larantuka I made a couple of good contacts, one a guy that had worked on the Stuart Highway in Central Australia when it was being widened, and now running a cafe in Larantuka. He was able to give me information about the road that as yet didn't have.

The approach to Larantuka
The ferry from Larantuka to Kupang

The other contact was Francis, a Director of a local NGO in Kupang, who just happened to be in the same hotel in Larantuka. The NGO "Increase" has a training centre in Kupang complete with accommodation. I was offered free accommodation in Kupang on the condition that I talk to the staff in English! (Now that cant be too hard can it). As is the case everywhere I travelled, people learning English are short of other English speakers to practice conversation with. In fact it was a little harder than I thought, as I had become very accustomed to using selected Bahasa words and I tended to keep using them instead of using straight English.

My host in Kupang and his family. Francis is from a local NGO and invited me to stay at their training centre in Kupang
Sculptures outside the city offices in Atambua Indonesia near the East Timor border

I stayed a few days in Kupang then headed east toward Atambua. I found a very nice description of the Kupang to Dili bike ride on the web by a guy named macamat. When I looked a bit further I realised that Matthew McDonald, the author, was in fact from Melbourne, and was still on the road heading to Melbourne from Adelaide - just a bit ahead of me. The roads across West & East Timor were generally pretty good, they had a few very nasty steep bits but not long ones, they had there share of rough rocky bits too but no more than the other islands. In short, easier than Flores. The worst section of road would be the section from the "border town" of Atambua in Indonesian Timor to the actual border - a distance of some 30 to 40 km. On some of the really steep bits, there are corrugations in the bitumen road, and because you are using brakes quite heavily the back wheel locks up as it bounces over each corrugation. I used by brakes more, and harder, in Indonesia than any other country. (The other hilly countries generally had wider and smoother roads and you could puff out the chest and arms to catch a bit of wind and cruise down the hills with minimal braking.)

The border crossing from Indonesia to Timor Leste was a pretty easy crossing, you just have to wait a bit on the Indonesian side for them to open the Immigration office in the morning. On my morning they decided to open about 9:30am. Across the border in Timor Leste the road flattens right out for quite a distance, then gives you some really nasty short steep bits for about 10km then again flattens out for the coastal trip to Dili. As you fall then re-climb these nasty steep bits you find yourself wondering "what was in the heads of the road builders when the laid out this bit of road".

Volleyball at Atambua - almost anything goes - you can also kick or head the ball, as long as it goes over the net
The road from Atambua to the border post, very steep in places and rough

Riding into Dili the same night that I crossed the border I found myself using US Dollars for something other than FOREX. In Cambodia USD was common, but they also had their own currency. In East Timor the currency "is" US Dollars. (they do have their own coins though 5,10, 25 & 50 cents). Like in Cambodia, often things will cost "One Dollar" when really they shouldn't, they're just one dollar because it is easy for the seller.

Once across the border to Timor Leste, just about all vehicles on the road become new 4WD's with an emblem of some sort on the front doors. If it's not big "UN" letters it's one of the countless international aid agencies, foreign government supported organisations or NGO's. In Dili there's a few more other vehicles, taxi's and the like, but in the countryside, it's either a big new 4WD, or a small bus.

Eating in Dili you can do one of two things. There are a heap of restaurants around town catering for the huge numbers of foreigners. By home standards the food is still reasonably priced or cheap, but by local standards, or in comparison to the Indonesian side of the border, they are rip off places (so I avoided them). You don't find places catering to locals at local prices in town, to find them you need to head a few km out on the main road toward Atambua (near the Australian Embassy). Here there are many lining both sides of the road. Being on a bike makes it very easy to get to and eat at these places and pay what was very close to the cheap Indonesian prices. (and cheaper than the comparatively expense Indonesian prices on Flores). Of course it means that you continue to eat the same type of meals based on noodles and rice. If you were to eat in town at the places catering to the foreigners, you'd generally be eating, Indian, Italian, Japanese, or similar.

Timor Leste - the approach to Dili from the Indonesian Border.
The Government Palace, Dili

A refugee camp by the Dili waterfront being packed up - the residents gone back to home villages
One of the many remnants of wrecked buildings around the city of Dili

Dili, for me was largely a cleaning stop. I saw the local sights, the big Jesus, the waterfront, the Xanana Gusmao reading room etc, but my main concern was to get all my camping gear, bike and bags clean enough to pass an AQIS (Quarantine) inspection at Darwin airport. I had hoped to get a boat of some description to Australia, but with only one freight company that wont take passengers on their ships, it wasn't going to be easy. There was a flight out with spare seats a few days after I arrived, then 3 weeks of totally booked out flights, so the decision to fly and when to fly became easy - It would be the 26th June.

Dismantling the bike and packing - for the last time

With the bags and contents cleaned, the bike cleaned, dismantled and packed into a bike box - from the local Dili bike shop. I headed to the airport with my 40kg of luggage and 13kg baggage allowance, wondering just how much I'd be stung for excess baggage. The answer would turn out to be zero. I'm not sure just how. They weighed the bike and checked-in bag separately, the bike box (with a few extra items inside) weighed 23kg, the checked-in bag I'm not sure, but would have been around 10 to 12kg. Then there was my "way-too-big for the testing frame" hand luggage making up the difference. All I can say is a big thankyou. The $380USD air fare turned out to be $148USD using the cheapest of the discount fares offered on that particular day on the Air North On-Line Booking Website . (I never saw that price offered on other days). So I wasn't so upset about having to fly.

Even the arrival into Aus went well with the Quarantine inspector being very happy with my diligent & thorough cleaning of everything I had. He looked in one of the bags, looked into the opened bike box, checked a wooden Indonesian carving I was carrying and allowed me through.

Darwin Airport Arrivals, The Larrakia people welcome you to Darwin.
Down by the sea in town

It wasn't until getting out of the airport in Darwin that things started to go wrong. Only 1km out of the airport I had a flat rear tyre, then, when I got to town, I found that Darwin in peak tourist season (now) is impossible for finding accommodation. It's even worse if they put on AFL and V8 Supercars which they are doing over this weekend and next. If you didn't book months in advance you don't have a bed. After doing the full length of Mitchell St (lined with backpacker accommodation) and finding no vacancy anywhere I hopped back on the bike and headed back out of town, down the Stuart Highway to a caravan park. At the caravan park - same story. "Room for a one man tent?" "NO!" With this, it seemed like I would be pitching by the side of the road somewhere, but with all the gear crammed into only two instead of four pannier bags and nothing in its normal place, I knew pitching camp in the dark would be very hard. "where was the...packed..." "...was that in the checked-in bag or the hand luggage...", and buried how far under other items. I stopped in a Petrol Station to use their well lit forecourt to empty out the bags and re-arrange everything back to it's "allocated" position. Then back onto the road. I gave one more caravan park a try and, yes, for $27 I could use a tiny patch of their grass for the few hours before check out time the next morning.

The next day I managed to get a one-night-only vacancy in a dorm bed in a hotel in central Darwin. Exactly when I'll hit the road again I'm not sure, I'd like to hang around for a few more days, we'll see.

From here it's a long road south and hopefully the wind will be kind (unlikely this time of the year with the prevailing winds from the south east - but the worst should have passed)

Wish me luck...

Jeff.

Maumere, Flores, Indonesia

2008-06-08T22:49:00.000-07:00

Nearly a month since the last update in Yogyakarta, since then East Java, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa and now the vast majority of Flores. Still to come in Indonesia, the remainder of Flores and then West Timor.

Indonesia has been a really welcoming place, lovely to tour through. the roads on Java weren't so good for cycling as the tended to be very rough surface, either from patching or just the way they surface was laid. All the vibrations from the road slow the bike and require effort to keep the speed up. Its particularly bad if you have bad knees - but the good news is that the other islands east of there aren't so bad. The roads as soon as I arrived on Bali were noticeably very different - but then I figured its the most tourist visited place... But since then the other isles have been a better too. Sure every island has it's nightmare road sections (Often where they are "fixing" up the road) but on the whole its been better than Java - and that was a relief when I got to Flores.

A new Fibre Optic cable going in - the length of Java (and beyond), The wooden levers push a pipe through soft soil boring a hole.

The greetings from the locals in western Bali were like all the other parts of Indonesia that I had visited so far. Hello Mister, as you rode past anybody, and very smiley and helpful friendly people. Beyond Denpasar to the east the greetings seemed to dry up and I got no reaction from anybody, it was only one day but the same held in Lombok the following day. Everybody silent. I guess they are just too used to tourists for it to be anything special. I'd sort of thought all of Bali & Lombok might have been like that and was surprised when Western Bali was like the previous islands.

Kuta Beach Bali

Denpasar - far more Indonesian

Lombok public transport - like stepping back in time

Lombok Mt.Rinjani - as seen from Sumbawa

Catching the ferry from Lombok to Sumbawa was like hitting a switch to turn the greetings back on. Sumbawa was far less populated so you didn't see so many, but the greeting and enthusiasm were always there and always nice. The last day of Sumbawa heading from the main town of Bima to the port of Sape - to catch the ferry to Flores - was like a training ground for Flores itself, up and down big hills with beautiful views from high passes.

A school pose for photos - and they get an A4 copy soon after

Sheltering from rain in a local village

Hills east of Bima Sumbawa preparing me for Flores.

The ferry to Flores, the bike and other goods in transit

Then it was to Flores. Flores is, in a word, hilly. It's a place I've been looking forward to and dreading all at the same time. I'd read blogs of other riders that had ridden the island that said you need a month or 3 weeks and I'd done my earlier Indonesian riding with that in mind. get through Indonesia to have time for Flores. (I had 2 days riding on Bali and a few nights in Denpasar and on Lombok I arrived at the western end one evening and departed the eastern end at lunch time the next day. My lightening tour of Bali and Lombok. I figure all the other Aussie tourists there make up for me not hanging around)

Just off the western end of Flores are a couple of Islands that are home to the Komodo Dragon, and its generally accepted that all tourist go to see them - so I did. I went down to the docks on the morning after I arrived to see if I could find a boat heading that way. (the only other way was to charter a boat just to take me - and that I deemed too expensive). My luck was in when I found a group of divers that had a couple of 45 minute dives planned and then half the group had chartered a boat to take them from the 2nd dive to Rinca Island and Komodo National Park. They'd then be dropped off elsewhere but the boat would ultimately return to my base in LabuanBajo. The day was 30th May 2008 - which happened to be my 46th Birthday, so the evening before I went shopping looking for something that might resemble a cake and candles. I ended up with 6 "cup cakes" and a box of eight 150mm candles. (with the wind blowing a gale out at the dive site where we ate lunch there was no way to light the candles, but they looked the part standing up between the cup cakes.

Happy 46th, cup cakes and candles on a dive boat heading to Rinca Island to see..

Komodo Dragon on Rinca Island

Me & Mr Dragon

Flores hills

Flores road above LabuanBajo, no traction here

Leaving LabuanBajo you head straight into the hills and yep they have hills here. This day from LabuanBajo is I think the worst day road & hill wise on Flores, so it set in my brain an expectation for things to be a bit worse than they turned out. This first day had very very long up hill (up mountain) sections which in places were extremely steep. (Steep enough that my arms muscles ached the following day - from pulling so hard on the handlebars whilst pushing with the legs). To make things worse there were places where the road had been dug up and/or rocks spread over the road. The worst of these were the places where you'd commence a really incredibly steep section on bitumen and then it would turn to gravel half way up. Spinning car, bus & truck tyres and Gravity would then ensure that large quantities of gravel would end up on top of the bitumen leaving no way to keep traction on two skinny bike tyres. In these places the aim was to pick the best line you could, go for it, and hope that you got your feet out of the pedals when the rear tyre suddenly decided to spin. It worked on most occasions, but I did kiss the ground once. Having spoken to people in the hotel in LabuanBajo I knew the next accommodation was in Lembor some 60km away, then beyond that another 60 to 70km to Ruteng. I knew that 120km + with these hills would be asking an awful lot of myself, so I had decided to stay in the one gust house that exists in Lembor. It was a good move as on arrival into Ruteng the next day I was pooped. - After a day two of lots of hills the final approach to Ruteng was an incredibly steep climb out of a river gorge to the town. The next day would have a significant downhill portion as I went from Ruteng at 1100m down to sea level, so I decided to try and reach Bajawa. Bajawa is back up at 1200metres, so after loosing 1000m you then have to re-climb it. I was just a little later than I'd have liked so with about an hour of light left I camped 13km away from my target of Bajawa. It seemed incredible that in one hour I couldn't do 13km but I could only bank on doing about 7km/hr on that one hill that had kept me busy from lunch time to dinner time - still without reaching the top. As it turned out I may have made it right on dark if I had continued. The last four km were down into the town and the up before it flattened off just a bit (or was it that my legs had rested overnight). From Bajawa another long day of 130km to Ende. Ende being the largest town on the island and at about the midpoint of the island ride (where did you expect it to be... the end...?). I was very pleased as I came into Ende along the coast (that continually forces you to do steep climbs and steep descents to go around the points between bays.) to find that the legs where very firm from that day - and the previous days - riding, but could still power..

First camp in Indonesia - in a village

More Flores volcanos

2 x Wolotopo village near Ende Flores

Road in Flores always hampered by landslides and rock falls, We had a quake and 2 aftershocks one night - which wouldn't help.

In Ende I had a rest day, before a shorter ride of only 50km, but up to altitude again, to Moni. Moni being the take off point for tourists visiting the Islands number one attraction Mt Kilimutu. A mountain of three differently coloured lakes and still classified as an active volcano.

Mt Kilimutu, 2 of the 3 crater lakes - the other is black

That brings me to yesterday when I left Moni and again descended to sea level, before climbing and descending to sea level on the other - north - side of the island in Maumere. From here its only a day or two to Larantuka and the departure point from Flores to Kupang, West Timor.

Maumere

The on-line copy of the Lonely Planet guide for Indonesia - when talking about Flores states "Cycling on volcanic Flores or mountainous Timor requires Tour de France levels of endurance though some riders do travel across both islands using buses to get their bikes up the steepest inclines and freewheeling downhill" What it doesn't mention - and maybe this too has Tour de France connections, is the local habit of Flores children to get overexcited with the passage of a tourist on a bicycle and running out on the road screaming and calling all the other children in the village, who also run onto the road. If you are on an uphill stage on a fully loaded touring bike you may only be doing 5km/hr, and this is walking pace for the children - so they stick with you, grabbing onto the bike and pestering you to the point that you are about to snap. If it only happened occasionally it wouldn't be so bad, but every few kilometres there's a new village and a new group of kids grabbing onto the bike when you are already tired and slogging up a very long steep hill. More recently they've also been shouting sentences in Indonesian that include the words "Pen" (pen) or "Gula" (sugar), and get quite agitated when you just keep riding without giving them what they want. The road quality in some places and the tendency of the kids here to do grab the bike whilst trying to ride through villages has ensured that Indonesia, which was looking at one stage like it may make it onto the favorites list with Serbia & Iran will not. Instead Indonesia will make it onto a list of honourable mentions only. If you are thinking of a cycling holiday in Indonesia, it's a great place to travel that way, I do thoroughly recommend it. Maybe give Flores a miss or do what the LP guide says and take a bus up the hills. (the kids don't even try to annoy you on flat or downhill because they know they cant catch you.) Of course if you are on a long cycling trip from one side of the world to the other, taking a bus is not an option.

Jeff

--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Sumatra then Java - Yogyakarta, Indonesia

2008-05-14T06:26:00.000-07:00

From Singapore, it was off to my Indonesian arrival point of Palau Bintan, one of a couple of islands just off the coast of Singapore and with extremely regular and fast ferry services to Singapore. Arriving at Tanjung Pinang (the port town on Palau Bintan) I was the very last one off the boat, recovering the bike off the roof, once all the passengers had gone. From the boat it was up the jetty to the immigration office where I - with the bike - was VIP expressed around the huge crowd to the X-ray machine, where one of the guys took my passport across to get stamped.

One of the many inter-island ferries in Indonesia, sleek fast, but not new.

Out of immigration I went onto dry land for about 50 metres, before heading out the next jetty for the next ferry to Palau Singkep, my jumping point to get to Sumatra. I cant claim riding Palau Bintan, having just gone from one jetty to the next, but the ferry from Palau Bintan to Palau Singkep arrives at the north of Singkep and to get to Jambi I needed to get a cargo boat from the main town in the south of the island. So the first Indonesian island I have riden right across is Singkep - all 24 km of it. I was really impressed with the Indonesians on Bintan and Singkep, the riding in Singkep was very pretty and you were continually being called out to. I soon learnt my new name "Mister". It is common to not only to Singkep but elsewhere to, it the English that everyone knows. "Hello Mister !!" The island and the little villages really make you feel like you are lovely, little villages down at the water surrounded by coconut palms. It is so "Gilligans Island".

Gilligan's Island - No - Palau Singkep

Dabo has two hotels and I found one of them, I'd riden across the island the afternoon I arrived (ex Singapore), so I was keen to find out about boats to Jambi, Sumatra.

Friends in Dabo, to the house for a drink

The boat to Sumatra

Another boat at sunset along the way

The boat to Sumatra from Dabo Singkep isn't one of the sleek and speedy ones that I used to get from Singapore to Palau Singkep, but rather a cargo vessel of Chinese Junk style and with a cargo of recycle materials, empty gas cylinders and big mats of raw smelly rubber. (raw rubber looks, feels and smells like whale blubber). I really had no idea how long the trip to Jambi would take, there are no timetables for these boats, they just go when they need to and there was one the day I wanted leaving at 9AM, although it was 1:30pm by the time we actually left - heading for Jambi on Sumatra. I asked one guy on the jetty (selling the tickets & who spoke fluent English) when it got to Jambi and he said 3 hours. It seemed an awfully long way to go in a slow boat so I ate really well before leaving, had plenty of food for the trip (including left over food from the boat trip the day before) and also stocks of food that I normally carry in my bags. I'm glad I did because it was about 18 hours travel not 3. When we had spent 3 hours on board and there was no land in sight (and half the trip is actually through channels and rivers in Sumatra to get to Jambi) I decided that he must have meant it arrived at 03:00 Hrs. I prepared myself to spend the night on the boat as I had twice before in Thailand (good cheap accommodation when traveling). When the sun rose at 6 AM we were still choofing along the river, but by 7:30 or so Jambi was in sight. There was no jetty or wharf for us (or any of the cargo) at Jambi so as we arrived we were descended upon by a flotilla of small canoe style Indonesian wooden boats, with captains that appear to have gone to rickshaw school of getting customers.

My boat arriving in Jambi, Sumatra

No jetty or wharf for us here

They loaded up with other passengers, cargo, or tourists with bikes and took us ashore. (there were other passengers on the boat - the number varied as we made stops along the river, but at no time were there any tourists other than myself.)

Jambi was bigger than expected, after about 20km I finally got out into the country and saw the type of country and roads I'd be riding in Sumatra. The countryside was continually undulating, lovely and green, the roads smooth bitumen, but often a large pothole would appear either filled or not filled in front of you. This made riding a bike a much better method of travel than a car/truck or bus as you could easily negotiate around the obstacles.

My first night in Sumatra was in a town with no hotel, but on the outskirts of town I saw a rather sizable set of fire brigade buildings, the home of the regional forest fire brigade. I called in to plead and and was welcomed to stay the night. They gave me room (office) moved a mattress into it for me, and in return I had to take photos, pose in photos, and have a game of football (soccer of course). They let me off after a short time, once they saw how proficient I was!

The forest fire brigade BayungLincir, my first night in Sumatra

Sumatra quickly built itself - and Indonesia - into one of those places that could easily end up on the favorites list. With the Hello Mister's, the people always really eager to find out about you.

My route took me from Jambi to Palembung, Prabumulih, Bukit Kumuning, Bandar Lampung and down to the Java Ferry.

Typical road in Sumatra

Roadside rubber trees

When it rains...

In trouble with the Polisi again. Baturaja, Sumatra

The roads continued to undulate unlike my map that showed I'd be riding through swamp land. The hill into Bukit Kumuning wasn't as bad as the hotel operator the previous day had made out and I was pleased with the progress I made, despite catching (tropical) cold.

Heading from Sumatra to Java - free

The trip across to Java was ticket less, being waved through by the guys in the ticket selling booths. I boarded the ferry - this time a vehicle carrying ferry "ship" - as soon as the passengers and vehicles were off, and probably 15 minutes before any other passengers. The crew huddled around to find out about the cycle tourist, but had to go and work after a short time.

Nasional Monumen - the National Monument

I made it into Jakarta the next day and really noticed for the first time that I was in the southern hemisphere. After a bit of cloud previous days and not much latitude to notice the day I arrived into Jakarta I had sunshine and was that bit further south. As I headed into town I could see on the map that I needed to turn right and head south, but in the middle of the day that meant turning to the same side as my shadow - and that really felt strange. Fancy the sun being in the northern sky again.

I stayed in Jakarta two nights, I didn't really feel like there was lots I wanted to see, so one day to look around seemed enough.

Fumes as I leave Jakarta

Heading out of Jakarta in the morning and heading to the industrial east meant a day of the worst exhaust fumes I think I've had to deal with. Like every country in S/E Asia you also have to be very aware of the little buses that are going to pull over and stop at absolutely no notice if they even think they may be able to pick up a passenger. And for the first time in Asia at traffic lights it was normal to be beaten to the other side of the intersection by the throng of motor bikes. People in Jakarta are in a hurry to get somewhere, unlike places like Saigon where I'd typically be first off the mark and across when the lights changed. The roads in this area were typically divided highway with 2 lanes in each direction. The disturbing part was that the lane usage is: normal vehicles in the right lane, rickshaws, trolley pushers and cycle tourists in the left lane, and trucks and buses passing others at high speed in the left lane with the cycle tourists. With no shoulder to speak of it was probably the most disturbing of any of the places I'd riden. When they come from behind you cant do the "steer straight at them" and scare them back into the other lane that I have become so proficient at with head on traffic.

On Java - is a land of Volcanos - I've headed east along the north of the island to Cirebon, then headed through the hills to the south of the island toward Yogyakarta. Through the hills of central Java the local communities are small villages with large numbers of people involved in the local specialities of "Red Peppers", "Onions" and "Rope Manufacture". Great to get an insight into the local way of life.

Chilli's

Rope making - beside the road

Yogyakarta is a far more interesting place to spend a few days than Jakarta. It's the home of the Sultans Palace, has a great vibe to it and I've stayed a day longer than anticipated. Tomorrow I'll head off again heading east and back to the north side before crossing over to the next Island Bali in about a week. The roads in Sumatra with their potholes were a bit more bike friendly than car friendly. Here in Java the potholes are all patched and the road is made up very much of patches, not so bad for cars who can just speed over them, but horrible for cycling where every bump takes off a few km/hr and requires power to regain - and especially for cyclist with bad knees, as any pressure on the knees going over bumps is bound to set them off.

Heading toward Yogya

One of the monuments to the1949 Independance, Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta Bird market - & both sides of the food chain

Puppet making, Yogyakarta

But I'm loving Indonesia...

Jeff

--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Malaysia, Singapore

2008-04-25T08:39:00.000-07:00

Looking at the last post I see one photo of Malaysia. Since then I've covered the entire country and the next one. Tomorrow I hit Indonesia - the last country before home turf?

I wanted to ride the east coast of Malaysia because I'd seen the west coast on a backpacking holiday 8 years ago.
The weird thing is that the last trip to Malaysia, was actually after I left New Zealand - it was a holiday I had between my job in NZ and the new one in Aus. I still think of Wellington as a second home and it doesn't seem like that long ago - but it obviously was!!

near Kuala Terengganu.

near Kuala Terengganu.

no doubt a future Desktop Wallpaper

The east coast is known for its beaches and islands and generally doesn't have the industry or the big "western" city feel that the places on the west coast have. It is a more traditional life, stronger Islamic communities, but still a fair mix of other folks as well. As I found in southern Thailand, and in Turkey and Iran, East Coast Malaysia was again an area where I would often get free meals. There is definitely something in the culture of these Islamic communities about sharing and being generous to visitors. In Malaysia it would tend to be some other restaurant patron paying for my meal.

near Kuala Terengganu.

A free Breakfast - and the kind contributor

Although the East coast tends to be a strong Islamic area. there are still others there too. One night in Kemaman (Chukai) I felt like I was in another country. The people who owned the hotel were obviously Buddhist with the incense and offerings, but I ducked into a very busy restaurant across the road and the menu board was only in Chinese - not any Malay at all on the menu - so I had no hope of knowing what was available. Even if i could have remembered the symbols for rice, chicken etc from my China trip a few years ago it would have been no help as the menu appeared to be in the complicated Traditional Chinese characterset (typically used in Hong Kong and for Cantonese etc) not in the newer characterset that was more prevalent in the Mandadrin speaking areas I had spent most of my time. From a land full of mosques and people in traditional Islamic dress it was really weird to suddenly feel like you were in China. (most of the other shops in the area were also all sign written with Chinese).

Batik in the process (waxing)

When I first hit Malaysia and got into Kota Bharu I found I had further camera problems, so i decided it was new camera time again. (Grant, my brother in law joked before I left about how many bikes I'd go though on the trip. It should have been how many camera's. I think it is possible to buy a bike built for this type of trip. It is not however possible to buy a camera suitable for this type of trip. - Well, maybe a 1970's mechanical SLR might last the distance - but digital has soo many pluses) This time the new one is a Canon G9 (built more like a 1970's SLR) - and it's the camera you have when you don't want a camera the size of an SLR (but you really want the functions of one). (I am immensely happy with it by the way - having had it for a few weeks.)

Palau Kapas - snorkelling area

My trip south included a day of snorkelling at one of the islands off the east coast of Malaysia. Palau Kapas just off Marang (just south of Kuala Terengganu) was the island - and I did buy a water proof "single use" film camera for the trip but haven't had the photos developed yet. (the camera was past its use by date (by 2 years) so they may not be any good anyway - especially in a climate that is so hot). The snorkelling I organised with the boat operator (company) and it was such a contrast to Thailand. This was very informal. The boat went out to the island but to the snorkelling area first, dropped me off with a mask and snorkel (and a vest i didnt use) then took off to drop the rest of the passengers. I was to be at the same place 3hrs later to be picked up. No "herding of sheep" like a Thai snorkelling trip - (or any Thai "tour" for that matter). I was little disappointed in some of the snokelling as there was a lot of areas of coral bleaching, but the areas that wern't bleached were lovely (But, for the photography I wish i had the camera at Koh Tao in Thailand instead of here) The coral bleaching was however interesting in its own right. You get to see just what all the fuss is about, when they talk of the increased water temperatures killing off the coral reef eco systems. No coral like, no fish, only a few sea slugs. As soon as you got back to the edge of a good coral patch there were fish in front of your mask, clams, anemones and all the things you expect to see on a healthy coral reef. I suprised myself by going into the water and only coming out again a few minutes before the boat arrived to pick me up. I didn't know I could swim/float that long. And for about 30 to 40 minutes of that time I had a shark pestering me. He started poking & prodding , but actually bit at one stage. It wasn't a JAWS type thing though, This guy was about 30cm long and with a mouth that couldn't even think about taking my little finger. He was actually very cute, black with silvery white stripes on both sides - cute but annoying.

I did however forget to take off my Casio copy watch - which I knew want waterproof from any slight bit if rain. A few hours of sea water is enough to kill one of those totally , but being in Malaysia its actually possible to buy genuine ones - and at a fraction of the price back home. (I couldnt actually find a fake of the model I wanted, so I spent the extra on a real one. I was a bit hesitant, figuring the only way to really know what I was getting was to pay no more than $5, because then I'd know it was a fake. If I paid more I'd never know. It was the attitude of the shop keeper when I gave him the challenge of soaking it for ten minutes that convinced me he did in fact have real ones. (The fake ones would never last 10 minutes in a glass of water). (It passed the test. Well, at least a couple of minutes and I bought it)

One of the down sides of cycling in Malaysia was the annoying habit they have of stopping ALL signage to a place when they get within 10 to 20km of it. You'll be happily following signs to "your destination" then once you get 20km out, all the signage now points to somewhere beyond. So when you got to a junction of a road going into town and a bypass road, there was nothing to tell you which way to go. When this happened the first one or two times I thought it was "just there", but it happened constantly as I came down the east coast.

Palm plantations all over the west - now taking the south-east

Forest Gone - Palms to come

Another of the big differences between the East & West coasts is the Palm Oil Plantations. In the west 8 years ago they were everywhere. Now in the South East they are bulldozing forest to plant them. So that in the S/E soon it will be the same. but further north its still largely Palm Oil free.

I arrived into Johor Bahru (as far south as you can go on the Malay Peninsula) where I had two primary tasks, 1. To obtain my Indonesian Visa and 2. To pick up a replacement SteriPen, after I dropped the last one off a bed onto a tiled floor in Vietnam. The manufacturers have been really good accepting the damage as a manufacturing defect as the breakage occured whilst fitted with the protective cap inside the protective pouch. With a bad knee as I arrived into "JB" (as it is affectionately known) I had another goal, - to rest the knee ready to get across Indonesia before the visa runs out in 60 days. I had hurt the knee a few days earlier, when twisting to talk to people whilst still keeping my right foot in the pedal. Not a good thing to do. The knee feels good again after a few days rest so today I entered Singapore and tomorrow I'm off to Indonesia by ferry. Indonesia - the last country before Australia !!!!

Getting the Indonesian Visa was easier than anticipated. Everything I'd read said they insist on an onward air ticket but I went armed with a nicely formatted official looking Itinerary and a print out of a bank statement - to prove funds. (An Itinerary that I had "made up" a few days earlier in a Mersing net cafe). When the lady asked where in Indonesia I was going I started rattling off the names of the islands, then slid the Itinerary across and set "Oh... here". She responded "All of Indonesia" then said I could pick up the visa the next day.

Singapore - The queue to get in

Today was a short day, riding only across the entire island of Singapore, then by mid morning.... I should at this point apologise to any Singaporians, for tomorrow I leave for Indonesia after spending less than 24 hours in their beloved country. But I am spending one night here in Singapore - one expensive night. I'm back in a dorm again tonight - and that's costing more than I used to paying for a room. The cheapest room I could find was $35 for a room the size of a single bed - with just enough spare space to open the door. Something that more resembles what I've been used to would cost $80 to $120 per night. The bed i've got is costing $22 in a dorm of 6 (or is it 8?).

Me & Merlion

No valet parking for me.
Well thats been my last 2 weeks. It seems strange doing 2 countries in 2 weeks again! But that wont last - Indonesia will take me the 2 months that I have for the Visa and Australia, well, we'll see, but it wont be quick, 2 to 3 months?

--
http://www.whereonearthisjeff.com/

Cambodia, Thailand and South to the Malaysian border

2008-04-12T06:42:00.000-07:00

Once again I've left it too long between updates and so this will probably end up longer than it should... Sorry.

Here I am in Malaysia now, having crossed the southern provinces of Thailand in the last few days. But first back to Cambodia.

At my last update I'd reached Phnom Penh, but was still to head north to the Cambodian "must see" of Angkor Wat near the city of Siam Reap. I decided to head up the western side of the lake Tonle Sab. I would ride as far as Battambang then catch a boat across the lake to Siam Reap. The road to the west of Siam Reap is well known for being terrible and I'd need to ride it once to go from Siam Reap to Thailand, so, no point it doing that same terrible stretch twice when a boat can take you through floating villages and scenic canals before crossing the lake to get you where you want to go. With the water in the lake being low this time of year the first part of the "boat trip" was actually the back of a Ute, through all sorts of terrain (four wheel driving in a two wheel drive) to get to the banks of a canal that was navigable for the boat. I was expecting the majority of the trip to be lake, but no, most of the time - of the day long trip - was spent weaving through the canals between Battambang and the lake, picking up and dropping off people and goods at various floating villages along the way. (Consider this boat as being "the" method of transport for people and goods into these villages.) Fishing is of course the major industry here and the canals are lined with floating bamboo "barges" with bamboo cranes for lowering large horizontal nets into the water for fishing, and with rows of poles sunk into the mud holding nets forming a fish trap. The lake itself is also full of fish traps and people in the water maintaining them. At the Siam Reap side of the lake the boat drops you off maybe 10km from town (I didn't put the trip computer on so I don't know precisely) and despite having a bicycle you get off the boat and are inundated with offers of Taxi's in the form of cars trucks and motorbikes. You joke around with them, offering to take them and they get the idea. In Siam Reap, once again the expensive hotels come to the rescue providing a map of the place (most people have one in their guide book) and telling me where I can go to get a place that is in my price bracket.

Angkor Wat

I spend the next few days in Siam Reap, buying a three day ticket for the Angkor Temples but actually only using it for two. The scale of the Angkor ruins is just amazing. You look around Angkor Wat - the famous temple complex and think it is big, but compared to the whole area of sites it is tiny. A bike is a great way to get around to see all of the sites with the exception of the heat. If you can put up with the heat then it's ideal.

Angkor Thom Preah Khan

I was pretty happy with what I'd seen on day one of my ticket and would have gone away happy, but still managed to spend the entire next day going to places I'd never seen before, and could no doubt have done it again the next day - if so enclined. Getting toward the end of day one I'd not yet seen any of the ruins with the big trees growing in and over them, but sure enough, I had a couple more sites left on the "short tour" - as shown on the map, and yes there they were, as spectacular as all the pictures you've ever seen - looking like some extra terrestrial goop that is engulfing the building.

I stumbled across this

From Angkor and Siam Reap to the Thai border is a highway that really doesn't deserve that name. I've heard rumours that airlines are lining the pockets of people to ensure the roadworks are never completed, their maybe no substance to the story but it is certainly believable. The way in from Bangkok would be very easy comfortable if the road was good, but its not and as such most "tourists" fly in. Of the 150km highway there is a 15km stretch in the middle that is perfect, and the remainder is "being done", "in progress".

The truss holding the bridge is broken - so they drive a roller over it??

"Ice skating" on wet clay - Siam Reap to the Thai border

Or dust if it's dry

The unfortunate thing is that to make the road you first make it worse - digging it up - before making it better. In their wisdom (?) they've successfully dug up the entire length of highway, made it worse and don't have the money, people and equipment to make it better. It is in progress but they only seem to take it to the point of flattening it out, then moving onto the next bit, so never actually get the road sealed (and by the time that next bit is done the first bit is pot-holed and ruined by the traffic and weather. (hence they never get any of it finished) The various parts of the highway had various hazards. In some places wet clay made it like riding on a skating rink - you couldn't steer or move your weight, brake or accelerate - you just had try and maintain a slow constant speed and "maintain a line" or go where the road lead you. In other places a dust bowl with very fine clay dust, and in others with rocks embedded in the hard baked clay ground was far far worse than the worst cobbled road you've ever imagined. My map indicated I had 100km of this to the junction of the highway coming up from Battambang. I did that 100km of terrible roads on the first day and started the next day with 4km of rough then 15km of blissful smooth wide bitumen with a lovely wide shoulder that was part of the same surface. The remainder of the way to the border (all the way to the immigration office door) was once again terrible - and drier and dustier than the day before.. (The airline story is so believable).

Once to the Cambodian-Thai border I then had my worst ever immigration office shuffle - travelling across the "no mans land" between border posts 5 times before finally getting on the road - In Thailand . It was easy leaving Cambodia, they just stamped the passport and I was through. but when I got to Thailand they couldn't read the date stamp for my entry into Cambodia. Why the entry date into another country is of any significance nobody seems to be able to tell me, but because they couldn't read it they wouldn't let me in to Thailand and insisted I go back to Cambodian Immigration. Of course back on the other side Cambodia looked at my exit stamp and rechecked my Visa dates and said "no problem". Mmm... stale-mate. With extra initialling in the passport and a guy escorting down to the Thai side Thailand eventually let me in. But still no explanation why Entry into Cambodia mattered.

I rode a bit too far on this day and found myself on a stretch with no hotels, so the tent was again swung into action. It was the next morning at a bit after 3am that I woke up and decided to get up then pack and start riding. I had two hours of riding in the dark (4 'til 6), with a bit of moonlight, good roads and a white line that would reflect the flashing of the white LED headlight - just enough to keep me on what was a consistently good and reliable surface (Blind faith in the Thai road quality - such a change from Cambodia yesterday). This early start was to be the first of many. My new mode of riding in this heat is to have my watch wake me at 4:15 pack and be on the road asap. With a start at this time I can do a daily distance of 90km in the morning, and avoid most of the full heat from about 11am. (or look around the new town when I get there).

I arrived into Bangkok from one of these early starts right on peak hour (wouldn't want to miss that) and had a full day in Bangkok organising a whole heap of things. In the first arrival day - after riding 96km I got to the Indonesian Embassy just after they opened consular, found a bike shop and dropped the bike in for replacement Bottom Bracket, Chain, Cassette and Middle Chain Ring and a service. With all the Shimano XT parts in stock it would be ready by 9pm, and looked immaculate when I picked it up. (I don't ever remember it being that shiny). Whilst that was serviced I found a place to replace one of the tiny switches on the back of my camera (because the -> direction wouldn't work, and stopped you from changing some important settings), and booked myself in to a dentist for an appointment the next morning and found another bike shop to buy a new pair of knicks (riding pants). What I'd thought would take a week I'd done in one day. Aah, the joys of a big city. The only thing I failed at was finding a Petzl dealer. I had wanted to invest in a decent LED torch instead of the cheap ones I've had in the past. Before I had these things to do I had originally hoped to bypass Bangkok on this leg, but at least I was out of Bangkok in less than two days. Whilst on the hunt for a Petzl dealer though I met up with - by pure chance - a friend from Melbourne/New Zealand. David and Sheridan I knew from my bush walking club in Melbourne, but he moved back to his native New Zealand in 2002 and took Sheridan with him. I've not seen them again since, but here they were in a shopping mall in Bangkok. (I defy anybody to find anybody in "a shopping mall", "in Bangkok")

From Bangkok it was south toward Malaysia, and this meant a few days of doing the beach areas that Thailand is famous for, then beyond that into the southern provinces that the Australian Foreign Affairs Dept warn against visiting. Quote: "We strongly advise you not to travel at this time to the southern provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla". Unfortunately, these areas are on the way to Malaysia, and you have to go through all of them to get to the east coast of Malaysia. (My route)

Squid - sun baking Sunrise - East coast Thailand

7 days of fish need ice Prachuap Khirikan

I headed down as far as Champhon before taking a boat out to Koh Tao (island) off the east coast of Thailand. I spent a three days there, snorkeling and getting burnt on places that missed out on sunscreen.

The beach in front of my bungalow Koh Tao

I missed out on a couple of days riding by then taking a boat to Sarit Thani - but its a boat so not cheating :-) We had a bit of rain here every day, something I'd not seen since way back in Vietnam (but tropical big drops not wet mist like Vietnam) and we got magnificent lighting displays every night on the horizon with distant electrical storms.

From Sarit Thani I had to decide where I wanted to go. I had though I'd head across to the west coast to Phuket - just to say I'd been there, but after 3 days on Koh Tao, I "had been there". Phuket would be just like Koh Tao, but bigger, more people, noisier and more expensive (and Koh Tao was expensive by all other Thai or S/E Asian standards.) If I headed over to Phuket, I'd have to stay there a while to avoid going through the "southern provinces" mentioned above during the Thai New Year period (which sounds like a good time to set off bombs if wanting crowds and publicity). The alternative, miss Phuket and ride like the clappers to go through before New Year.

Leaving Koh Tao on the night boat put me in Sarit Thani early the next morning - ideal starting time for riding.

Sarit Thani after the night boat arrival.

On this first day I thought I'd done really well doing a new daily record of 146km. At this rate I'd get through to Malaysia and cross the border on the 12th (New Year being the 13th). Pretty good, but the 11th would be better, so I set a new target town for the next day which was 160km away. In 4 days I covered 630km a record for me. (In Iran I was pleased doing 600km from Shiraz to Bandar Abbas in 6 days). So after my initial record setting longest day of 146km I then did three days of more than 100 miles, 160km. (I'm a little chuffed, because I feel great, legs good, no knee probs - but the butt got a bit sore at times). I was so pleased with these days that I've actually put my name down for "Around The Bay" in October this year. So if anybody reading this feels so enclined book in for the 210km via Sorrento (Via Queenscliff was already booked out) and I'll see you there. (Oh &#%! I've just set a deadline for my return)

It's a shame to have had to rush through these southern areas. I had nothing but wonderful experiences in the region, the people were warm, welcoming and generous and for the first time since Iran and Turkey started giving me things like food and drink - for no real reason - just stopped by the side of the road or in a shop, just hospitality. Yes, these southern provinces are Islamic provinces. They are a warm and generous mob. But I guess like all religions there are a small numbers of extremists that soil the reputation of the rest.

police check point - one of MANY around the towns mentioned by DFAT

All with heavily armed police wearing flack jackets. There are large numbers between checkpoints too, seated by the roadside and patrolling around town.

To get to take this photo, every pannier bag and pocket was searched for bombs. Only then would the large number of automatic-gun armed police let me off the roadway toward the sports field.

Another thing I noticed in Southern Thailand was the road manners. There have been cars pulled up beside the road repeatedly (i think to make phone calls!!!) which before pulling out, actually check mirrors and wait for me to approach and pass before doing so. They also keep pulling in behind me when wanting to turn off instead of pulling in front and turning like "all" drivers in "every" other country here in S/E Asia. It really is a totally different driving culture here - even compared to northern Thailand.

I crossed in Malaysia in the mid afternoon on the 11th and am now in Kota Bharu. The map I was using showed two check points one that would mean an extra 70km and seemed to be more major. From the map it was impossible to see why anybody would go the extra 70km. I certainly didn't want to. On arrival at the Tak Bai checkpoint I found out why. There is a ferry, a small ferry that can only take a few cars or (smallish) trucks at a time and delays can be quite long (a bike can squueze in at the front). If only I'd looked at my Malysian map instead of the Thailand map I'd have known.

This side Thailand - the other Malaysia

Welcome to Malaysia

I'll spend a couple of days in Kota Bharu doing things like "emailing the group" and "Blogging" before heading off again down the East coast of Malaysia. More slowly than the last few days, because I want to see more, but really thinking it'd be nice to push through as I have been. Hmm..

Until next time.. Take care..

Jeff

Ho Chi Minh City and beyond: (Phnom Penh, Cambodia)

2008-03-21T05:14:00.000-07:00

In my last post I was in Nha Trang. After leaving Nha Trang, it was time to head on down the coast to Phan Rang Thap Cham then inland to see Da Lat.

Fish Trap in a Vietnamese stream

The (pineapple) market lady's "friends" wouldn't let her hide from the camera.

It's all in the wrist action - moving rapidly toward me

So many people (Vietnamese) asked me if i was going to DaLat that I felt duty bound to go. Da Lat is in the highlands of south central Vietnam and is meant to be a bit of a jewel. It was however back into hills and a good ol'climb it was too. I rode inland on reasonably flat ground for half a day then got to the base of the hills for lunch. The afternoon was spent climbing, climbing initially back and forward under a hydro power penstock (The big pipes that go straight down a hill into a hydro-electric power station). My map - which has been known to be inaccurate in many places showed the road going up and forking, right to DaLat and left to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) by-passing Da Lat. When I was many hours up the hill I stopped to eat corn cobs offered by a couple resting by the side of the road. They didn't speak English, but after studying the map for a while pointed to a position on the bypass road - meaning I must have passed the turn-off. My heart sank - but I couldn't believe that at 6km/hr I could have missed seeing an intersection. I was NOT about to head back down the hill looking for an intersection that may not be there. I decided to keep riding up. If the man was right and the map too then i'd missed the near road to DaLat but would eventually find the DaLat-HCMC road. If the man was wrong then I'd find the road I was looking for still ahead. It turned out that the map and the man were wrong. The road was indeed above me, 6km past the top of the hill, and the junction was at the town of Dran (clearly shown on the map half way along the bypass road). I reached Dran, found one and only one Guest House that wanted more than I was prepared to pay, so I bought a meal, filled my water bottles and headed up the road a bit further looking for potential camp sites. After a month in Vietnam I was about to spend my 2nd night in the tent. Poor tent, it must be feeling a bit unloved now. The camp spot I chose just happened to be next to a very large rubbish heap/sorting area. But it was on the top of a saddle, flat, overlooked a valley, Dran and a large reservoir and had market gardens on the other side. All in all, the trade off was worth it. I enjoyed being in the tent again - it does feel like home, and the view was really good as long as you didn't look in one direction. The next morning the climb continued - another half day of climbing from Dran to Da Lat. I did reach the top of the main hill after a couple of hours but I was on top with many large undulations to keep me busy into Da Lat. As I climbed the hill through the forest the day before I had made a mental picture of what I thought DaLat would be like, as I rode across the top on the undulations with no forest I re-evaluated and remade my mental picture. Fortunately my remade image wasn't right, because it wasn't favourable. Da Lat was indeed lovely but not anything like I had imagined. In some ways it reminded me of Esfahan in Iran, the countries jewel, making the most of the water front that it has - in this case a lake, with Esfahan a river. The lake was surrounded by beautiful grassy banks and gardens and the buildings of the city centre perched on the side of the hill over-looking the lake (a bit Wellington NZ like but on a tiny scale)

Down by the lake - Da Lat

I picked one of the not too ove-the-top hotels that looked like I might get a view - but it seemed everybody else had done the same. That place was full - and I think that would be quite rare for most of the hotels, as there are just so many of them in Da Lat. Every road has Hotel after Hotel after Hotel. It must be very busy in peak season to warrant that many being there. I moved two doors down and got a room with a view to the side. It was a great place to spend a couple of days, a nice market and plenty of places you could go and avoid the rest of the tourists that were there in the many "Tourist Cafe's".

From DaLat the road decends through pine forest on a great bicycle road, allowing plenty of chances to pass the many buses, motorbikes and cars also on the road, then after about 10km you plateau and continue at an elevated but not so high altitude (I forgot to mention that the altitude at DaLat made the sunny days wonderful, warm radiant sun with blue skies and a lovely low 20's air temperature.) The plateau was warmer than DaLat but not to the extent of HCMC.

Drying Pine cones for seeds to plant - sounds like corn popping

Whilst in DaLat I did something that I'd actually never bothered doing much before - before entering a big city - I located the backpacker/cheap hotel district in HCMC on the web and download a map of the city (to store and view on my camera) so that when I entered HCMC in a few days time, I would have some idea of where I should be going - not going in blind as I've done on most occassions. It was a wonderful thing to do, I really dont know why I hadn't bothered doing it before. Hmmm....

the local industry near Dinh Quan

Dinh Quan, big rocks

One of the places enroute to HCMC was Bao Loc, home of the silk worm breeding industry according to my maps "places of interest for tourists" The afternoon I got to Bao Loc I searched high and low, found numerous silk textile weaving factories, none that accepted tourists and no breeders. I did my searching on a motorbike taxi thinking that the information that I had been given by my guest house would be correct and I could get there in the rain directly instead of riding my bike slowly and searching an unknown city with no map getting soaked. But after three factories I gave up and headed back to the guest house to turn on the TV and watch a few different shows on the "Nat Geo Adventure", "Cable Channel". (National Geographics channel for showing videos that people have made whilst travelling the world, visiting strange places in strange ways and the like.) It felt really strange watching these things in a hotel room whilst cycling to Australia from Europe.

The entry to HCMC came a couple of days later, I had planned to stay 40km out and go into the city the next morning, but when I got to where I had planned to stay I still had a few hours of cycling time, the weather had cooled off with the sun behind clouds (It had got stinking hot when I came down from the plateau to sea level again) and I just didn't have the self control to stop myself from going on. It started raining a few km down the road, but that only lasted about 45 minutes. It made the road (motorway) potentially a bit slippery, but it dried up once the sun came out and made the humidity the enemy. The traffic into and around HCMC has a really bad reputation, so I expected the worst and was pleasantly suprised. It wasn't that bad. No worse than many of the other large cities I've been through. But I do wish I had a companion with a movie camera to take video footage of me traversing some of the roundabouts there. I revil in that type of traffic, and love getting through faster and easier than all the locals. It's all in picking the gaps and adjusting speed, it seems some of the locals haven't worked that out yet.

The HCMC Landmark - The market

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) - I'm walking on the footpath, the roads to the left

Cu Chi Tunnels: Sniper hole

Compared to the rest of Vietnam, HCMC was "expensive". Many of the items I had been purchasing regularly through Vietnam were 1.5 to 2 times the price when bought in HCMC, and it wasn't just tourist prices, marked prices in shops away from tourist areas were like it too. I ate in a cafe the first night surrounded by Vietnamese, eating off the same menu with marked prices and watched a guy fork out a Vietnamese small fortune for a basic meal for he, his wife and young child. (It was my most expensive Vietnamese meal) From then on I went just 1 or 2 blocks east to an area where there were absolutely no tourists, but many footpath vendors of street food and ate there. The prices were still higher than elsewhere, but much much better. (the other options included eating near my guest house in the back packer area - in what I will again call Latté café's at increased prices, or going a few block north to the 5 star hotel area and picking a restaurant where I could spend my retirement money.)

Leaving Ho Chi Minh City was planned to be direct to the Cambodian border, but I changed my route yet again and went south to the Mekong Delta. I'd miss the Cu Chi tunnels going that way, so booked a trip from HCMC to the tunnels on one of my days there. Cu Chi is one of the areas just north east of the city where the "Viet Cong" as we know them had their tunnels for living in and fighting from. You go through a section of tunnel, but they fortunately don't have the "man traps" that were used during the war to stop troops from the US and its allies . They do have some of the traps in a display at ground level so you can see the sorts of things they dreamt up, they are no for the squimish. Also not for the squimish - no I shouldnt say that - it's really a must see - is the War Remnants Museum. It has equipment displays and photo displays showing events from the war without the coloured glasses that the west would otherwise see them through. Some might say it shows the war from the Vietnamese side, but many of the photos are really powerful images that speak for themselves, of western troops doing things that we have signed conventions to stop. They are contained in a memorial display of photos by many photo journalists killed in the conflict.

Heading into the delta means remaining in "Tourist Territory" and so you must play "the pricing game" continually.

One of thousands of Channels in the Delta

Cycle touring the Delta

The Mekong Delta Vietnams food basket - fruit sorting

I stayed one night on an island along with a dutch guy I met in the area. When it was dinner time there was only one place to eat. - the restaurant in the hotel. We'd explored the island and there were other places, but closed in the evenings as they survive on the Tourist Boat trade. At the Hotel restaurant, the waitress gave me the menu, I looked at it and said that I wouldn't be eating, that it was too expensive. The prices were 100,000 and 200,000 Dong for mains (4 and 8 USD) and I normally pay one fifth to one tenth of that. (Willem's Lonely Planet listed mains at this place being around 50,000) I wasn't going to eat and pay those prices just because they had a monolpoly - even if I did have the money. (I always have emergency rations and some foods in my bags plus a fuel stove and an electric water boiler that I can use for instant noodles amongst other things.) It's the principle... As soon as they realised they were going to make NO sale at all they brought me the "Vietmases Menu" from which I selected a full meal for around 30,000. OK, I couldnt read it, but I knew enough of the basics to select one of the beef dishes with rice. Exactly what would come would be a suprise, but it would be Beef with Rice in some format. The next day for lunch - on the same island - I went to one of the - now open - other places. Their menu had dishes 200,000 and 300,000 Dong, I'd balked at the price but had not got to the point of refusing when the waiter/owner said "Would you like a Vietnamese meal, 2 Spring Rolls, Rice, Pork, Soup 15,000 Dong?" "Yes please" was the obvious answer. (and it came with an extra bowl of rice (when they thought I was a bit scrawny), Iced Tea and a Banana to finish off with. (Iced Tea is free just about everywhere else in Vietnam except HCMC). Whilst in the Delta it's normal to do one of the boat tours, so Willem and I hired ourselves a boatman and headed off at midday. They take you into some of the small canals, visit some of the local producers and generally explore the area. As we headed into one of the small canals we transfered into small boats with a Vietnamese lady paddling front and back (OK, bow and stern if you prefer - though it sounds a bit nautical for this type of craft). Of the many many boats emerging from the canal two really stood out. All the boats were full of tourist in tourist clothes, but two boats stood out with their passengers adorned in bright orange life jackets. I'm guessing they booked their tour from home. Judging by one of the accents, back in the litigous USA.

Late afternoon by the river in Vinh Long

Next was Vinh Long where I was pleasantly suprised with one of the tour agents. I went in to ask about what there was to see, and once he knew I had a bike he drew maps and explained how to get around the places by bike without ever trying to sell a tour. And he told me to come in the next morning and he'd do the same with an alternate route to my next days destination of Can Tho. For anybody going there, find the really cheap hotel right on the waterfront. The one that would have been a really nice hotel in it's day (but it's day was a long time ago). In the front of that hotel is a tour agent, and he's really good. Also in Vinh Long is a good little Cobra Restaurant. No that's not its name that's its cuisine. I was sitting there having drinks with Caroline from the UK, who very conveniently happened to be vegetarian, when the guy working there, (and wanting to impress the visiting female guest) brought over some of their specialty for us to try. I'd never thought of snakes being full of bones, but it's not unlike fish, lots of ribs.

Cobra - very like fish in texture and bones

The taste is quite neutral, a similar texture to fish but with no fishy flavour, quite flavourless in fact, getting its flavour from the preparation and spices.

A couple of days after that I'm on a boat from Chau Doc in Vietnam to Neak Luong in Cambodia (and a few hours up stream).

First impressions of Cambodia, expensive. (is that all I ever think about). So many tourists in Vietnam told me that Cambodia was so much better than Vietnam because they didn't play the "tourist price" game. Maybe they don't do it as much, but around Phenom Penh and some rural districts the prices are always high, typically higher than the "tourist price" in Vietnam. My first night in Cambodia was in Neak Luong, in a hotel where I paid $5USD. The room was about as low as I go standard wise - the one around the corner was below that standard and refused to negotiate below there initial price of $6USD. And yes the rumour I'd heard that Cambodian ATMs dispense USD is true, and so many things are priced to USD too. As for the tourist price game, they do play. When they give me a rediculous set of prices I tell them so and the price often changes.

In Phnom Penh, I spent a morning at the S21 site - a former school turned into prison and torture site by the Pol Pot, Khmer Rouge regime. Now a museum to the genocide committed under his rule. A visit here is like a visit to a concentration camp in Europe, chilling and emotional.

S21 former school converted to prison and Torture Centre for Pol Pot. (The frame in the foreground was swings and ropes at the school and used for suspending people by their wrists - behind their backs by Pol Pot.)

From Phenom Penh it was north on Highway 5 along the west side of the lake to Battambang where I'll head across the lake to Siam Reap and Angkor (tomorrow).

Cycle re-Cycle - Phnom Penh

Cambodian School Bus

Door to Door Salesman

Home Delivery

Well that's it for this time - thanks to everyone that's stayed with me for the past YEAR. Yes, it is now a year since I was in Barcelona, trying to find my way from the airport to the city at midnight on the wrong side of the road, with no map, on roads with detours, and in a place where I didn't speak the language. I've learnt alot since then.

Jeff

--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Nha Trang, Vietnam

2008-02-27T04:49:00.000-08:00

Mmm, just looked and saw that my last post was nearly three weeks ago. Time for an update...

A very rare shot - A guy stopped to take a picture of me riding, so I got him to take one for me too. (I've not got others of me riding - my timer wont go that long)

At the time of my last post I was about to go out to celebrate the Lunar New Year, and welcome in the year of the rat. Well I did, and to say that Hanoi was a bit crowded would be an understatement. The stage that I mentioned being set up the day before was in full swing and you couldn't move in the crowd. For some unknown reason people were attempting to "ride" motorcycles through a crowd that you couldn't even walk through, so that just made it worse. It was ideal territory for pick pockets, and I knew it, so as I weaved through the crowd I had both my hands in my pockets and my arm firmly pressed against the camera that hung on my belt. But there was one pocket I hadn't covered, outside the ones with my hands and they got to that. I lost a little bit of cash and a plastic ATM card (not a credit card), so the only thing they could use was the petty cash. But my cards are spread out to avoid loosing more than one in any one loss, and the cash too is spread out and I only have small amounts available for these type people. So the impact on my trip, basically nil. Aah... The upsetting part was that the phone call to Australia to report the card stolen cost me $22 USD. "Which Bank" has the longest telephone queues... That's a statement, not a question. - Aussies who remember their advertising will understand)

Due to the type of loss it wasn't worth reporting locally so I left Hanoi the next morning as planned, to hit what I hoped would be deserted roads. And they were. The old part of the city, that had been so full of traffic the day I arrived that you couldn't move for motorbikes, was so empty that you could fire a gun down the middle of the street and hit nobody. When I got to the highway it too was largely deserted, there were cars and motorbikes there but very very few, and virtually no buses or trucks.

Deserted streets in old Hanoi on New Years Day -compared to before the new year.

New Year balloons, Somewhere along highway one - south of Hanoi

As the day progressed and I moved further away from Hanoi down Highway 1, a few places started to open for business, but the major traffic was still couples walking down the street, enjoying the rare peace. There were many cafe's and hotels closed for the holiday(s) but a few open, so you could still eat, sleep and ride.

For the next week I'd be staying in small hotels in minor cities or towns and in nearly every case I was the only customer (I think this is common in these places when it's not new year too)

Traffic slowly increased each day, just how much quieter it was than normal I don't know, but it wasn't like I'd been expecting, nor like what I'd seen from the inside of the bus when travelling up to Hanoi to start the south bound Vietnam leg. The quietness of the roads didn't help for some though. On one day, I saw 2 separate accidents with fatalities that had yet to be taken away, at one site someone receiving CPR at the other site a caring wipe of a loved ones forehead and tears. Between these, another one where the riders had survived and were still sitting where they had landed rubbing injured limbs and receiving a caring hug. All involved a motorbike and tin top (car, truck, bus) and it was the bike riders on the road. And all this happened on what I consider to be a not very busy Highway 1.

I'd seen many a motor bike on the roof of a bus but never the loading process until this day.

Of the drivers on the road the bus drivers seem to be the worst - as far as driving at crazy speeds though places that they wont fit (Until somebody moves out of their way). But the bike riders are incredibly unpredictable. They too do absolutely crazy things, so many NEVER look Left OR Right before entering a major highway from a side road, they just turn onto the highway (left or right turn) and expect a blast on a horn if there is traffic - at which they swerve onto the shoulder (where I am). Another annoying pastime of the motor bike riders is coming alongside me (the rare bicycle tourist), riding beside me for a while, then pulling in front of me with about half a metre clearance and slowing right down such that I have to hit the anchors to avoid hitting them from behind.

Another crazy thing about the roads here, that contributes to the road toll is the crazy speed limit system.

The crazy Vietnam highway speed limits. (why buses blast down the road scattering motorbikes)

Highway one is a single lane in each direction. Why they have four different speeds for four classes of vehicle I have no idea. It means that buses doing their speed limit tear down the road blasting their horns much faster than the bikes that are in the same lane. The slower (by law) bikes have to scatter to avoid being hit from behind by the faster moving bus. It's traffic mayhem.

As a tourist, most small businesses will try (and in many cases succeed) to overcharge you - some form of tourist premium. When you find one that doesn't you have to remember that price, so you can then quote it back at all the others. But until then you just pay the premium suspecting you are being ripped off but not knowing by how much. Many businesses would rather miss out on the sale than lower the price for you though. If you don't know the real price, you convert back to your home currency and think that it is cheap, or reasonable, and pay, even though it is twice the normal price here.

The old North/South dividing line - the old bridge across the river is closed and been replaced by a new modern one on the right.

All that said, I'm really enjoying Vietnam. I like the people, the place, the food, sure it would be nice to have prices printed on the labels like in India and Nepal so that you couldn't get ripped off, but then that only works for packaged goods. You can pay 5000 VND for 1 kg of apples here, I have twice, but the rest of the time they are 16000 to 25000 per kg and they refuse to lower, preferring to miss out on the sale. You can get Pho for anywhere between 5000 and 30000. 10000 seems to be the going rate for locals (and me at a few places), but 15000 & 20000 seems to be increasingly popular. (An Aussie dollar being around 13000 VND, so its all still cheap with foreign currency). I'm glad I didn't listen to the guys that told me to stay in Laos and skip Vietnam, it may have been cold and wet for the first month here, but I wouldn't want to be missing any of this. Its even good when the food ordering doesn't go as planned, I really enjoy getting things that I never would have thought to order, or wouldn't know how to order. And given the lists of "body parts" that you can get in your soup in Richmond (Vic, Aust) I was expecting to get all sorts of things here, but if you get a Pho Bo (Beef noodle soup) the pieces of "steak" that they slice into the soup look truly splendid. In DaNang I had the pleasure of the beautiful "Tu Nga" showing me some of the local cuisine, she took me on her new motorbike to several places to taste their speciality, and again when I returned to DaNang a week later for my Visa Extension. Thanks Tu Nga. :-)

Tu Nga adding some personal touches to the new bike

The cost of accommodation here varies mainly due to the size of the city you are in, the larger the city the larger the price - the one exception to that I have seen was Hue which is very touristy and has an over-abundance of competing empty hotels so was cheaper than I'd have expected. But generally 10 USD will get you a very comfortable room anywhere that I've been, and in the cheaper places you'll get an even better room for 6 USD. I've posted a few photos of rooms to show what they are like - after being challenged by a friend - & USA traveller) who wanted to compare my 10 USD room with his 240 USD room in New York. To date my best room would be that in Hue, where for under 10 USD I had a room with big windows on two sides, beautifully light and airy, complete with the normals, including a fridge and TV, but also with an Internet computer with no usage charge.

I didn't waste too much time as I headed south, as I was wanting to get to some better weather. Leaving Hanoi, and for many days after I was very pleased to have my Frosty Boy riding fleece, with the weather each day being cold and rainy/drizzly. The wet weather mixed with the amount of dirt on the roads meant a maintenance nightmare for the bike too. The derailleurs would fill with mud restricting their movement and the gears would no longer change. I would have to wash down the gears and chain once or twice a day and re-lube in order for things to work. (you could feel the grit in the chain through the pedals it was so bad). There was a definite change in the temperature when I came south across a range of hills that meet the sea just north of DaNang, but the brief encounter with sun in DeNang was just that - brief - rain still continued as I headed south from there and continued when I went back a week later by bus to get a Visa Extension.

DaNang, beside the river

An informal fish market on a beach near DaNang

In the past two days, down below Quy Nhon the weather seems to have changed, it has rained each night but the days have been sunny and hot - stop press - today was rainy again.

An old friend that's been with me most of the way from Spain, but that I'd not seen for along time. (Taken during the short sunny break in DaNang.)

Can you pick the difference between the sky here and the pictures above? (Taken during the two days of hot sunny weather near Ninh Hoa)

We'll see if it continues. I suspect now that I will get better and hotter weather, but just how hot will it get when I get past a few more hills to Ho Chi Minh City? (I'll start complaining about the heat soon). I can take it more leisurely now anyway, with my 4 week extension (from the other day) I have an extra 3 weeks in Vietnam - more than enough for a leisurely ride to HCMC. (Why do all the buses I see have signs saying Saigon?) And for a total change in cycle touring tradition, for the last week I've had tail winds. If ever you are thinking of cycle touring Vietnam at this time of the year go North TO south.

Not too often it's like this and blowing your way - but it's still unpleasant and I'd rather it be still.

(The wind has really been too strong, you never have it behind you ALL the time and the times when it is against you or side on is very unpleasant, but going South to North now would be hell.

I've mentioned a few times a visa extension in DaNang, I tried to get one in Quy Nhon, being the last touristy provincial capital I'd be going to before mine ran out. (Internet searches indicated the immigration dept in provincial capitals could do it.) But the Immigration Officials in Quy Nhon couldn't extend a "C1" visa - or so they said through an interpreter. That needs to be Hanoi, HCMC or DaNang (where i had intended to do it but forgot). This left me with either a rushed ride to HCMC seeing nothing along the way or a bus ride from Quy Nhon to DaNang to get a renewal there before continuing at a leisurely pace. I opted for the trip to DaNang. After being unsuccessful with the immigration office during the day I arranged to head to DaNang on the early bus the next morning (giving the immigration people in DaNang more time to sort things if needed. It would be Thursday so I wanted to make sure the application went in OK to give me some chance of getting it back on Friday). The early bus - I was told was a paper delivery van with one or two seats that the driver let out for pocket money. It was to leave Quy Nhon at 4am, but as a consolation he would pick me up at the hotel. When it rocked up at 3:30am the next day (fortunately I was ready, just un-showered), it was in fact a bus, a small transit van 16 seater with at least half a dozen passengers. The back row of seats folded down to make room for the newspapers we were yet to pick up. At the printers we filled the back area to head height with what would have to be at least half a tonne of newspapers. We then screamed up the highway as they do (especially at that hour) ignoring the "optional" red lights etc in our mission to deliver the papers. Last time I caught a bus I was sharing it with 3 petrol filled motorbikes between me and the door, this time I'm sitting on a flimsy folding bus seat with half a tonne of newspapers loose behind me, and in both cases a driver that drives in typical Vietnam style of flat-out regardless of obstacles - and on a wet road. I was just waiting for the papers to come through the seat and to leave me in a wheelchair for my remaining days. (But if it ended up like the bus I'd seen the day before in the rice paddy then maybe I'd drown and not have to worry about it. - how it got out into the middle of the paddy I will never know, you sort of expect it to be near the edge at the bottom of the embankment, but no, there it sat in the middle.) In DaNang I found the immigration office OK, but was directed to another one around the corner. There they told me that I needed a sponsor, employer etc. I said "no it's a tourist visa", but that makes no difference, so it was off to a travel agent to get them to do it. All of the travel agents offer a visa extension service, you pay them and they put themselves as the sponsor (presumably). It makes the 10 USD visa extension into a 35 to 55 USD affair, and they have a nice little earner. The Immigration lady gave me the name of a guy who turned out to charge 35 USD with a next day return, one other I enquired at wanted 55 USD and 4 days, so the decision was pretty simple. The next afternoon - after a sightseeing trip to the world heritage village of Hoi An - I had my passport back with a fresh 4 weeks of visa.

Hoi An reminded me a bit of Wittenburg in Germany (home of Martin Luther and the church reformation). The place was full of historic buildings, but to me it had lost its character, it was too full of tourists. The world heritage streets and buildings were now occupied by Chapel Street style coffee shops, where you could buy any manner of non-Vietnamese food or drink, sip your Laté and do it all WiFi connected. I hired a bike and got away from the place into the outskirts where real Vietnam still exists, dirt roads and people going about their normal day. I ate lunch in a place that was full of Vietnamese (probably many Vietnamese tourists) but not a westerner amongst them (except yours truly). I was immediately waved over to a very long table of people and made to sit down, they accepted that I'd rather have the free iced tea than a bia (beer), I ordered what I had selected on the board out the front and when it was all over they insisted on paying.

No such thing as a free lunch - or is there

No English was spoken by the group, but that didn't matter we got on famously. Correction - there was some English. One of the girls said "I love you" then pointed to the girl next to her. The girl got suitably embarrassed and blowing her a kiss probably helped there. The next day was back to Quy Nhon via the other world heritage site of "My Son". With no direct means of getting there from DaNang I once again hopped on the local bus to Hoi An, but this time instead of hiring a bicycle I hired a man with a motorbike. This is a standard form of public transport, sort of like a 2 wheel taxi. It was raining nearly allday so it feltright being on the motorbike not in a taxi or bus. Now-a-days the motorbike rider men all carry two helmuts as the law now says you need a helmut on a motorbike. He quoted for a return trip, and I that's what I took, but with the intention of leaving him half way back - at the point where we cross Highway One. Highway One would be full of buses going to Quy Nhon that would be only too happy to pick me up. And it was easy, I waited less than 15 seconds for the first bus.

"My Son" has its heritage listing because of the Cham towers and temples that were once located there and now is largely Cham ruins. I was unaware of the Indian-Hindu relationship to Vietnam, but the Champa people lived there from the 4th to 14th century and built towers and temples all over mid and southern Vietnam with great rock carvings of Shiva and the other Hindu Gods.

"My Son" ruins

(wikipedia info here).

The bus trip back to Quy Nhon was another example of one form of small business attempting to bleed as much as they thought they could out of a tourist. It's normal to hop into these buses and not pay until much later when the conductor/spruiker requests you to. I decided I'd have more say in the fare if I negotiated straight away, so as soon as we were moving I tapped him on the shoulder and said "how much, (rubbing fingers) Quy Nhon" The response came back 160,000 dong (VND) (equiv 10USD). I knew from a few days ago that the going rate was 60,000 dong, so said "OOOHHH TOO MUCH. 60,000 DONG". The bartering continued with neither of us changing our bids for quite sometime. The rest of the bus obviously understood that the game was in progress (I think it's a sport here, and obviously a good spectator sport too) and was keenly awaiting the result. I played my "I'll take the next bus, this bus is too expensive" card - English he obviously understood, because the worried look crept on to his face, a glance was exchanged with the driver - who glanced around, and he responded with "70,000 dong". This was close enough, it let him have the winning bid, but with me knowing that the game was really mine. The bus was filled with chuckles and comments I didn't understand as the spectators went back to looking out the windows.

(that extra 90,000 dong will be a good few meals for me)

Equipment wise:

- No issue with the bike other than the aforementioned dirt in gears and chain.

- I've had problems with the camera again - my first camera - the one I used from Spain to Turkey then again since I fixed it in Australia at Christmas time for Thailand and beyond. This time the shutter button didn't work - probably a belated result of damage done when falling onto it off the bike several days or a week earlier, a story I've not yet conveyed, but a camera fix it man in Hue has breathed further life into it - at least until the piece of metal that now presses the switch internally damages the switch.

- My little USB thumb drive that played mp3's has gone walkabouts - see also the falling off bike story.

- I've now got a better mosquito net for those stays in hotels, made to use the tent poles, but be a lot cooler than the tent inner that is largely ripstop material with only small vents of mesh.

I custom made my new mosquito net in my hotel room out of a single bed net to suit my tent poles. Here a local curtain maker in Quy Nhon, puts decent stitching where I had rough stitched. She didnt want payment but she got some flowers.

The falling off the bike story :- I cant tell you too much because i don't remember falling off the bike at all. It was two days out of Hanoi. (I just know that I got sore ribs, a hole in one arm of my rain jacket a ding in the helmut - which warrants replacement when I can - and dirt on the panniers. Either one of two things must have happened, either I came off the bike got the hard hit to the helmut/head and my brain has blotted out everything before and after, or as suggested by family, maybe I blacked out first then rode off the road. It happened on highway One in Vietnam so could easily have been fatal, I've no idea if I rode off the road or was forced off, or blacked out first. Either way, I'm OK, it was a couple of weeks ago and I've had no further problems - other than the sore ribs. The only lasting thing will be the loss of the mp3 player from the zipper pocket on the front of my handlebar bag. Because of the number of bodies I've seen on the highway here, I think me lying unconscious (which I assume I must have done) by the side of the road would have been enough for someone to go into the bag - possibly looking for ID, possibly more sinister. Seeing the mp3 player and - assuming I was history - thinking, he wont be needing that anymore.. Then when I came to, Oh... how do I tell him I stole this, I'd better just keep quiet.

I dont remember taking this photo, but the sign the bike leans against matches one in my "dream" Some memories from after the event - as I came to -are dream like memories.
--

Until next time..

Jeff.
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Hanoi, Vietnam

2008-02-06T06:05:00.000-08:00

Wow, we've got some unusual weather here at the moment. You've all probably seen the news reports of the unseasonal cold and associated snow in China. Well it doesn't stop at the Chinese border and northern Vietnam is very much "unseasonal" too. I spoke to some guys touring on motorbikes the other day and they said the weather had been beautiful until a week earlier and then the tropical depression hit and the temperature plummeted and the rain started falling.

I don't have much in the way of warm clothing but it seems that all the other travellers are buying clothes (and asking hotels for the non-existent rooms with heaters). I still have my sleeping bag - figuring I'd need it in once I got to Central Australia. I'm glad to have it here now.

Since my last post, I've received my Vietnam Visa, then headed north to Vang Vieng up Highways 10 and 13 then back tracked almost to Vientiane to take Highway 13 to the south - as far as "Road 8" - my access across the mountains to Vietnam. Vang Vieng was a real shock to the system , tourists, tourists, tourists. The main street there is lined both sides with restaurants, net cafes, and tourist booking agencies. If you walk down the street looking, you will eventually find one that doesn't have continuous re-runs of "Friends" , "The Simpson's" or other American TV re-run DVD's playing. Vang Vieng reminded me very much of Queenstown, New Zealand and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe - the possible difference being that the activities at those places all cost about $100 and in Vang Vieng the activities revolve around the river, & drinking and floating - in various forms - down the river. There is of course Caving, Rock Climbing, Kayaking, Tubing and other things that cost $, but not $100. Getting to Vang Vieng was a two day ride, camping at Na Kuen both on the up & return journey. After riding a day and a half north on roads that I would need to re-ride on my way back I decided to do the last 50km on their local form of public transport (covered back utility/pick up vehicle). It was nice to cut a 103km day down to 50km and get there mid afternoon with time to wash clothes book a tour for the next day and have a bit of a relax. ( I figure If I'm going to re-ride the same road its OK to cheat one way - especially if the transport drops me further away from home than where I started.) The tour the next day was caving and kayaking I took my head torch and various items but when I ended up with blisters on both hands from Kayaking I really wished I'd taken my cycling gloves.

- David and Sebastian from the UK - who told me to stay in Laos and not bother with Vietnam - I've ignored their advice

- Hills around Vang Vieng Laos

- Vang Vieng after a half day paddling (not peddling)

- Petrol Bowser, rural Laos

- One of the wooden bridges on Road 8 - from Laos to Vietnam

- Road 8 again, Laos

The Highway 13 heading south i travelled on was nowhere near as pretty as the sections up north, but once turning onto "Road 8" toward the hills and Vietnam the scenery was even more spectacular. (Of course it comes at the cost of hills you need to ride up).

The mountains were stunning and rugged, I cursed the map I have various times for making me believe that certain sections were flat when they - very much - were not. The border between Laos & Vietnam follows the ridge and water shed on the mountain range and the climb up the western side in Laos got very foggy and damp, but once I crossed the border to Vietnam the fog became rain that continued all night and the next day into Vinh. I crossed the border between 3 & 4 but all day the low-light had made it seem many hours later than it really was. Once crossed into Vietnam I started looking fro camp sights and auditioned a few that were just soooo... sodden that they were out of the question. I eventually found one that wasn't quite so bad, had a small area where somebody had dumped some sand and thus a little bit of drainage. I set camp and slept clothed so as not to risk getting the sleeping bag wet. The next morning the tent was essentially dry inside - except for the rectangle where the thermarest had been. A few weeks ago I punctured the floor of the tent with a twig and I haven't got a suitable patch material with me so I haven't patched it. - bad mistake.

Finishing the decent the next morning left me on undulating roads that I followed for the rest of the morning until hitting river flats in the afternoon for the run into Vinh. There was a brief respite from rain in the second half of the morning, but it started up again after lunch leaving everything very very wet on arrival into Vinh. My first two tasks in Vinh, an ATM for money (I had changed minimal at the border) and a BIG hotel room for spreading out all the gear to dry. With the tents, flies, clothing, bags and other gear spread out in the room, my shoes hanging by their laces on the oscillating pedestal fan I headed out for dinner etc with socks and sandals. The room cost me 10USD had two queen size beds a fridge, Fan, Air Conditioner (not reverse cycle though) and just about everything you could want in a room - and I was the only guest in the hotel. For some reason - maybe there desire to feel like they have many customers by having to clean more rooms - they put the price up for that room the next day, and I moved to a room with only one Queen size bed the next day. I tried to convince them that it would be better to have me only dirty one room but with them having no English and me no Vietnamese it didn't work. (By this time the gear was about as dry as it was going to get - so I was prepared and not pay the extra.)

Into Vietnam the mist turned to rain

I mention that the hotel owners had no English, which they didn't, but I could still communicate very successfully with the woman, using the tried and trusted techniques of charades and pictionary. The husband was however a totally different story. The next day I wanted to find a shop to buy a school exercise book to use for my journal - as my current one had only one page left. I went down to reception and the husband was "on duty". I did what seemed sensible showing him that I wrote in the book, that I had many many pages of writing, and only the back of the last page was free. I indicated I wanted to buy one and pointed questioningly both ways along the street for shops. But he just didn't get it. The next 5 minutes or more was spent trying to find more different ways of getting the message across but everytime being met with blank expressions or some action that was totally wrong. Every now and then in my travels I find someone who I just cannot communicate with - someone who seems unable to communicate without the spoken word. Fortunately they are not very common, and on this occassion the wife arrived shortly after on a motorbike. When the wife arrived I did the same actions I'd tried with him and all seemed to be going well until he said something to her in Vietnamese. Whatever it was that he said put right off the scent and she went behind the reception desk and did something totally wrong, but identical to what he had done earlier. I grinned, smiled and lightheartedly pushed him out of the way, put my arm around her and took her to the other end of the foyer. She immediately understood that we were going to start again without his "help". I repeated my actions again, this time she walked behind the desk pulled out a near empty exercise book, flicked through the blank pages for me and I nodded. We then both walked 3 shops down the street where she said something to the shop attendant and they pulled out two different sizes of empty exercise book. Aaaah.... We then got a big grin and some comment from the husband.

The trip from Vinh to Hanoi is one I had decided to do in either bus or train - again it would otherwise be many days riding the up and back on the same stretch of highway. After a morning of riding around frustrated trying to find somewhere to buy a ticket or catch a bus the next day I eventually found the depot and was approached by a very fluent English speaker. (I'm sure he drums up a lot of business that way). He had a guest house next door and said he ran the bus company that ran through Vinh en route to Hanoi. I was to go the next morning and the bike would be inside the bus instead of on top like most buses. The next morning the bus was there with 3 motorbikes in place of the front set of passenger seats and my bike lay flat on top of the three motorbikes. We travelled with the curtains closed in that area so that the police wouldn't see, lest they have to bribe their way out of trouble. The foreigners sat on the rear seats (me and the three motorcyclists) and the locals over-filled up the rest of the bus (2 seats, aisle, 1 seat, with a folding seat in the aisle, making a total of 4 but they filled it with 5 in each row. With three tanks of petrol in the front next to the only door and many many people and seats between us and that door we were all hoping that the crazy way the buses drive here would not result in a crash. And I think we'd all worked out how we'd try to push out the back and side windows - assuming that - like home - that becomes an emergency exit. (it would for us anyway). The bus dropped us off somewhere, none of us knew where. Our maps showed several bus stations in Hanoi but none of them with names remotely resembling the one we were at. I loaded up and headed off up the road in the direction we thought might lead to the city. Getting a hotel was easier than normal as I got a guy on a motor bike - that pulled up at the lights next to me - to take me to one in the cheap hotel tourist area. If he gets a commission and I still pay the same, I don't care, otherwise I spend hours riding around strange cities otherwise trying to find the few streets where all the cheap hotels are clumped. Something I've learnt in my travels to date.

Twice on the same road - No - I caught a bus Vinh to Hanoi

I arrived in Hanoi with just a few days before the Lunar New Year, so I hurriedly booked for a tour departing the next morning to HaLong Bay, a tour that would give me a full day - New Years Eve - back in Hanoi, before the place shuts down for the New Year. At that time the only logical thing for me to be doing is riding - heading south.

- The weather wasn't great but at least it wasn't raining - HaLong Bay, Vietnam

- Monkey Island, Ha Long Bay

- New Year in Hanoi, burning USD. Well, photocopies that you can buy in bundles

- Once again loving the street food, The Pho is actually as good as "Dzung Tan Dinh" in Victoria St Richmond.

Its now the evening of new years eve, time to go out and get some food and find the party (which I don't think will be that hard, due to the big stage that was being assembled near the lake last night. )

Best wishes for a Happy New Year (Year of the Rat)

Jeff

Vientiane, Laos

2008-01-18T05:49:00.000-08:00

Another border, another country and it feels great. So much more satisfying than arriving in a new country by aeroplane. I really felt the loss of continuity flying across Pakistan and Burma (with missing so much of India and Bangladesh as well). It really is nice to do border crossings the hard way - and its my first ever "move to the other side of the road" border crossing. Previously the Right to Left change occurred between Iran and India when I was in mid air.

Laos had a different feel to Thailand as soon as I crossed the border, the other side of the road would have contributed, but the French influence and other unexplainable things just felt good. - I liked it straight away. There is one thing it has in common with Iran. Your wallet fills to bursting with next to no value in it, and you become a millionaire very easily.

It seems like maybe I have a problem with Candida since my stint in the Indian hospital and the huge doses of antibiotics I was given to rid me of the infection there. As a result I'm now on a Green Veg diet with no sugars natural or otherwise - so no fruit and no processed food. I've even been off rice for a while as it seemed to be causing problems when I vist the little room. This diet is not exactly good for cycling where you need lots of carbohydrates for energy and sugar for those bursts when you've just done one hill and meet another.

The section from Phitsanulok to Chum Phae in Thailand was hilly, has some lovely Thai National Parks in it and I found it very hard going - probably due to my lack of carbohydrates. The hills were no worse than anything I've encountered in countries such as Iran, Turkey, or Nepal but my legs would really feel weak - so I'm putting it down to lack of carbs'. Today wasn't hilly - coming into Laos, but I changed from 3 meals a day to 5 and I'm sure it helped.

My standard meals here at the moment are

Breakfast: Veg Soup

Lunch: Veg Soup

Tea: Veg Soup

To strictly conform to the diet I should be making it all myself as all the Thai soup bases contain 3 things that I shouldn't be having, Sugar, Salt and MSG. Yes, MSG s in damn near everything here (except if you go to Khaosan Rd Bangkok where they know it scares off tourists.)

I've started eating meat with Breakfast and Lunch now too - what a hoot !!

Between meal snacks when riding consist of seaweed (yum), and dry cornflakes.

plus equals

No carbs and no sugar in a diet + hills = no energy and jelly legs

But after a couple of weeks, I have been cheating on the diet the past couple of days, getting into the Yakult - which is very common here, available in every drinks fridge - but in Thailand all the Yogurts and Yakult type drinks are rich in sugar. I'm hoping the pro-biotic advantages for my stomach outweigh the intake of the sugar...

- Rice Paddies in Northern Thailand

- Not cheating, Miss Wasna is showing me the local home stay.

- My room at the home stay

- They tend not to believe a cyclist only wants veg soup for breakfast

I've been using the local establishments for food and accommodation a little more than in Europe where it cost so much. In Thailand the food is generally very well prepared and the accommodation decent but cheap(ish) - not as cheap as the less developed countries but generally better too.

When however I do elect to camp - (I don't like committing myself to fixed distance days all the time - which you need to do if using accommodation) - I like the fact that in Thailand I can again get off the side of the road and dissapper into the bush (seeing nobody until I head back to the road the next morning. Such a contrast to India and so good.

- Another good cook - the mother told me the daughter loved me - and the daughter blew a kiss as I left.

- Typical country northern Thailand

- Camping can again be a private in Thailand.

- A bungalow behind a very nice hotel complex but within budget. (Nong Bua Lampur)

- A taste of how the other half live - in the hotel complex (Nong Bua Lampur)

- The local town lake - I didn't think much of the town when I arrived, liked the hotel, and when I went to leave I found the gems, the lake and a lovely town centre off the highway.

Welcome to Laos

Lovely green rice paddies - freshly planted- Laos

Next Laos - well a tiny bit of it, as I head across toward Vietnam - I wont get to see the bulk of the country further north.

Continuing to love the trip

Jeff

--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Thailand - Phitsanulok

2008-01-10T04:56:00.000-08:00

Happy New year to all, from Phitsanulok in Thailand.

I had a very quick trip to Australia from Bangkok arriving to Melbourne Airport on Christmas day. After being picked up by my sister Lyn, the 3 "kids" headed around to surprise the parents. And yes they were surprised... Dads 80th Birthday is Boxing day - so arriving for 3 days meant I got Christmas and his Birthday plus one more before I had to leave ( lest QBE void the rest of my insurance policy. ) QBE very "nicely" allowed me 3 days when normally they'd cancel the policy as soon as I arrived in Melbourne. Fortunately I'd planned it before I left, so I insisted before I'd open the policy.

Mum, Dad & the kids Christmas Day

Lyn, Dad, Mum, Me and Wendy

The 80th Birthday was a celebration at "The Cuckoo" restaurant in the Dandenong Ranges. For those not familiar, it is a Bavarian style place with matching floor show and fortunately, food not from Bavaria (who'd go there for Wurst?).

Dad and Mum's Table

The other Table

Now he's part of the floor show.

On my last day in Melbourne (before heading to the airport) I bought a house in Melbourne - somewhere to call home when I return - I sold the last one before I left in March. The new one is in Croydon. It was shortlisted by my intrepid property hunter Wendy, deemed acceptable and now she gets to do all the work re the purchase - whilst I'm over here. Aren't family great...

Since then I have flown back to Bangkok, picked up the bike and luggage from storage and caught the train to Chiang Mai in the north, and reassembled the bike ready to ride. Because my India trip was not to my satisfaction, sickness, km travelled etc I decided to do an Indo-China loop through to Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia before I head south.

I saw in the New Year in Chiang Mai then met up with another rider and we have spent the last few days riding together as far as Phitsanulok - one of the stops on my way to Laos.

Tuk tuk to the train station Bangkok

Me in the train

Chiang Mai

Wat Lok Molee

New Years Eve in Chiang Mai - hot air lanterns

Thai Cookery School

Photos of the trip from Chiang Mai to Laos will have to wait till I get to Vientiane.

Sorry about the length of the update but I've got to go.

Jeff
--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Delhi then ... Merry Christmas - from Bangkok

2007-12-20T21:58:00.000-08:00

Well I'm out of India...

I'm happy and sad about leaving India. Sad that I didnt get to go south as I had intended, sad that I didnt get to Rajasthan as per my revised plan. I ended up riding straight from Agra to Delhi to catch a flight here to Bangkok, Thailand. I'm also sad that the green line on my map now has two very big holes in the trip home. In all I think I've only covered about 1000km in India - and thats not much of India.

On the other hand, its nice to be away from the cold and very humid weather in that part of northern India.

cold and wet - until quite late each morning - Northern India

(not that hot and humid has ever been a favorite of mine either). It's nice to get away from the dirt too - everything in India had a thick layer of dust on it - which seems amazing considering the monsoon season has only just finished. All the leaves on the trees, every surface you touched was covered so if you touched something you got covered in it.

Unfortunately, my week long stay in hospital in Agra didn't clear up the bug i caught, so I really do not feel much better than several weeks ago. I'm hoping the warmer weather here in Thailand will help. So for the moment I'm spending a few days getting some R&R in the tourist filled Khao San Road. I'll head north on the train after Christmas to resume my southward journey from somewhere near Chiang Mai - a very popular part of Thailand that I've not been to before.

Delhi like all big cities was interesting to come into with no maps nor any idea where you were and where you needed to go. I - for the first time ever - bought a city map from a book store after i'd given up trying to find a tourist office to dispense one free. (I couldnt even find a posh hotel, which historically have been very good at giving me maps free without me checking-in - I think they all feel sympathy for the poor cyclist). Eventually I found Connaught Circuit, I'd heard that was the central part but had no idea what it was ( a large circular one way road ) so didnt know I had already crossed it earlier. Here I did manage to find an out-of-price-range hotel - How much out of range they would'nt tell me - I asked how much a room was, and they wouldnt say - they just asked how much i wanted to spend. (If you have to ask the price - you cant afford it) These people did give me a free map and showed me on the map the area of Pahar Ganj the place where all the "in budget" hotels are. As is most often the case, the cheap hotels are near the railway station and yes there were plenty to choose from. I went a bit up-budget at about $9 Aussie dollars per night in Delhi and had my own bathroom, double bed and TV (with pay tv channels that seemed to dissappear from time to time so I dont think they were quite kosha). My time in Delhi included a couple of rest days and a couple of days riding around exploring the touristy and not so touristy bits.

One of the Old Delhi gates / Raj Ghat - cremation site of Mahatama Gandhi / Auto Rickshaws everywhere

Haircut, Delhi style

The electricity in Delhi is like everywhere else in India off for at least some of the time every day - usually several hours. Being a more upmarket hotel they would generally start up the generator within a few minutes. Good for someone resting and doing nothing than scanning for english on the TV. Watched a few movies which tended to have english subtitles as well. (probably so the locals can get used to the accents and improve their english skills.)

There is always a lot of interest in the bike - particularly in India where no bikes have gears (for the most part you dont need them unless you are up in the Himalayan areas). The locals would often ask if the bike was indian. After all, it is a steel frame (small tubes) and painted black just like 99% of the Indian ones. I manged to go through all of india using the excuse "I'm not sure in Rupee's, I got it in Australia" when asked how much it was worth. Doing a conversion from some form of dollar to rupee never seemed to occur to them, which I was thankful about. I'm not as inventive as some when asked questions like that. The swiss rider Roli I met a few times in Turkey & Iran always had a good answer - usually including a ridicularly cheap price when asked that question.

Packing the bike in Delhi I was a little worried about. India manufactures its own bikes - so they dont get shipped in boxes from other cheap S.E. Asian countries like all the bigs international brand bikes do to the rest of the world. But in the end I did find the local bike bazaar and for 150 ruppee helped a man pull a new Indian bike out of a box so I could take the box with me. It turns out that bikes made near Chennai do get boxed before being shipped to Delhi. The box was actually the best one I've ever had. Most indian bikes are 28 inch wheel bikes - like mine and although this bike box had a 26" wheel bike in it the box was the same size they'd use for the large ones. It made packing just a little easier with a bit more space inside the box.

On the way to Delhi airport - the bike box hangs out the side, the panniers in the back and on the back seat. Me sitting on scrunched up legs on top of the back seat.

The major forms of public transport (other than bus & train) are Rickshaws and Auto-Rickshaws and Taxi's tend to be very small, so I opted for an auto-richshaw (like a thai Tuk Tuk) to the airport - that way the bike could hang out the sides - no doors to get in the way like a small taxi would have. It was a little chilly since i was heading to the airport for a flight at 1am. But with a couple of pannicky roll starts at traffic lights half way there I got to the airport and onto my flight. (after paying excess baggage for the first time ever - One of the problems with an airline like the india "Jet Airways" is that it is a discount airline and hence more strict in any policy that involves passengers paying extra. I was quite surprised to have free meals and drinks and in-seat video on demand - so they arent a "no frills" airline).

In Bangkok I arrived at the new BKK airport (new since I was here a few years back) in the early morning, had to wait for ages for the bike to show up at the oversize luggage counter then headed for Khao San Road in peak hour - but in a taxi - I was originally planning on staying in china town like I had a few years ago - away from the touristy strip, but I figured plain food would be a lot easier in the main tourist precinct of Khao San Road. I am still very careful with the way I eat and am very much looking forward to being well again.

I enjoyed my little trip to a Bangkok supermarket the other day, getting all sorts of things that I've not seen since Europe, fruit flavoured Yogurt and the like. It was just like a supermarket back home - except for not being able to read the labels - pictures on packaging & see through bags are a great thing. The last time I saw a supermarket like this was back in Croatia, and prior to that in the Tesco stores the Czech Republic, and thats a long time ago. I am determined to never enter a McDonalds or similar during this trip (not even as tourists often do to use the loo) but western style supermarkets I dont rule out. It can be really nice for a change to have such choice.

Here I spend my time on the net or reading - yes me reading - I picked up a copy of the John Grisham novel "The Firm" to help me fill the time in Bangkok, but it isn't lasting very long. I'm more than half way through and I only bought it yesterday. Having done the "Palace" and other tourist traps last time I was here I am trying to rest more and therefore havent unpacked the bike. For the next few days Khao San road is home.

A very Merry Christmas to all and I will be in touch again next year, from somewhere up north of here.

Jeff
--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Agra, India

2007-12-08T04:15:00.000-08:00

Home of the Taj Mahal,

Agra - the view from my real hotel roof.

Well I didn't leave Varanasi when I hoped to, I still hadn't (haven't) managed to beat off the bug that has been ailing me for many weeks, so I hung around resting.

early morning by the Ganges - Varanasi

Due to the time I lost in Varanasi I have also revised my India intentions and will now cycle west - yes West - to Agra, then Jaipur and on to Delhi (health permitting - instead of heading down to Chennai). This of course means I'll be visiting the India Tourist haunts of the Taj Mahal and Rajastan. I'll be glad to have seen these places, but sad that I missed going south.

The roads in Uttar Pradesh have continued to be heaps better than those in Bihar were, much to my relief. National Highway 2 is even divided, smooth and with a nice shoulder for quite long lengths in places.

I can't believe it, a real highway - Uttar Pradesh

For my last few camps before Agra I've taken to camping in service stations or beside police posts. The advantage being that you don't have people standing staring at you for hours on end. You still have a continual audience but at least they move on. If it's a petrol station they are on their way to somewhere, and if it's a police post they tend not to hang around endlessly. I had read of other people camping at police stations for security, I don't feel it as a security issue just a peace of mind and privacy one. Of course, once you retire into the tent and do up the zip they get bored and disappear reasonably quickly, but as long as you are visible (even as a shape through a fly screen, they will stay and stare) . It is different to the other countries I've passed through. Those that have read my Iran posts will know I commented about the crowds gathering around and saying I expect the same or more of it in India - but in Iran the crowd gathered around were, happy, smiling and eager to talk or communicate with you saying "hello tourist" or any other English they might have known ("what's your name", "I love you"). Here in India the crowd gathers around totally silently, with expressionless faces and they stand there 5 metres away and just stare for hours (literally) if you don't shoo them away. The really off putting part is the totally silent expressionless faces. It really gets to you. You really do feel like a zoo animal or like you've just stepped off a space ship.

camping police psts and petrol service stations

On the occasions when they do talk to you - generally in towns rather than beside the road - they ask you your country, you say Australia and they respond with "Ricky Ponting". Cricket really is the national obsession here.

The national obsession

As I said in the heading, I'm in Agra, home of the Taj Mahal, I visited it on my first day in Agra - several days ago and it really is a spectacular piece of architecture. It was actually larger than I expected. I have heard so many people say that it was smaller than they expected that I had lowered my expectation. It is actually about the size I had always expected it to be. Unfortunately like so many of the places I've been on this tour the famous fountains etc have been dry. I did manage to get one beautiful reflection shot from a puddle in one of them, but I had to get the camera so low that you get the building and nothing else - no garden at all - so it doesn't have the appeal that the Taj Mahal shots should have. But it's another place I can tick off my "seen that" list add to my photo collection, and it was great to see.

After self catering since Varanasi, cooking on the floor of my hotel room in Kanpur whilst I rested there for a couple of days - and being on Cold & Flu tablets the whole time - I ate out my first night in Agra. I don't know if it was the food I ate or the fact that I ran out of Cold & Flu tablets that caused me to vomit endlessly that night, but my first night in Agra was not a good one. As a result I once again headed to the doctor the next day. The good and bad thing about Agra is that it has a reputation of being a wrort capital - paying commissions for just about anything etc. As soon a I mentioned "doctor" to the hotel reception desk they heard the cash register sound and the dollar signs appeared in their eyes. They rushed me free to the local full-service centre who quite early in the conversation used the words "tests" and "insurance". I'll call it "full-service" rather than "over-service" because, (a.) over servicing would be a crime in Aus and (b.) I couldn't fault the logic in the following argument - I've been to doctors in Varanasi and Kanpur and been given cocktails of drugs with no tests to determine what the problem really was. And I havent got any better. Here they would do the tests to determine the appropriate treatment. So with many samples going to the Pathology labs for analysis, Chest Xrays & ultrasounds (it just happens to be the Agra IVF centre). I've now spent a couple of days in the http://www.agratesttubebabycentre.com also known as the Amit Jaggi Memorial Hospita l and will spend at least a couple more days in Agra before moving on to continue my journey. I still suffer from the nasal congestion that I am sure was causing the nausea and vomiting - but started a new Antibiotic yesterday after some of the lab results came back. Fingers crossed I'll be on the road again soon and properly well for the first time in nearly 2 months.

Agra Fort / Repairs to the mosque outside the Taj

The Taj / My other (full service) hotel room in Agra with I.V. drip

Jeff
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Varanasi, India

2007-11-21T20:03:00.000-08:00

Greetings from Varanasi

Well here I am in India after a couple of days climbing the hills of Nepal to get here.

The scenic route from Kathmandu to Daman and then to Raxaul Bazaar in India takes you over the Daman Pass - at 2488 metres it doesn't sound high but boy-oh-boy is it a climb - and a corresponding drop on the other side + more.
The morning I left Kathmandu it looked somewhat similar to the first time I was here in 2004. I'm not sure what the protest was and I wasn't about to hang around to find out - lest a another curfew be imposed.
The view from Daman

Daman
The view of the mountain ranges from Daman is reputedly the best in Nepal - as far as the the number of peaks you can see. The nine highest peaks being visible on a clear day - and yes it was magnificently clear my day. I did end up being in Kathmandu until the 13th - when the embassy opened for pre-poll, so I left Kathmandu about 11am - later in the day than I'd like to have. The good thing about leaving late was that it meant I ended up riding into Palung - below Daman - in the dark and staying there the night. That meant the climb from Palung to Daman was done in the morning not in the afternoon - really good news for getting views. The air is clearer and the mountains less likely to be covered with cloud in the morning, and it was a fantastic ride up broken up by a huge number of stops to take photos (and rest). With the photo/rest stops it actually took me about 3 hours to do just over 10km from Palung to the pass. The best views are from Daman township not the pass itself and the clouds rolled over the peaks as I climbed from Daman to the pass - perfect timing for Daman.

On the other side of the pass it's down, and boy is it....

"Down" from Daman to India

There's the occasional little piece of "up" to remind you that your legs have just done the climb but it is the longest down I think I'll ever do. (you do it at a controlled speed though as you really can't trust the road surface nor any drivers that may be coming the other way. I've seen way too many bus crashes here in Nepal - so many I've actually lost count - and I've only travelled the roads here on 4 days - head on collisions, roll overs, run off the side, you name it the buses here do it.)

The next night in Hetauda (Nepal) left me at the bottom of the hills, with just a relatively nice 10 or 20km "up" the next morning, then essentially flat all the way to where I am now. The hills are lovely and the road to and from Daman were spectacular for scenery - but the legs do appreciate the flat when they get it. My first two days out of Kathmandu I only rode 70 to 80km and I was (very) pooped. I wondered if the month of no riding had taken all my condition away. - But it was just THAT hill, the day from Hetauda south I did 100km reasonably comfortably - well as comfortably as 100km ever is with a heavily laden bike. (and on roads yet to be discussed)

The border of India is pretty much a free for all with large masses of people going hither & thither with no checking. There's a guy looking for anybody that appears foreign - like me - and he calls and beckons them over to Immigration - to do the paperwork. And yes Nepal and India both still do it as paperwork. A big bound book and you get to be one line in the book, passport number dates etc. On the India side of the border I actually had to look for the immigration office in amongst all the shops and things in Raxhaul Bazaar - they didn't have anyone grabbing the foreigners that passed. Even changing money I had to go looking. The road through Raxaul Bazaar I cannot describe and convey to you the condition. It is the worst road I have ever seen anywhere - either in the 12000km so far this trip - or at any other time. I think its even beats the Maasi Mara road in Kenya. The worst part is that the the road was typical of all the ones I used in the state of Bihar (and yes I was on the highways - I dread to think what minor roads are like)

At last some bitumen in India

The road takes its toll on my cheap rear tyre - Supervisors watching me change to one of my high quality spares. But the cheapy got me from Istanbul to here.

I think Bihar is also the mosquito capital - with its low lying flooded areas and lakes and rivers everywhere. I was in hotels the first few nights - but still sleeping in the tent (with the tent inner erected on top of the bed, and using hiking boots hanging by their laces to keep it up).

Bihar - mosquito heaven

The first night I tried to seal off the room and kill the mozzies inside, but it was fruitless, a few hours and two more killing sessions later i got the tent out. Now i just do it - and get a good nights sleep.

Fortunately I'm now in Uttar Pradesh and the roads are a lot better - I even saw a road sign today (in Uttar Pradesh). In Bihar there are no roadsigns of any description, nothing to say what road goes where, nothing to say speed up or slow down, no warnings about bumps or turns, no give way no stop, nothing !!! (the compass is your best friend in Bihar)

- A typical roadscene in Bihar or Uttar Pradesh
- Its not yet 9am but the cricket has started

Varanasi

The old and very holy city of Varanasi - and lots of Indian & International tourists. The Indian tourists in the Ganges, the international tourists watching from the side.

It's festival time here too. "Deep Dewali" which I believe roughly translates to "Festival of Light".

There was plenty of river side entertainment on the banks of the "Ganga" the night I arrived in Varanasi. And I finished the evening eating a meal from a high priced restaurant (180 Rs) with a local internet cafe owner instead of eating at a cheap roadside seller (20Rs) and spent the next 36 hours in bed. When I'm feeling a little more normal I'll be back on the bike... Maybe tomorrow...

Jeff
--
http://www.whereonearthisjeff.com/

Annapurna circuit and sanctuary complete - preparing to ride again

2007-11-08T17:00:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm back from my trek around Annapurna Circuit and resting up, ridding my self of the second dose of Diarrhoea in two weeks and preparing to ride from here down into India and beyond.

In fact the 19 day literary for the Trek of Annapurna Circuit was way too conservative and by day two I was already one day ahead of schedule and heading into day four territory. My guide, named - very appropriately - Pasang Sherpa, was very flexible and didn't mind what I did in the 19 days, so we decided to do the circuit and then head into Annapurna Sanctuary and the Macchapuchare & Annapurna Base Camps.

On day 1, I met a French couple, Olivier and Odile, also planning the combined circuit and sanctuary trek so we spent most of the next 19 days together in some way. Walking together, or staying in the same village/hostel/room. The added bonus with O&O was that they had just arrived here in Nepal from France with bicycles and were doing this trek before commencing their bicycle trip around the Himalaya's. (Cycling Nepal, India, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, China and finishing in Pakistan - taking the next 9 months). So we had heaps to talk about. They were great company for the trip and I became their official trek photographer as they'd lost their cameras in Kathmandu immediately before the trek. You can see a few more of my photos - including different ones - on their French language blog. http://o2tourdelhimalaya.over-blog.com/

The trek wasn't as much of a doddle as I'd thought it might be - given the popularity of the circuit. It had lots of very steep up and down, and places with thousands of steps (which use exactly the same leg muscles as bike riding - yippee). The trek also includes Thorung La a high pass at 5300 metres. But, as I said above, the 19 days was very conservative and would have had me spending most of each day sitting in teahouses instead of actually trekking had i not changed it to include the sanctuary.

I'm glad to think that I made it with no real knee problems especially since I had ruled out ever trekking in Nepal about 8 years ago - but then I'd never have dreamt that I'd ride 12000km through Europe to Asia then either.

Thorung La at 5300 metres is not as high as Mt Kilimanjaro which I did 10 years ago, so I was hopeful before hand that I'd be OK at altitude. As it turned out I picked up a bout of Diarrhoea in Menang a few days before the pass and got symptoms very much like altitude sickness AFTER I'd done the pass. Because this is such a popular tourist trek they are well equipped to handle cases of AMS (acute mountain sickness) with medical centres in Menang and in Thorung Phedi (typically 2 or 3, and 1 day before the pass). After the pass in Muktinath though - where I got sick - there is nothing like that. Reading a bit more - in another trekkers guide book - about the typical diarrhoea here in Nepal it too has head aches and vomitting as symptoms, and I copped it pretty bad toilet wise, so I think in hindsight that what i felt was belated AMS after the pass was in fact just those other stomach problems. Dosing myself with Cyprofloxin and Metronidazole cleared that up within a couple of days and I was once again able to enjoy the trek. Now back in Kathmandu it seems like I have another bout of it - no doubt from lunch yesterday in a bus stop half way between Pokhara and Kathmandu. The joys of travel in Nepal - one of the worst places in the world for Diarrhoea. (I don't expect India to be much different)

But for the next couple of days I'll be here in Kathmandu. I opened the bike box yesterday - it survived the flights and storage - so it will be assembled in the next day or two ready for heading south.

Below are are few photos from the trek - there's more in the Annapurna Trek Sub album of Nepal (just click one of these to get there)

Also Attached to this is a kml file of the trek for anybody familiar with Google Earth. You'll be able to see pretty much where the trek went - give or take a little.

Day 1 trekking through the lower valleys with luscious green rice paddies

Trekking in cycling gear is actually very comfortable - and cycling leg warmers work great above 5000 metres

along the route before the pass you have the Annapurna range on the left and stunning views

The Annapurna range from the northern side

rehearsals for a village festival in full progress. The men dancing and singing the women in hysterics at the side of the room. (and the kids rubbing the strangely bald head of the man taking photos - there are no bald Nepalese)

Menang and Annapurna 1

a day of acclimatisation takes us up 1000m above Menang to "Ice Lake" at 4600m and back.

back on the track towards our pre-pass stop, Olivier & Odile my trekking buddies from France

Thorung La, 5300 metres

Down the other side of Thorung La you enter a wide river valley for a couple of days of "less interesting" views and Bloody strong headwinds.

Poon Hill provides the masses of early morning tourists specy views of the mountains.

Heading away from the circuit path toward the sanctuary

Olivier and Odile in the sanctuary (Annapurna Base Camp or A.B.C)

An icy creek at A.B.C

Back into the lower valleys as we head out and down to finish the trek.

The decorated taxi ride to Pokhara

The bus from Pokhara to Kathmandu the next day, mechanical problems.

For those in Australia, take a listen to the track Too Happy Too Soon by Liz Stringer - a local Melbourne Singer Songwriter. It's a track I've been carrying with me since I left Aus over 6 months ago on my little mp3 player and seems somewhat relevant at the moment. I'll need to leave Kathmandu before I can "do my bit" to help - and wont be in a suitable part of India. I leave it to you.

jeff

--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Ditching the bike for 3 weeks - Trekking Annapurna Circuit

2007-10-17T19:00:00.000-07:00

My India Visa has now been issued, so I'm free to leave Kathmandu and head to India, but first to see a little bit of the country.

As I have for many years had dicky knees, I dont want to do anything too testing for them and ruin the rest of the bike trip so I've opted for Annapurna circuit. It's about 3 weeks of trekking but everybody tells me its not that hard - and there are lots of "oldies" here doing it.

So dont expect any updates or pictures in the next few weeks.

Bye for now - and a few more pics

Theres a couple of 2004 shots amonst the following. The last time I was in Kathmandu I was stuck in a hotel for 5 days until I managed to book a flight to Bangkok - stuck in the hotel day and night because riots had occured following the killing of 12 Nepalise hostages in Iraq. Buildings of businesses from the middle east were torched and youths set tyres alight on many street corners.

Jeff

Weddings everywhere

2004 The same street 2007

2004 The same building 2007

Durbar Square

Holy men

--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Bandar Abbas - the other end of Iran

2007-10-15T19:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I made it to Bandar Abbas in record time, five and a half days for the 600km. (very sparsely populated area).

Before I arrived I realised that the advice I got up north would be right. Esfahan Very Beautiful, Shiraz Very Beautiful, Bandar Abbas Very Hot. Coming down to sea level and getting to the lowest latitude at the same time is not a good combination.

As you go south the palms become more prevalent - but only where they can find water.

Locals playing around.

Last camp in Iran

Last stop in Iran

The ferry back from one of the Islands - the captain calls for Petrol (mere technicality)

Bandar Abbas Airport - ready to fly over Baluchistan and Pakistan (taking DFATs advice for the first time)

The bike goes on board

next stop Nepal - Kathmandu - green and wet and overcast - even the first rain I've seen for months

And Nepali food - I'm in heaven

jeff
--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Shiraz, Iran and heading South to the Gulf

2007-10-06T19:00:00.000-07:00

Well here I am feeling like I've just about finished Iran - it's funny how things are so relative. Shiraz to Bandar Abbas is 600km but that seems like nothing now.

I left Shiraz yesterday on my way south to Bandar Abbas and are currently in a really slow Net Cafe in Fasa.

I obtained a visa extension in Esfahan before I left there on the 26th of October but the Swiss rider I met the day before Esfahan wasn't so lucky. His took many more days because the border people had stamped his passport incorrectly when he entered the country. As a result I headed to Shiraz and left him there waiting for his passport to be returned (with extension).

The ride from Esfahan to Shiraz was much flatter than any of the previous Iran I'd covered, generally riding down a big dry valley with high mountains on either side. Very dry country with the only water being pumped from below - and in this area there wasn't even very much of that - longer distances between villages here.

---

Well, I just got thrown out of the cafe because they wanted to close (for lunch - during Ramadan!?). So now I'm continuing from an equally slow net cafe another day down the road in Darab. As I arrived into Darab I had a 6 motorcycle escort cruising up the main street - as is often the case.

Back on the road between Esfahan and Shiraz there is a succession of real tourist attractions - and it showed. After being in towns where I was told they had never ever seen a tourist I was seeing busloads. The area around Shiraz has a

history dating back thousands of years and they have World Heritage listing on some of the places, an international airport and tourists. So then I became the subject of not only the local Irani photographers but now the international tourists too. (most of the time the attention is good - but sometimes it really does get too much - once again - roll on India - it'll be much worse there)

The day I was leaving Shiraz I found the main street blocked off to traffic and police everywhere. I hung around to find it was an anti Israel (and USA) march. Very well organised - but then if you have a large government organised march you can expect that.

The road from Shiraz out towards Bandar Abbas is very similar to that north of Shiraz, the road mainly flattish but with steep rugged mountains on both sides. The people are still as friendly as ever with offers to take you back to their place common - but usually when you really want to push on. In fact this update is taking way too long and I am now having to be rude to get rid of people.

Here's a sample of a few pics from Esfahan down to Shiraz and beyond.

Mosque at Shahreza (Qomshe)

A 1500 yr old village in ruins that isn't a tourist attraction.

A road scene Esfahan to Shiraz

World Heritage Listed Pasargard

Not pleasant riding this afternoon - I was desperately seeking shelter from the wind (head on naturally)

I saw shelter in the form of an orchard but they made me set up next to the house and eat with them.

Everyone here has mobiles with cameras.

Persepolis ancient capital of the empire

Alfred impersonating a horse - His very last photo (see caption)

camped under the gums, but the colours of the fence give it away

Entering Shiraz

Street scene Shiraz

The Citadel Shiraz.

Down with Israel march - Shiraz - Friday 5-Oct-2007

--- And en-route to Bandar Abbas ---

Salt on Lake Maharlu

could be Aus except it's a bit big.

--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Iran - A sleepless night, then Esfahan

2007-09-25T19:00:00.000-07:00

Well I've made it to Esfahan - that's about half way through my Iran journey.

I've spent the last few days here and tomorrow I leave - back onto the road toward Shiraz.

The second night before I arrived here in Esfahan was rather eventful and I got no sleep from 11:30pm until the following night. I made camp in a field with the permission of the three workers tending the field that afternoon and also the owner (their father? - holding the veg. in the photo) who sat and talked to me for 20 minutes outside my tent before loading me up with fresh produce from the farm for dinner.

I settled down to sleep after it got dark and was awoken at 11:30 with the sound of shovelling. A common practice as they open up a portion of channel wall to flood a paddock for irrigation. I wasn't at all concerned as the owner knew I was here and I had his blessing. A little while later an old man appeared beside the tent with a Kerosene lamp and shovel saying "Aab Aab". I couldn't believe it - surely they don't want me to pack up so they can flood my paddock tonight. I tried to let him know that the owner knew I was here and that if the plan was to irrigate then it could wait until tomorrow. His voice however got a bit more serious and he stretched out with the shovel - holding the kero lamp high to reveal a dark patch approaching across the field only meters from my tent and moving our way fast... Suddenly the situation had become a bit more serious. I grabbed my Down sleeping bag - stuffed it into its sack as quickly as I could in the panic that was setting in, put it on a high bank beside the tent and went back to grab the camera, passport and other items that were also sitting on the floor of the tent. Clothes and everything else - except the thermarest followed. The bike was moved a little higher up the small paddock side bank that it was resting against, and I returned to unpeg the tent which was now floating in 50cm of water.

With the tent in my hands - poles still in position - I now had everything except the groundsheet and 1 of the 10 pegs. (I hoped that was all). The man disappeared to the next paddock and more digging. I attached everything (except the tent) as best I could to the bike and carried the bike over the irrigation trenches into an adjacent dry paddock where the onions and tomato's had come from and headed toward a light I could see at the far side (the direction the owner had appeared from and disappeared to.) When I got to the light it wasn't a farm house as I'd hoped but a street light on a dirt road. I tried to get a response from a nearby house that had lights blazing but no response at all. (other than the dogs). I returned to the paddock to get the tent then back to the street lamp. By this stage I had put on a pair of sandals and a shirt so I was no longer running around the paddocks in only my jocks.

As I stood under the light contemplating whether the tent would be at all usable and if so where I would put it a row of headlights approached - one with the distinctive green stripe of the Iran Police. The policeman asked to see my passport and for some reason seemed surprised when he said "Aab" pointing to the wet passport. I said "Aab, Aab" and swung my hands around to show that everything around me was wet. The man with the shovel was also there so he had obviously gone to get the police once he'd finished flooding the paddocks. ( I suspect that it was the owners father with the shovel, either that or a farm worker - but knowing the way the economy and families work here father seems the logical choice).

The Police wanted me to follow them and I could camp at the police station 1.5km away. I rode out to the highway and along the highway in front of the police car - still in my jocks - until we got to the local Mosque. The mosque was to be my home for the rest of the night, but it would take many hours to get rid of all the interested parties and lie down with the lights off - hoping for sleep. Lights out was 3am and at 4am the first people arrived in preparation for the 4:30 call to prayer. I hadnt slept at all in that hour and wasn't going to get any after the call to prayer either.

When the people arrived at 4:00 they brought with them a bowl of food to heat on the kero heater, so that I could - like them - have a meal before sunrise and the start of the days fasting for Ramadan.

With no sleep I decided that the ride into Esfahan that I would have made that morning could wait a day or two and that I would wait for another rider Roli (Swiss rider I met in Istanbul) who I believed would be about one day behind me. I rode back to the field for photos and in case I could find the missing tent peg - I actually found a cycling glove which I hadn't realised was missing and the peg, then set up my tent beside the road in plain view with my bike locked to the sign welcoming you to the town. All in plain view so that Roli wouldn't miss it. I also wrote a message - his name - in dirt on the black bitumen with an arrow. Then I lay down until it got too hot and moved to the shade of some nearby trees. I figured from my last email communications with Roli that he would arrive in the late afternoon or maybe the next morning - depending on where he chose to camp. He arrived earlier than I expected, about 2 or 3 o'clock and had 90+km on the clock already that day so we passed through the town and started looking for a place to camp before we both headed to Esfahan the next day.

Esfahan is known in Iran to be "half of the world" - because it is so beautiful, the beautiful places in the rest of the world (combined) can only just try to compete. And wow - it is stunning. Compared to anywhere else I have been it is stunning, and compared to the barren hills in this part of the world it is truly spectacular. Boulevards lined with green trees, the river banks lined with magnificent grassy parks and park lands equal to any in the western world. Even the back streets are lined with magnificent trees and beautiful creeks with grass parkland. You also see no litter - which is such a change from anywhere else in Iran (or any of the last few countries I have been through). I sat with Roli by a small creek off a side street the other day eating lunch. In the half to three quarters of an hour we were there not a single item of litter past by in the creek - no paper, no bottles, only a couple of pieces of water grass that must have been uprooted by the flow. And a crab sat on the other bank for the whole time. I've not seen a creek so litter free in a city ever.

1. A new Hillman Hunter

2. Carrot washing

3. A message from me to Roli the day before the big wet - he took a similar photo at the same place at 11am the following day.

Esfahan - Half of the world

For all those interested in rock climbing. Iran of course is loaded with places to climb and here in Esfahan we (Roli and I) have so far visited two climbing walls. One outside the Fire Station (and Mountain Rescue centre) and another indoor one in a sporting complex. The climbing wall in the sporting complex is fantastic - but there are NO easy climbs. There are no walls on an angle beyond vertical _/ . Everything is either _| vertical or _\ overhanging!!!! There is also a lack of gear - the government funded or helped fund the fantastic wall but you cannot hire gear there so it is primarily used for bouldering. They really need to pull some of the very impressive overhanging roof panels off and make some easy climbs - but then I guess they'd need harnesses, belay devices and ropes. One of the guys who runs the place got out two harnesses and a rope that they do have and showed us some serious climbing.

To Shiraz....

Jeff

--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Sanandaj (Kurdistan) Iran

2007-09-13T19:00:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Sanandaj!

Iran and more particularly Kurdistan has continued to be a wonderful experience. I went to my first Kurdish wedding the other day - very colourful !!!

Of course this was followed up by being guest of honour at a post wedding dinner - I'm slowly getting used to the fact that I "DO NOT" stand when people - of more importance than me - walk into the room - because - well - there is no one of more importance than me... I'm the guest of honour.

I'm also having to come to grips with the guys eating in the main room with style and then what is left over being wrapped up in the tablecloth (if you can call it that) and carried back to the kitchen where it is spread out on the kitchen floor for the ladies to eat the leftovers. You sit there wanting to eat all together and with equal status but then remembering that "cultural differences" is why you travel in the first place. - It seems so degrading from our western perspective but the women that have been doing the work seem to be very content and really wanting to please. The smiles I get when I go to thank them are incredible - I wish I could capture that somehow.

Morning in Mahabad - Petrol in Bukan

Lunch by the roadside - Dinner in Bukan as guest of honour (again)

The road ahead - A big down approaching Iranshah - Iranshah to Divanderreh "flat - but hardly"

Jeff
--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

The end of Turkey and finally into Iran

2007-09-08T19:00:00.000-07:00

Well I'm finally through Turkey and into Iran - and its great. Yesterday was my first full day in the country and and I didn't eat any of my own food. I had morning tea with Iranians, a cooked lunch, afternoon tea, and then for dinner used some of the food I had accumulated during those stops.

I wonder which of Turkey and Iran is really the Islamic state - Every tiny village in Turkey has at least one but usually more Minarets as the main feature of the skyline. In Iran i have seen none. I'm sitting in an Internet cafe with a girl opposite me and another next to me. I never saw Bayan's in the "Bay and Bayan" Internet cafes in Turkey. In Turkey every few hours you get an audible reminder of the main religion with the call to prayer blasting out through loudspeakers all over town. In Iran none. Ok, here I have to wear long trousers in Turkey I just chose to.

But it makes you wonder.

My last few days in Turkey were spent riding with a companion for the first time. From Pasinler to Dogubayazit I rode with Julien a Frenchman who now lives in Germany. Unfortunately we each have our own plans and routes and whilst I ride south in Iran he will ride east. We had a good time and enjoyed the ups and downs of eastern Turkey together (figuratively and literally). These included having stones thrown at us every time we saw a boy in the 8 to 14 age range - it wasn't isolated instances it was virtually every time a boy appeared - it started from Horason and continued to the Iran border ). There were a couple of times close to Dogubayazit when we passed a group without getting stones and we thought we were past the danger - but then another group and more stones. It is blessed relief to be in Iran and away from that - (I've done about 200km in Iran so far and not a single incident from any of the boys here.) My time with Julien also included an entire afternoon stripping and washing the bikes down with fuel, getting rid of liquid Asphalt that had been poured all over the road with no chance of getting past (no stones, just the liquid). check the photos for how thick it was.

TURKEY PICS

Pasinler - I'd been wanting one of these photos since arriving in Erzurum but never managed to get one.

Julien, Not long after we met in Pasinler

Specky scenery again

tar on the road - tar on the bike

I joined in the celebrations with the fathers mothers and sisters - then as I rode off copped a rock on the left should from one of the brothers.

Pedalling down against a head wind

Julien gets the locals into Sudoku

The internet in Iran is not unlike what I expected. There are internet cafe's, but they hang on dial up lines (one line many customers - it has taken more hours than I care to mention to do this update. So don't expect too much in updates. (Every click of the mouse takes 10 minutes (or more). I'm seriously going to have to avoid the internet else my frustration level will go through the roof.)

IRAN PICS

Welcome to the Islamic Republic of Iran

Samuel, I met him in Dogubayazit then again at the Iran Border.

Like me he started in Barcelona - but I have wheels. He's heading for Nepal

A typical village in north western Iran. - Note the kids running down to greet me (no stones)

Sunflower harvest time in Iran

A cooked lunch

--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

whereonearthisjeff - Trip 2007 Q & A

2007-08-31T00:58:00.000-07:00

August 31st 2007 - Erzurum, Turkey

I've been asked a few questions by people and saved them up for this Q&A post.
If you have other questions send them in an email with a subject line:
"whereonearthisjeff - Trip 2007 Q & A" or reply to this email and next time I do a Q & A I'll be able to find the questions easily.

Q: Would I be right in thinking that, on the whole, you would be developing a sense of trust in humanity, as a result of the many examples of people's kindness and generosity shown to you during your travels?
A: I think I already had a trust in humanity - otherwise I wouldn't have chosen to do a trip like this. But the trip has definitely re-enforced that opinion. I'd Have to say that one experience that I.d rather forget in Greece is about it. Everything else has been positive. Although there are times when cultural differences makes reading the body language and tone of voice a difficult - and with the words in a language you don't understand it means that at some times you are unsure what someone is on about - but it generally sorts itself out.

Q: On a more practical level, are you using a trip meter, to keep a measurement of distance traveled on the bike? You mentioned going past a harvester at 50km recently, so I presume you do have a meter to confirm speed, daily distance and total distance?
A: Yes I have a trip/cycle computer. I keep the Odometer running a total of the trip to date and reset the other readings on a daily basis. the other readings are Trip distance (Daily total km), riding time (which stops when i do), average speed, max speed. At one stage I had some of this detail on the google map but it is gone now and wasn't there for everyday. I record the details in a little note book (which I'm bound to use at some stage during the year - so I also write the details for the day in my hand written journal.) and have often thought it would be good to spreadsheet & share it. This particular unit has a second trip distance which is good when you know you need to turn left after 22km or something.

Q: Also, are you managing to resist accumulation of objects as you travel? No doubt weight is a huge factor to consider, but have you purchased souvenirs and then posted them straight back to Oz?
A: As all travellers I do accumulate - although I've never been a big souvenir person. I have sent many parcels home. These contain exercise books (journal segments) CD's with images and maps on a regular basis. but there have been others containing a mixture of these plus souvenirs or things that I brought with me that have either outlived their usefulness - but too valuable to throw away - or that never really had a usefulness for the trip and are too valuable to throw or give away. The stuff that's been sent home serving no useful purpose included things like: A short sleeved riding shirt, i prefer long sleeve cotton shirts in summer to greasy sunscreen. An iPod mini that would last a few hours then need recharging - not easy in a tent by the side of a road. I generally don't listen when riding - I'm quite content just riding in silence and absorbing the surroundings. I do have a 512M USB key that I use to listen to a small selection of music, often at nights as I nod off.

Q: No punctures, mechanicals yet ! Where is the scorecard.
A: The main mechanical problems have been the pannier mount breaking on the front fork when on the Greek train trip to get out of the EU in the allotted 48hrs. As previously indicated this was rewelded at a Turkish Mazda dealer and is doing well. Punctures are largely a thing of the past if you have good quality touring tyres. I had one when I hit a sharp edge too hard and cut the tube with the rim - pressure down at the time. Since then I've had to change one of my good tyres for a cheap one = and this resulted in the three punctures I had the other day = all at the same time = due to thorns through the cheap tyre. I have a good touring quality folding spare which I could have on the bike but I prefer to fix punctures and know I have a good spare than wear out the good quality spare and rely on a cheap and nasty one to get me out of trouble - also the cheap one wont fold. - Since writing this response the other front pannier mount broke off and it too has been brazed back on at a local car dealer.

Q: Do not know the rough timetable or when this journey ends, if ever.
A: I always anticipated being back in SE Asia in just over 12 months - then its a matter of getting back onto the Aus continent and getting to Melbourne. I do travel more quickly than I planned so weather is really the sole determining factor in the the timetable at the moment. Lets just say mid 2008.

Q: The 'knees' are keeping up the pace so far.
A: Yes. My historically bad knees are enjoying the trip. They've been upset a couple of times in big cities with big hills but sort themselves out on normal roads - as the highways are never as steep as the little roads on the sides of hills in hilly cities.

Q: Isn't it a pain trying to email on holiday !! And download pics, never tried that one.
A: I quite enjoy doing the emails and computer stuff, but it does take up a lot of time. The map stuff was very time consuming and unfortunately now mostly wasted. The photo stuff is remarkably easy using the gallery software that exists on the server I upload to. It enables me to take full resolution photos and only upload a small version of it. It is also very user friendly for rotating where necessary and captioning. So if you are looking for a gallery package to run on a unix like system Gallery is worth a look. I don't keep a track of my Internet expenses - I'd scare myself if I did.

If you have other questions send them in an email with a subject line:
"whereonearthisjeff - Trip 2007 Q & A" or reply to this email and next time I do a Q & A I'll be able to find the questions easily

Jeff
--
http://www.whereonearthisjeff.com/

Leaving Erzurum - at last

2007-08-30T19:00:00.000-07:00

Well its been a long time - longer than I've ever stayed anywhere on any holiday I think.

Finally I have my Iran Visa, new lastik (tyres) and a good camera - well 1 extra tyre the other one they sent around the world at great expense - to me - was the wrong size. I wish they'd checked as they boxed them - they got 1 right! ). I currently have two spares, but no spare once I need to change the two worn tyres on the bike. (but who knows, if I'm lucky the current ones might hang on)

The Iran Visa was picked up within days of arriving in Erzurum. I eventually gave up on the tyres that were meant to be coming from Istanbul - to be here before I was (ha) and imported some - these took 8 days which was a lot better than the delays from Istanbul. Because I was waiting for the tyres I also asked for the camera bits to be shipped over - but I should have got Canon to ship DHL for 130 dollars - as it would have been cheaper in the long run than waiting here for them as I have been due to other sending delays. In the end it has come to another Friday - I've run out of Side trips to do and staying in Erzurum for the parts as I have just isn't viable anymore. So I now have a new camera and am on my way again. I really never contemplated buying a new camera when the 10 cent part fell off. But in the end that's what it has come to. That's this consumer society we live in. Or more to the point it is the consumer society that the camera and I came from. If only things were made to be repaired Erzurum would be an ideal place to find someone to repair it - craftsmen everywhere

Whilst filling in time in Urzurum I've taken the opportunity to do a couple of side trips and get out of the hotel ($$) and see the surrounds (and get some mountain pass practice)

For anybody that has been looking at my photos since the last update you'll know that I have been doing something.

I've put comments on the photos in the photo section so have a read of those - I apologise for the number of photos since the last update - if you haven't looked since then there are about 10 pages. (I think page 19 was current last update) Sorry !

Around Erzurum

Urzurum is great for watching traditional craftsmen

1. Bağlama's 2.Bağlama being repaired 3. Being made 4.Swiss rider Roli's Seat - split vinyl, now leather front 5.wood fired bakery 6. My hand-ywork.

Palendöken - Coke $24 per litre -and I thought Turkey's petrol was expensive at $2.50/l (for cooking)

Around Erzurum 1. street scene 2.We get rain each afternoon now 3. Ataturk Uni Hospital, incl Giadia + Tennis elbow + skin spot checks

Tortum Side Trip - To Tortum

Tortum Side Trip - To Narman & Peri Bacalari 1.over another hill and down again 2.River or road 3. the rocks 4. flat well drained camp 5. breakfast

Tortum Side Trip - To Oltu then back to Erzurum 1.Oltu castle 2. Roadside Hospitality 3.A rain break 4. my room - after the rain break

At the end of my second side trip (south to Çat)- a roadworks depot office - home for a night - after a few hours of 4 season weather in a 3 season tent

So now its off toward the Iran border - probably about 5 days away.

Jeff

--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Erzurum - Turkey

2007-08-03T19:00:00.000-07:00

Here I am in Erzurum in Eastern Turkey.

Erzurum is at the base of Palandoken Kayak Merkezi. And for all those that don't know about, kayaking. It is what is often referred to as an adventure sport that often involves getting wet and cold. You know, when you slap a couple of planks on your feet and launch yourself down a snow covered mountain. What? You thought it had something to do with paddling little boats? As a result of its ski resort status it is a bit of a tourist-ey type place - so you just have try that bit harder to get a decent deal and be a bit more selective at the places you frequent.

I wasn't impressed on the day I arrived as I'd got so used to paying 1 YTL per hour (that's about an aussie dollar) for Internet that for the first time in months I sat down at a PC without first asking the price. When I got up to go I had racked up a bill of 8.50. As with the rest of Turkey, most of the Net cafe's charge 1 YTL but not this one. Most of that time I was trying to work my way around the limitations I've hit with the Google Map - Sorry about the route line not working - Things start dissappearing when you add too many points OR too many maps OR too many lines. I tried breaking the map up in many ways but still ended up hitting what appear to be the limits. I think I'm going to have to simplify things and have only a really rough map - so it wont be possible to trace my actual route.

I camped the first night on the edge of town then on my first full day in town rode around looking for a cheap hotel district. I've now got myself a room whilst I await a few organisational things to do with the rest of my trip - like my Iran Visa and some tyres I'm expecting to arrive into Istanbul then on-shipped here.

Once you know that prices can be quite reasonable - as long as you look around Erzurum is a really nice place. The air is a nice temperature - still hot if you spend a long time in the sun without breeze but its really nice for a change from the constant heat. We've even had cloud cover at times - so no sun - now that's a nice change.

After cooking myself the first night camping I dinned a little more up market last night. Serviets (is that the right spelling), and water served out of sealed bottles instead a jug filled form the tap. The main was 8YTL instead 4 that I'd normally want to pay for it, but I thought what the heck, AUD$8 for a main aint real bad and I was out with a group of 6 Italian Motor cycle Tourers who left this morning to Georgia. In the end they insisted on paying Thanks Guys (and Girls). Something about fully loaded bikes of any description that forms a bond. I'd happened upon them during the day as they unpacked in front of their hotel.

The night before Erzurum I spent about 50km away in a place called Aşkale. The ride to Aşkale was another ripper hill day. This one had not only an almost endless uphill struggle but many many km of dry roadworks with visiblity down to a couple of metres at times (when a couple of Buses or trucks went past - and there were plenty of them)

During the uphill I bonded with the unlikely partner of two guys on a harvester. They were travelling up the hill just a bit faster than myself and we ran into each other a couple of times at water stops. Of course the best bit was getting to the top after them and having the pleasure of flying past them on the incredible down that followed. (They were still doing their 20km and I was doing 50 - I flew past unannounced and nice and close to accentuate the effect.

I'm Also hoping Canon Australia will be able to help with a replacement part for my camera and ship whilst I'm here for a little while. They responded to my inititial enquiry and very kindly sent a parts manual for me to identify the part number of the bits I needed but the problem so far is that the exploded view in the parts manual for this camera doesn't show the part - presumably it is classed as a part of the lens not the camera. One of the many hassles of a trip like this. So... If you are wondering about any great white splodges on any of my photos that's the reason. (although I normally dont publish those ones)

My puncture count increased by 3 the other day. The cheapy tyre I'm running on the back wheel why I await the ones from Istanbul decided it didn't like the paddock I'd stayed in on my first night in Erzican (last major place before Erzurum). I took off the next morning to find myself riding on the rim. later investigations revealed 3 thorns all through the tyre and tube. At least all three were fixed in one session - so incvonvenience wise it was like a simgle puncture - but with 3 extra patches on the tube. I could avoid this by using the tyre I'm carrying as a spare which is one of the good puncture proof XRs - but then I'd either have no spare or have to carry this cheapy that I'd rather not trust my life to. (Its comforting to know that your spare will get you out of trouble.)

I mentioned two nights in Erzincan. I was about to head a few km out of town the first evening, but had to hang around town to buy a copy of the "Erzincan.net gazete" the next morning. I got my photo on pages 1 & 9. A page 1 teaser pointing to the article on page 9. I was at a servo having a loo break and a shave when a reported from the paper fronted up to take my photo and write a story on me. I'm not sure if the servo guys called him or how he knew I was there.

I expect to be here ın Erzurum for a couple of weeks getting the tyres Visas etc sorted (and hopefully the camera). Then I have maybe a week worth of travel to the Iran border. All ıs stıll going well. Good to hear from those of you who write or post comments.

Regards
jeff

---

Amasya - a former seat of power in the Ottoman empire - note the fortifications

---

more of the countryside

---

An overnight stay with some roadside fruit vendors meant local cooking and a night out of the tent.

---

A couple of days on the route east was along a river valley like this

---

There were also a couple of high passes to cross - both were probably larger than Bolu Daği but neither provided the satisfaction of Bolu Daği. Both of these recent ones passed through the mountains as they climbed whereas Bolu Daği was single saddle allowing you to see just how high you were.

---

One of the incredible down hill sections after a climb

---

The page one teaser

---

Just another camp but stunning

--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Resadiye Turkey

2007-07-25T19:00:00.000-07:00

This started as a personal email response to a friend from my NZ trampıng club (hi Dave) but became more involved as I typed so decided I'd contınue to add stuff and send it to the group. I've had a few comments and queries about the heat so...

Mmm. The guy in the net cafe just turned on a fan - the one and only one i've seen or felt anywhere... Why???

Yes, heat is a very obvious issue, to me at least. Summer has always been my least favorite season - so why I'd choose to go to Turkey is almost beyond my reasoning - it just had to be to tie in with seasons in Iran. I really do long for a cold spell - but it just aint gonna happen (my favorıte tıme of the day is not normally 4:30am - but it is now). With Iran, India, and S.E. Asia still to come, then Northern and Central Australia - I'll be waıtıng a long time.

I may hopefully get a bit of relief in the higher altitudes - which is why I've decided NOT to go to the coast as I suggested I may in my last group mail (its just full of tourtists anyway and not my scene. I'd rather spend time ın the hills). I'll spend my extra tıme at 1000m plus, so will contınue on my planned route to Erzincan & Erzurum - both of which are above 1000m. It would take 3 days to get there if i continued doing 80km per day - but I may take one or two extra days by limiting my riding to only a few hours each morning - so as not to have too much time to fill in when I get closer to the border.

Yesterday I found a lovely shady place to rest the afternoon - having done my planned 70km by 11:30 am (6am on the road is a good starting time - could even go a bit earlier really.) The problem was, as I lay in the shade i could feel the sweat pouring out the pores of my skin.

I had thought i may camp in that same spot, but after being continually harrassed by three lıttle kids I felt i had to move on. Which was great because I ended up at the home of a fruit and veg street-sıde seller wıth genuine turkish hospıtality and cuisine for my 'second dınner' (one at 6 then another wıth them at 10:30). Staying wıth them for breakfast meant missing my early start but to my favour there were a few clouds in the sky early this morning, and a short day to correspond with the increasıngly sparse townships with supplies available - giving relief from the sun and heat until the clouds cleared about 9am.

I'm now ın Resadiye , have just restocked my bags and sent off a few photo prints to people I've promised photos too in the past few days - and will now attempt to fınd a place to spend my day beside the river. Unfortunately way too wild for swimming - its a white water river..

Jeff

--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Merzifon Turkey

2007-07-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

Oops is it that long since I sent an update... agaın...

I spent longer than I wanted to in Istanbul waiting for word on my Iran Visa.

In the end I've given up on the application I submitted via iranvisa.com. Although the embassy in Sofia insisted that I needed an invitation, the consulate in Istanbul has no such requirement, so in Istanbul you can just apply normally. So I have applied directly in Istanbul for a visa which I will hopefully pick up in Erzurum closer to the Iran border when I get there. (if its approved)

Whilst in Istanbul I ran into quite a few cyclists doing similar types of trips. It really is THE central meeting place where all those heading east or west transit. Some say "All roads lead to Rome" - but I know differently.

I said goodbye to Olivier whilst there, and spent a bit of time with Roli from Switzerland. Roli has a similar route planned to myself - at least as far as Thailand so we intend to keep track of each other from time to time. (he then heads through Indo-China, China and Russia to get home.)

I'm trying to arrange some new tyres to be sent to Erzurum from a place ın Istanbul that has exactly what I want (Schwable Marathon XR)- but for different size wheels. If that doesn't work life will get interesting. I'm still awaiting any email response from Sacit... Today I'll try the phone - but he's the only one that speaks English at "Asli Bisiklet" so a phone call could be interesting. I normally communicate with hands and maybe a pen.

I'm now in the middle of Turkey in Merzifon - right on the central fold of my map. I'm actually going a little too fast, so I need to slow down a bit. I might need to do what I did in Europe and detour to other places to fıll in time. So I'm now thinking of heading along the Black Sea coast for a couple of days - and some ripper mountains to & from. (I've come from Istanbul to here in a week and still have a month before I can enter Iran on my new Visa appliction date of the 25th August.)

I've just updated the map and photos so there should be stuff to look at by visiting www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Fortune telling rabbits - He says it's faır dinkum - outside the Blue Mosque

near my hotel in Istanbul.

Election fever in Istanbul.

Olivier (France), Jeff (Australia) & Roli (Switzerland) - All heading east

For those that know Victoria St Richmond Vic Aus - I guess this one ıs "3"

Another view of Istanbul - from the Palace

Ayasofia

leaving Istanbul

Avoiding some of the heat in the early morning

Bolu Daği - I must check out the western approach on Google Earth sometime

free board and lodging - thankyou!!

more hills

A whole family at work

I'd just riden about 5 or 6 days from Istanbul - these guys are walking there.

a typical side road

Rice paddies in the area near Hacihamza

--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Istanbul

2007-07-11T19:00:00.000-07:00

Well here i am in Istanbul. I've actually been here 4 days already and am still awaıtıng some word on Vısas before movıng on.

The departure from Greece was uneventful, the entry through the four dıfferent layers of checkpoınt ınto Turkey also went smoothly.

I thınk ıt went somethıng lıke thıs

1. to see ıf your passport and see ıf you had a polıce record

2. to check your vısa

3. Check regıstratıon and Insurance on the car

4. No ıdea what thıs was for - they just checked the passport agaın

When I got to the Turkısh border town and stopped for a celebratory drınk ı was approached by a group of youth wıth one of the standard questıons 'Do you lıke (Turkey)'

I had to say yes because I'd had no negatıve experıences. Many days later I stıll haven't so I guess ı wasnt lyıng.

The vıew from the tent my fırst nıght ın Turkey

Whılst sıttıng by the sıde of the road enroute to Galibolu - under a tree - A blue van pulled up, the drıver got out thrust two loaves ınto my arms and dıssappears.

After crossıng the border I made the mandatory pilgrimage to Gallipoli before back trackıng and headıng toward Istanbul. Anzac Cove ıs tıny and yes, the new road has totally torn away the hıllsıde where the dıggers once landed and clımbed the clıffs. If ıt weren,t for the hıstory the penısula would be quıte ıdyllıc. Stunnıng blue water beaches and beautıfully scenıc hılls.

A rıpper of a hılşl onto the Gallıpolı Penınsula

Anzac Cove

Some of the hılls near Anzac cove

I thınk the road that ıve covered to date - ın turkey - ıs a reasonable sample of what to expect for the next month as I head east. Lots of hılls and lots of heat, some ıncredıble down hıll runs, but they all come at an ıncredıble cost.

The heat ıs amazıng, the day I went to Anzac Cove I set off from 50km north at about 4:30am - ıt was lovely rıdıng at that tıme. The hard part ıs gettıng enough sleep when you do. Every day I tell myself I'll fınd a tree to sleep under for a few hours ın the mıddle of the day, and every day there ıs a reason why ıt doesn't happen. It's stınkıng hot from 9:00am untıl 8:00 pm and you really want to try not to rıde from 11 or 12 untıl at least 5pm. To cover a decent dıstance you really want to rıde from 5pm untıl dusk - but that means you dont get to ınto the tent to sleep untıl after 10 or 11 pm. (then up agaın at 4am??)

After receıvıng my bıke back wıth a broken pannıer mount on the front fork after the one & only (enforced) traın journey ın Greece, my temporary repaır has been removed and the forks rewelded - courtesy of the local Mazda dealer ın Tekirdağ Turkey. Wıth no englısh all the necessary communıcatıon was made and the forks are now - hopefully - as strong as ever. I,ve sınce found a bernd ın a part of the front pannıer rack that makes ıt look lıke the greek raılways eıther had the bıke stored upsıde down and someone used the rack as a ladder (bendıng the pannıer frame and breakıng the weld) or also wıth the bıke upsıde down used a ratchet tıe down wıth way too much force bendıng pannıer frame and breakıng the mount weld.

Tekırdağs Mazda workshop re-bronzıng my front fork pannıer mount

Repaırs and Spares

I needed to replace a tyre whılst down at Gallipoli, so my spare parts fıtted lıst reads somethıng lıke

Brake pads - 1 set

punctures 1 (wıth a subsequent problems at the same poınt requırıng a new tube)

Tubes - 1

Tyres - 1 (almost routıne maıntenance)

Chain - 1 (routıne maıntenance)

Seat post repaır - 1

Fork pannıer mountıng reweld - 1

On the approach to Istanbul I met a French cyclıst Olivier - . Headıng from France toward Chına. We rıde at dıfferent speeds (he averages 20km/hr and 100km/day v's my 18km/hr and 80km/day) but we rode that day ınto Istanbul and have shared a 2 bed room ınstead of Dormıng ıt. It's quıte dıfferent rıdıng wıth someone else - we both enjoyed havıng company ınto one of the large cıtıes, but we'll head our own varıous ways ın the next day or so. Olıvıer ıs headıng toward Iran also but ıs expectıng hıs vısa to be ready when he arrıves ın Erzurum near the Iran border ın two weeks, Im goıng to spend double that tıme to do the 2000km. My Iranıan vısa should have been avaılable ın Istanbul a few days ago -(but stıll ısn't).

French cycle tourıst Olıvıer ın the room ın Istanbul - note the two bıkes

part of the old cıty wall - Istanbul

I was pleased to fınd one bıke shop that deals wıth western qualıty bıke equıpment amongst the many that serve the local market of cheap and nasty. So I've been able to replace my worn my chaın wıth a new ıdentıcal qualıty one that should last me for a good many km more than any of the ones I'd otherwıse have had to use. I'm also arrangıng new - qualıty - tyres and hopıng to pıck them up ın Erzurum (they were out of stock of my sıze).

Untıl next tıme

Jeff

--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Turkey wıth a quıck trıp through Greece.

2007-07-03T19:00:00.000-07:00

Well I made ıt to Turkey, but i decıded to head south to Greece fırst. (whıch ın hınd sıght probably wasn't a good ıdea, as I've overstayed my 3 months ın the EU )

Wıth the extra border crossıng ınto greece the Greek authorıtıes (on behalf of the EU) kıck me out - well actually ıt wasnt that dramatıc. They let me ın on the provıso that I got out of the country(EU) ın 48 hours.

Thıs meant rıdıng down to Seres from the Bulgarıan border that nıght and catchıng a traın :-( the next mornıng to Alexandropoulos. I cant claım no traıns anymore :-( but ıt had to happen sooner or later. Oh well, on the brıght sıde, the dıstance I've covered by bıke ıs probably the same as ıf I'd stuck to my planned route from Sofıa down to Galıpollı and I've had a glımpse of Greece, and I got to stay wıth Stefan's famıly ın Strumajı Bulgarıa and eaten them out of house and home.

I've put up some more pıcs wıth comments at the normal place, startıng page 9

Looks lıke a travel agent sıgn but ıs actually a telecomms place. Eıther fıttıng.

The sovıet flavour was only really vısıble ın the monuments

The gorge headıng south to the greek border

Grandpa & Stefan

Perfect tımıng for the festıval.

just before the authorıtıes gave me 48 hrs

A dejected Alfred wıshıng he was outsıde rıdıng

Not what you need when youve only hours to get out of the country. A pannıer mount on the left front fork broken off and ın need of brazıng back on again. Temporarıly fıxed wıth a metal bracket and some bolts I had to put the load on the axle. (the wheel was never quıck release because I had them changed - but ıt certaınlky ısnt quıck release now. Requıres total removal of the skewer to separate the pannıer rack from the wheel and fork.

What my Greek shots should have been lıke.

Currently ın Keşan Turkey and headıng toward Galıpolli.

--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Sofia Bulgaria

2007-06-27T19:00:00.000-07:00

I remember when I was planning this trip, looking at Google maps and seeing that there was virtually no info on them. I went scouring the web for maps and found a ripper of sofia. But it seemed soooo... far away. Both in distance, time and culture. But here I am , in Sofia, trying to learn that alphabet..

There's new pics uploaded and the post Hungary photos have now been moved to their correct location of a new sub album.

Wow, towards Turkey after this (How hot is that going to be if its high 30's here). I've never had a planned route for Turkey until today. I met a couple of truckies that didnt know English, and my Turkish is as good as my Serbian (and Croation and Hungarian...) But we communicated heaps for about an hour and shared Chi, a good drink this hot weather.

Serbian Hospitality 1, free food, and he wouldnt let me go with 1

Serbian Hospitality 2, I didn't need to cook that night

Aussie Hospitality, Maybe I can help them..

Serbian Hospitality 3, clothing repairs, gratis

Serbian Hospitality 4, bike service, gratis

The road above Nis

Turkish truckies and route planners, Ismet and Jamal

Jeff
--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

Serbia, Belgrade

2007-06-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

I've finally moved on and am now in Belgrade after about a week in Budapest waiting for my old knees to feel normal again. Yes, after 3 months and 6000km I finally had a recurrance of some of my old knee issues but am back on the road and feeling good again. I had always been aware and prepared for some times that I may need to stay put for a week for my knees, and that was one of the things that meant a long trip might be possible where a short trip during annual leave would not. My stay in Budapest was 6 days in 3 locations, 2 days in an inner city hostel, 2 days in a rather dodgy student accomodation place - but i had a room of my own, as long as i didnt mind having no door on the shower or toilet. the final 2 days was in the home of a local, Ferenc, hopefully the power is back on again now...

Ferencs Place in Budapest

It was nice to have a place to call home even if needed to use my torch as in the tent - and candles. Being summer light isn't really a problem anyway.

I'm glad I did a bit of a detour to the National Park near the Hungary/Crotia border as it meant that I went from Hungary to Croatia then Serbia, instead of what I'd originally planned crossing direct from Hungary to Serbia. It was worth it to see the difference a border can make. Croatia being the better-off cousin of Serbia.

I feel for the Serbs that I've met, they have been wonderful people, sharing with me or giving away what they had. And asking, "What do they say in Australia about Serbs" or "What they say on the BBC isn't true"

Serb friends

and the mellon salesman

From Belgrade I'll be heading south east towards Nis. I'm hoping my Serbia map is more accurate than it has been so far. Quite a few of the roads I had planned to take (to go close to the motorway on small roads to get to Belgrade didn't exist, which meant that I either did large detours or went on horrid farm tracks for many km between towns. (and I cant check on Google maps because google maps has no roads in Serbia at all - and with no roads to reference the satelite photos are not that much use.) I took a dive on one of the tracks the other day. The bike has quite a bit of momentum when loaded, so once i got myself into trouble it kept going. (that's two for those that are counting) No real damage to me or essential gear, but I did find today that one of my 2 SD flash cards for the camera doesnt work, and it was the one that was in the pocket of the camera case on my belt - and took the landing (the camera and the card that was in it are OK though, thanks Canon) (images already cut to disk.. Phew)

I'm not sure when the next update will be as I normally do them from major centres at internet cafes, the next major places are Nis in only a few days then Sofia in Bulgaria (?)

Thats it for now

Jeff

Sorry for the links rather than HTML thimbs, only lowsy browser for composing.
--
www.whereonearthisjeff.com

If you cant see past dresden on the map.

2007-06-09T22:37:00.000-07:00

June 10th 2007 -

If when opening the google map the path only shows as far as Dresden - or seems to stop prematurely. Scroll to the bottom of the list in the left hand column of items and you should see that there is are additional pages. Select the subsequent page to show the next part of my trip.

JJ
--
http://www.whereonearthisjeff.com/