China

My road : Xi'an, Weinan, Heyang, Hejin, Quwo, Hongtong, Linshi, Pingyao, Taiyuan, Xinzhou, Dai Xian, Shanyin, Huairen, Datong, Yang Yuan, Sheng Jin, Huailai, Changping, Beijing, from 07 to 2005-11-30.

Xi'an remain a step rest, to put back myself of a feverish condition in finding a place with a youth hostel and can meet other travelers whose 2 cyclists Swedish. The city is not attractive, modern and rather agitated. In leaving it, this time I launch into Beijing, but by first stopping to visit the army of terra cotta soldiers, a very special site and attracting a lot of tourists. On the third day of road, I find myself rolling in appalling conditions, a black pollution is present, do not understand immediately what it is. At the first stop I make, I discovered the face incredibly dirty. I finished by realize that I am in a coal mining operator, and thus take full figure. The course has really no charm, nature is nothingness, dreary, to believe that we would have pulverize it of soot. Houses are similar, to the point of giving the impression of being abandoned, people there providing no interest, as well as their environment. With that sometimes the sky is responsible for large gray clouds, accelerating the coming of the night. In some day it must be bitter cold, and facing a wall of haze, not distinguishing nothing around me, but I think that is better, this crossing is so ugly. On the road to Lingshi, it will take to throw me inside a tunnel, without it being lit, and in a cloud of black powder, then really fearing for my safety. Indeed, because it leads to a big traffic, not respecting me at any time.
But fortunately, the rest of the day and stay for the night enjoyable and exciting. An experiment is going to be surprising to Linshi. Upon my arrival, a young man comes to the aid for housing, simplifying me the thing well after a difficult long route and dirty once again. It is offering me a discount on room rate and stay with me to install me. In the evening, when I am about to take my dinner, the man in the company of his wife and his little boy come in the restaurant and obviously they are looking for me because they are already taken it. They have with them a big bag of provisions they want I take it, and pay to me my meals even before I finished.
The woman tell me that she is a teacher and would take me to her class of students so that I speak with them in English. It is Saturday night and it is 8:30 pm, but nevertheless the thing tempts me and thus I accept. I meet myself in front of a numerous and studious class, being hosted superbly, rising 2 hours with them to tell them about my adventure, assailed questions that I am. A moment curious and rich, students seeking to recover what they can find for present, to a Chinese flag.
The next step, I am going to stop in Pingyao, a place marked on my journey. A beautiful place, with its ancient town, passing a moment here to go through it on foot and discover magnificent houses. It also meets Poping and Wang Mei Wu which welcomes me at home, feeling me like at home, as in a family, going to take my meals with them.
In leaving, a group of French who asks me to take a cup of coffee with them, the time to know where I come from and what I do. I ride now to Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi province, for another meeting, that of 2 girls. During my dinner, one of them by speaking to me in English, offers help me. Then set up a discussion, immediatly they are passionate by my trip that I announced. By leaving, they just ask me at what time I leave tomorrow. The night passed, by coming down from my room to the reception, I am surprised to find the both girls from yesterday sit to wait for me, they wanted to see my bike and go. Ready to take the road, they lead me to a place for my ration of noodles, coming at to pay it, then to photograph me.
From Taiyuan, continuing my journey, the temperature dropped, it should be well covered. I continue my trip towards the north, but there is almost at the end, then it is direction south and again the warmth. A friend who is in Cambodia told me that she found it difficult to bear the 40 degrees. I am leading a quiet step on a road lined with trees, all undressed that they are, their leaves forming a carpet on the ground, awaiting the return of spring to bud again and restore life to the nature. This time the winter and the cold took place, must to keep warm each part of the body. Yet, in the morning outside the pots of soup or cookers for large ravioli (baozi) smoke, and we continue to come for breakfast on a table in the open air. I finally arrive in Datong, my extreme north, a stop obliged to extend my visa, carefree with the police. From there, Beijing was only a few days, and I was waiting for this day. The cold doesn’t save up me and is striking with the river froze in its entirety. And yet the desire to drive is very strong, marking a new step and a result is just in front of me, how could I not want to touch them, to feel them, be happy.

Datong past, I live in Yang Yuan another high point. By enter into a cyber cafe, I create glances on me by young people who are there, approaching to see what I do. Then I bind contact by forcing them to speak English. But informatic doesn’t give me satisfaction, I look to go somewhere else, these young coming out with me to accompany me to another place. The result is the same, bad. Then I come to show them what I do by my web site. Time passed, I dropped computers, but young people, no, they stay in my company asking me where I want to go now. I need supplies, so they took me in grocery stores, wanting to pay by taking out what I had taken. From there, it's time for dinner, they find me a place, as always with me, install me at a round table and taking a seat beside me. They take care to order a meal for me only, and more that I need it. Everyone looks for a chair, the group grows, they are all passionate about watching me, listen to me and be with me. The debate is in full swing, it is wonderful, it is curious and folk at the same time such a situation. On the way out, for the second time I pass notes between the fingers, not knowing which takes into account. The evening is not finish, now they want to a photo with me, we are therefore in a studio. Again it is funny and fantastic. I leave with a copy on paper, but also a copy on CD, saying me that it is the only present they have to offer to me for memory. In any end of the evening, this time it's my bike they want to see. All that remains incredible, wonderful, unexpected and delivered with a remarkable generosity, by young people of 17 years.
On my way in Beijing, 3 days before, I will be worried for a moment about the future, because, waking up during the night, I realize it snowed, then I could leave tomorrow morning I wondered. Once get up, I am preparing my bike anyway, a large cold northern is present, and on the road, it is ice on the edge, just where I have to take to ride. It becomes dangerous and risky, but the determination is strong to achieve this famous point on the globe. The road will run faster than prevision as the fourth night in Changping, the suburb.
It is full of emotion, with great pride, satisfaction overflowing, happiness filled, I put foot down in front of the Tiananmen Square and the portrait of Mao. In recent days, I was waiting for this arrival, and it was triumphant, with a superb weather, as if time had made appointments for this event. At yesterday evening I thus had 40 km, stopping quite close to the purpose, to get ready for this day so special. In the morning I could get up on my own and then to start the preparation for my bike, hoisting with 2 flags, a French and a Chinese, the both floating in front of my eyes throughout my road. In my back, I had written a "world tour" and inscribed in Chinese, to notify to Beijing’s people which adventure I led. The road was open for me, so I had to savor the moment, and what flavor, I wanted to shout my joy and to let know where I came from, and all the way I had traveled to arrive so far. Who would have thought of it, who would have believed it, on my side, doubt had long since disappeared, more I progressed more and I wanted to live this day and what day it was. To reach the center of Beijing was extremely easy, without even having to ask my way, without the slightest fault, without doubt, arriving directly in front of the portrait of Mao. By grabbing my bike, then I put knees on the ground by thanks to everything that I had been given so far.
Inevitably I created once more curiosity and the reunion of people around me, wanting to see who was there. Then I gave time to what I was given to live, sharing my passion and my road to those who learned me. I also wanted to answer the questions kept coming. Meanwhile I was able to get acquainted with a couple of Quimperlé, remaining a moment with them, and then return to Mao, I took my discussion with people from various countries, including young French again. The guy Daniel who wait for me is arrived, become acquainted with me but without cutting me of all those people, him too, accompanied by his girlfriend took part in listening to my adventure. Of course together we took photos, sometimes with the reticense of policemen, but for me I wanted those memories and I have had. In the evening, I was put up at Daniel’s home, someone from Chicago, and together we have celebrated the event at its grandeur. Now, I stay in Beijing for almost 3 weeks where my friend Denis from France and his wife Evelyne come to visit me.