Vietnam-China

My road : Hanoï, Ninh Binh, Cam Thuy, Quan Hoa, Muong Khen, Hanoï, Do Son, Hanoï, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Lang Son, border with China, Pingxiang, Nanning, Luizhou, Luzhai, Lipu, Yangshuo, Guilin, Lingui, Wutong, Huanglo, Longsheng, Sanjiang, Chengyang, Sanjiang, Diping, Congjiang, from 06-09 to 2006-07-09.

My parents left, I have to look at my bike, as regularly I do it. Then having extend my Vienamese visa , I take this opportunity to ride around Hanoi. But the weather is extremely hot, scorching hot, I can go down very far. I opt to visit Halong Bay land which is close to Ninh Binh. But the site is far from being worth that of the China sea. I continue to go through rural areas, dense vegetation, or agricultural with the rice fields, that going toward Mai Chau. The route becomes sometimes uneven, flooding and dripping wet with sweat. From there it is a first return to Hanoi as I do, before making another exit to the coast, let alone discover, if not running.

That's when I put end to this country and chosen to make my return to China. I goes back to the same border post, being in a day and half. I must fight to prevent the excavation of the Vietnamese customs-officers . On the other side is a simple formality, regaining a better weather, but the rain storm. In Pingxiang, I see young people met at my first crossing. Again I am superbly hosted, finding me at dinner with them. By the fact that I am with a limited visa, I leave the next day by bus to Nanning then Luizhou. The course is going remarkably well, just time to make a change in Nanning, and making board my bike for free. Hence my route is to go to Guilin and Yangshuo. I make a first trip with 140 km, which does not inconvenience me not at all after this stop of 4 weeks. After Lipu, I am no longer than 40 km from Yangshuo. I can see the first particular detail of this region, with its famous limestone peaks. In Yangshuo, I find the brother to Serge Leret, having ride by bike together about 10 years ago. With Philippe, we can share memories of adventure. One day I remain on site to discover the area. By bike, I reach the village of Xing Ping, thence up the river Li through the magnificent scenery. But my time is limited, I am continuing the next day my trip. I continue to Guilin, but without stop. My destination is to go towards Longsheng, to discover the rice field. The site is just before arriving there called Longji. There, I can visit 2 places to discover beautiful panorama, and let me go to walk in an environment which I appreciate. Along the way I meet women Yao, which show me their incredible hair. Indeed it is with these people that I housed in a village where all modernity has not yet come to disrupt the peaceful life rhythm of these populations. Immediately I go up on my bike, I feel well, full of forces that I am, being driven easily. Yet the course will become perilous, catastrophic, making me spend long hours to cover my steps, not necessarily long. But all this is rewarded with a pleasant and exciting journey along a river regularly from green to brown muddy. To Sanjiang, I mark a stopover to visit the village of Chengyang and its bridge of Wind and Rain. This region is inhabited by the Dong people recognizable by their blue and black clothes. The road which leads to it is peaceful, finding on the river of enormous water wheels assuring the irrigation of the rice. In my second evening here, I can meet with another French by bike, Michaël who is doing a loop also. It's pleasant to talk together and share our adventures on a 2 wheels. On the other hand we are only crossing itself, because we go away both in opposite way. Leaving Sanjiang, I aspire to find a better way than that brought me here, mud and rocks, enough ! It is going to be short hopes, because to the going out of the town I found me the boths feet inside. The course is a series of bumps, having a lot of trouble to keep up on the seat. After a long day, I find to spend the night in Diping, a village also Dong. Curiously, it is to find me a second evening with another French, a Breton. In the night, the rain has ceased, and always falls in the morning. Yet I can not stay there, and I prepare my bike to join Zhaoxing. The course is superb, punctuated by moment of landslides caused by rain. Despite this I continue, crossing a village, then arriving on a second. There, the people stop me, telling me that beyond the road is totally cut off. I have no choice, I have to turn back, and then continuing toward Congjiang. The course is tiring, exhausting, by the conditon of the road, catching pain in different parts of the body. With this, the thunderstorm threatens and the rain does not spare me. Nevertheless it not inconvenience me not at all, beating that I am on my cycle, saying to me that this stage I will have it. I reach Congjiang shortly before the nightfall, dead tired that I am, but nevertheless happy.

So I arrived in Guizhou, making me ready to cross a province where I was dreaming for a long time.