I really appreciate all the responses you all have given. I do follow up on all of them. Everything you post helps me develop a better plan.
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I really appreciate all the responses you all have given. I do follow up on all of them. Everything you post helps me develop a better plan.
Not many western people who live in China knows that if you are 60 years old or more then the ticket price is 50% less or in some cases FREE ?
And this applies to ALL Chinses and visites to China .
I have this message download on my phone .
"我今年60岁了，票价是否有50%的折扣?这是我的中国驾驶执照"
It just saying you are 60 or older and asking for the 50% discount, it works for me ok
Doogle & MCM Members:
Hello. I have visited Xi'an a couple times and highly recommend the following activities, in addition to visiting the terracotta warriors, during your visit. The local parks & pagoda are nice also.
Cheers!
David
Xi'an Dumpling Dinner Show: (Reserve in advance for a table near the front.)
https://www.viator.com/tours/Xian/Xi...26-2042XA_N_01
Shaanxi History Museum:
Nice free museum: Very interesting sculptures and ancient gold coins.
http://e.sxhm.com/en_about.asp?id=1
Bicycle ride along the top of the Xi'an City Wall: ( One of many favorite memories.)
Zhu Yuanzhang enlarge the wall built initially during the old Tang Dynasty (618 - 907), forming today's scale of Xian City Wall. The wall now stands 12 meters (40 feet) tall, 12-14 meters (40-46 feet) wide at the top and 15-18 meters (50-60 feet) thick at the bottom. It covers 13.7 kilometers (8.5 miles) in length with a deep moat surrounding it. Every 120 meters, there is a rampart which extends out from the main wall.
https://www.google.com/search?q=xian...ycle+city+wall
Xi'an at Night:
Visit the beautifully illuminated Bell Tower and Drum Tower
https://www.google.com/search?q=xian...ght+bell+tower
Famen Temple (Finger bones of Buddha and interesting architecture.)
"Llocated in Famen town, 120 km west of Xian. From 5-12 May 1987, after the opening of underground palace, four relics claimed to be directly related to Buddha were found. Thereafter, Famen Temple became Buddhist pilgrimage. This temple is famous for discovery the fingers bones of Sakyamuni. And historical records reveal that eight emperors of the Tang Dynasty once welcomed the finger bones of Buddha to the palace and donated a large number of treasures to the underground palace of the temple."
http://www.topchinatravel.com/china-...men-temple.htm
Pagota Visit:
https://www.google.com/search?q=xian...&q=xian+pagoda
Were you renting motorcycles in Xian, Chengdu, and Kunming? I am not finding places to rent from. I know riding in the city may not be allowed. But there still must be shops on the outskirts that rent. I am also thinking I may need to stay in Kunming for a week while getting a temporary license. I believe that license is good for 6 years. I may want to return to China anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by SoCal Adv Tourer
Look earlier in this thread. Prince has a buddy near Chengdu who rents motos. And he also does all the arrangements to get your temporary drivers license. It doesn't get any better than that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Doogle
The temp license is good for 6 months or a year, I don't remember exactly. Only the real driver licence is good for 6 years.
i hope to see Prince666 in Thailand. And I have Jan's email address in Kunming. I hope to use him for a rental. I would like to have several rental shops to pick from in different cities. I would prefer to have a bike to use for my whole trip. But I gave up on that plan.Quote:
Originally Posted by billeuze
Below is a general, and very flexible, plan for my schedule:
Hanoi 3/4-3/8
Phnom Penh 3/8-3/12 8/3/2017- 12/3/2017
Chiang Mai 3/12-3/16 12/3/2017- 16/3/2017
Mandalay 3/16-3/20 16/3/2017- 20/3/2017
Kunming 3/20-3/24 20/3/2017- 24/3/2017
Chengdu 3/28-4/1 28/3/2017- 1/4/2017
Xian 4/1-4/5 1/4/2017- 5/4/2017
4/5-4/15 Maybe go to Shanghai. Then go to Beijing. 5/4/2017- 15/4/2017
I think I will fly from city to city. Maybe take the train from Shanghai to Beijing. I don't like to have firm plans. But I did this general itinerary to have an idea what flights and costs might be.
I would like to do a trip to Tibet in the next couple years. And I won't put a time constraint on myself next time. But the "Tour" prices are ridiculous. Well that's a thread for the future.
Hi Matey
Just sent you a WeChat message ?
Could anyone suggest what I should use for phone service while in SE Asia? Someone suggested Unicom for China. Is there any service that would be good in all countries? I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to phones. I upgraded from my rotary dial to a smart phone though. I have a Samsung Galaxy.
I'm not a heavy phone user. My communication home is with Skype. If WIFI isn't available I would use my phone to access forums and Skype. When I rode through Russia several years ago, I bought a modem? and a simm card for my tablet. I think I don't need a modem now that I have a smart phone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doogle
You can definitely buy "international" sim cards. What that means is it's really from one place and they guarantee the roaming rates.
It is typically cheaper to use a local sim when you change countries.
Unicom and China Mobile are the two leading groups in China.
If you are using your own phone from outside China, Unicom is more likely to get you 4g because China Mobile has a unique 4g radio.
Shopping sim cards just gets easier and easier.
So I would encourage you to ask a local friend to buy you one in each country.
If you really don't want to do that, search online for international sim cards.
This one actually has a bunch of good ratings on google, which I would prefer, since I don't know these companies...
https://www.worldsim.com/internation...d?___store=usa
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doogle
Also, if you really want to just have one phone number for your trip,
there are many "virtual number" services that can do this for you.
I think Google Hangouts is still free to register a number. (of course in China, you'd also need a vpn for anything google.)
For Skype, you can pay to have a fixed inbound number, I think.
I won't try to explain all the options right now, but if you're really interested, I can answer questions.
As mmj suggests buying a separate SIM card for each country is the easiest and likely cheapest option. Buying one card to access different Telecom providers in different countries (roaming) can be expensive, speaking from first hand experience. I use local SIM cards for use in NZ, Australia, Ch!na, Malaysia and Thailand. It's a pain to have to carry and swap out SIM cards each time I travel to said countries, but it is a matter of cost versus convenience. Buying a SIM card is easy in Thailand and Malaysia, whereas buying a SIM card in Ch!na requires ones ID card/Passport etc. In Australia, NZ, Malaysia and Thailand, there are various SIM card options sold at the arrivals section of the international airports.
Also anything related to G00gle in Ch!na, will require a V P N that works. Keep in mind that sometimes V P N also have issues... as there are local authority "crack downs" from time to time (cat and mouse / carrot and stick 'games').
Just 1 correction Doc if you don't mind you also need to present your passport as well in Thailand to purchess a SIM card, but not big deal very quick and easy.
And I am waiting downstairs matey for the ride so sort your self out and get your ass down here lol
I'm in HaLong Bay today. Still planning on getting to Chiang Mai in about a week. Can't access much incoming email. I assume my outbox is still working. Been too busy to solve server problem. 4 days till I'm on my own. Still hope to see prince666 in Thailand or Kunming.
Sent you a WeChat message
Have a great time ride safe see you in CM soon
OK, just happened to see the thread on advrider; still in the middle of it--nice to see you are doing what you wanted to do, Doogle!! And Prince666--my knuckles were getting white seeing the photo at 4k meters with the snow on the thread from the guy wanting to buy a bike for him and his family to ride on :confused1:
Posted message on the other so called thread ?
No message, just a post on advrider, and here on the family-of-four-on-a-bike thread.
Just revisited this thread while going through my bookmarks. I want to thank all that responded. Prince 666 was the best help I could have asked for. And the fact that I got to ride with him made it that much better. Some things I want to add now that I reread all the posts.
1. The Chinese people are the best, most helpful people I have ever been around. And I've been to 76 countries.
2.Language wasn't much of an issue. Usually someone spoke some English. If not, they would pull out their translator before I could get mine out.
3.Getting gas wasn't a problem. Some places made me move the bike away. Then they filled cans and brought them to the bike. Once or twice I was asked for ownership papers before they would sell gas.
4.Maybe 1 out of 3 times I had to find a foreigner approved hotel. But I was usually given directions to a hotel.
5.Check points weren't a big issue. I think only one wanted to see bike registration papers.
6.Getting money out of an ATM is difficult. I was finally told that only provincial banks in bigger cities will allow the transactions. I was very luck to have had Prince 666 with me. I would have wasted days trying to get that worked out.
I had a great time.
Hi Doogle
Thank you for the kind words .
But how can one not help such a nice guy, it was my pleasure and an
Prilivage to ride with you not only in China but Thailand was great fun and fast hehehe.
I had my work cut out trying to keep in front lol.
Have a new bike now got the lighter CFmoto 650 MT, the TR-G had it's day with me with 70.000 km clocked up.
On a ride now with the new bike.
Decided to do the very north of China along the Russia / Chinese border.
Not as cold as some of those mountain passed we rode, and no Black Ice lol.
Still have nightmares what would off happen had you not run back to warn me about the ice.?
But that's what you get when you ride with very exprenace riders like you mate.
Please keep me updated with you further rides.
Hope to see you again.
Give my regards to you wife and again thank your wife for all the work she done.
Keep the rubber down mate.
Steve
Attachment 19714
Attachment 19715
The red dotted line is the border with Russia
Attachment 19716
And you can see from the next picture his far north I am above North Korean lol .
Attachment 19717
Just home yesterday from a ride to Labrador. It was 5000 miles with about 400 miles of dirt/gravel roads. Not much to see there except trees and lakes. I wanted to ride it before they paved the whole route. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post links on this forum. But here it is. And I think you told me it is easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.
http://advrider.com/index.php?thread...-2017.1240652/
Just read your RR on ADVrider.
Interesting ride, but don't like the sound of the hotel prices lol
Hotel I am in now, very good for China and cost $20 US .
EU next year with your son?
The Alps has some great roads, can be busy at times, but you will love it, but I am.not sure what will impress you Lol
Thanks for the link.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doogle
Good point. Because they are so focused on control, only a few - the biggest - banks are connected to international networks.
Bank of China is probably the biggest. It is very widespread and reliable for international. I always looked for them. == 中国银行
Bank of Beijing also works. Maybe ICBC.
Labrador is expensive. But $1 Canadian is about 70 cents USD.It was still high priced.Quote:
Originally Posted by prince666
I've ridden the Transfagarasan, Stelvio Pass, Gavio Pass, Grosglockner, Dolomites. I told people that the riding was so good that it would be good value even if you only came for a couple days. Luckily we have more time.
If you allocate 30 days, you will still only scratch the surface.
So many good roads with great hotel, but like you last trip there can be a bit costly.
My son and I are going to Switzerland August 16 through the 26th. When he flys home I plan to go to Nepal and India. The only thing I have reserved after he leaves, is my flight home from Switzerland on October 3. I've been too busy with other things, and a best friend on his deathbed, to prepare. I have a list of possible places to visit. Visa on arrival in Nepal and 3 days online for India. It's probably all I need. I will probably fly into Kathmandu and Delhi. I'm flexible. If anyone has any suggestions for Nepal and northern India, I'm all ears.Quote:
Originally Posted by prince666
Hi Doogle
Here are a few links you may or may not have read.
http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-f...d-in-the-world
http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-f...-a-2500km-loop
http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-f...around-Pokhara
http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-f...(Fly-and-Ride)
http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-f...Royal-Enfields
Well, good luck hope to read a good RR soon.
I've read several of these. I'll need to wait another day to look at one. Ride Asia is down for the day. Thanks for the research.Quote:
Originally Posted by prince666
New RR just in on RA just what you are looking for the guy (Steve) nice guy in Thailand friend of mine I am sure you could PM him for stuff.
Link ....http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-f...83/#post-65979
RA back up and running but with a new lay out ?
Just found part 1
link....http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-f...t-1-of-2.9682/
You're still looking out for the stranger you met last year in Chiang Mai. This is probably the best RR I've seen so far. And the most recent. Thanks again.Quote:
Originally Posted by prince666