MyChinaMotoTrip

[bigdamo]

Hey, thanks for the feedback.

I’m still not very sure what to expect so I’ll be playing alot of it by ear, and listening intently to advice from experienced persons

The main reason I want to do this is to see as much of China as I can by going to as many regions as possible. I know some of it won’t be pretty or easy, but I’d like to see it anyway. Guangzhou sounds unpleasant for any rider, so I’ll take your advice and stay away to save my wallet and my sanity. I’m also going to skip Qingdao and Fuzhou and spend more time in Yunnan now. Here is a more detailed GoogleMap of the general route.

Another reason for the length is that I’m also raising funds for a charity called Half the Sky Foundation, which is a registered charity that works in orphanages all over China. I’d like to raise USD$1 for every kilometer I travel, and the total will go to the Infant Nurture Program at the Urumuqi centre in Xinjiang.

No doubt I’ll be back to see the more scenic places when I get the chance (hopefully before the concrete tiles get there), but I’m sure that the ride will raise more money if it is longer and covers more regions. There are a lot of articles around about people doing charity motorcycle trips through Africa to raise funds for charities that work there, so it would be great to do the same in the world's 2nd largest developing country.

I'm sure I can get some epic photos on the way too. I took Motokai’s advice and got the latest from the Nikon P range (the P7000) and I'm still learning how to drive it. I’d like to put the helmet-cam to some use too and upload some videos to MCM at some stage as well. I’m still figuring that one out.

Cheers

Possibly you might use some of your contacts you make through your charity work to help you get into Tebet?Perhaps a ride into there to donate some money?

Xinjiang is Huge.With alot of the attractions spread through out not close by.It would be a shame to rush through it.

[Yangtsepete]

when you want to be in Tibet ?

[CrazyCarl]

Although, I usually enjoy arguing with BigD, he's on the money this time.

Xinjiang is huge and offers some very dramatic terrain. The very northern tip of XJ is unlilke any other part of China and for some stupid reason people just love to ride by the Trans-Taklamakan highway whic runs north-south RIGHT THOUGH the wwrolds second largest sandy desert. TAKE THIS ROAD DAMNIT! It is a marvel of engineering and friggin' beautiful. Plus you end up on the south side of the desert which has MUCH LESS TRAFFIC and much cooler town like Hotan.

Hotan has a Sunday morning animal market and bazaar you do not want to miss. Some good blades (knives) for sale in that region too if you don't get what's on display.


C

Possibly you might use some of your contacts you make through your charity work to help you get into Tebet?Perhaps a ride into there to donate some money?

Xinjiang is Huge.With alot of the attractions spread through out not close by.It would be a shame to rush through it.

[Roadrunner]

Possibly you might use some of your contacts you make through your charity work to help you get into Tebet?Perhaps a ride into there to donate some money?

Xinjiang is Huge.With alot of the attractions spread through out not close by.It would be a shame to rush through it.

It’s good to hear so many reports on how incredible Xinjiang is and I am definitely looking forward to it. Xinjiang is the province that will receive the most attention for sure. I’m going along the top of the Taklamakan on the G312 from Dunhuang, around Urumuqi to Kuytun to get on to the G217 down to Kuqa, onto the G314 to Kashgar. After a couple of days in Kashgar I’ll hop on the G315 all the way around to the Qinghai border. It’s a big oval route somewhere over 3000 kms and should take the best part of a month to do. Some people might say that’s not nearly enough to see the region properly, but I’ll do what I can with what I’ve got.



Unfortunately, HTS isn't currently working in T*bed. As far as I can guess, the foundation is on the good side of the big guys but I'm quite sure it doesn't have enough clout to exempt me from the restrictions on foreigners. I also haven't done anything of note, so I lack any real legitimacy that might help me squeeze my way in there legitimately.

[Roadrunner]

when you want to be in Tibet ?

I was aiming at being in Karghilik ready to cross the border from Xinjiang into T*bed in early May, so I wanted to head east from there from about the 5th until the 25th of May.

Your sidecar rally looks like it will be awesome. Are solo Changs easy to find? I looked around for a legal one briefly last year but only managed to find some purdy pictures.

DSC08566.jpg

[Roadrunner]

Although, I usually enjoy arguing with BigD, he's on the money this time.

Xinjiang is huge and offers some very dramatic terrain. The very northern tip of XJ is unlilke any other part of China and for some stupid reason people just love to ride by the Trans-Taklamakan highway whic runs north-south RIGHT THOUGH the wwrolds second largest sandy desert. TAKE THIS ROAD DAMNIT! It is a marvel of engineering and friggin' beautiful. Plus you end up on the south side of the desert which has MUCH LESS TRAFFIC and much cooler town like Hotan.

Hotan has a Sunday morning animal market and bazaar you do not want to miss. Some good blades (knives) for sale in that region too if you don't get what's on display.


C

I read about the Trans-Taklamakan highway a couple of times and, even though I really want to do it, it would cut Xinjiang in half for me (unless I could do a big figure 8 infinity style, not really possible though). I’m definitely heading to Hotan on the way back east. That is one of the parts I’m most looking forward to on the ride

I’m always partial to a good Sunday bazaar. I’ll have to whet my bargaining skills though. They’re a bit rusty.

[NZBrakelathes]

Hi Guys
Is it possible to go from Shenzhen or Hong Kong to Nepal??
I am looking thru forums here and seems............................I am confused!

[ZMC888]

Not sure. But you can't ride a bike out of Hong Kong, unless it has Hong Kong and Chinese plates which you can only get if you are a resident in Hong Kong. Shenzhen bikes are banned in the city center. So you could probably go from somewhere on the edge of Shenzhen to friendship bridge on the border, but whether you'd be able to leave, hmm not sure, also you be travelling through T*bet, tricky.

Many of the cities listed as bikes being banned previously are in reality only a few streets banned to bikes. We had a 3 wheeler ban in our city a few years ago, as it was annoying to enforce and petty so it was axed.