In Xining now

Again a couple of days further and I arrived in what will be the last big city for a while: Xining.

3 weeks on the way already so time for a short summary:

·      2880 km done

·      21 days on the way

·      average +/-135km/day

·      ½ day of rain

·      3 flat tires….

In Hongsibu, while searching for a place to stay, I met 2 nice ladies.

I must have look completely exhausted as one of them offered to take care of the bike which I, of course, did not refuse.

 



2 nice ladies willing to help a tired man......



 

The next day to Xinren was a day to forget: first wind, then rain and last but not least a flat tire….

The road I was following, the G109, seems to be a kind of coal route. An army of trucks coming and going….the whole day.

Big power plant near Baiyin

I wanted to know where they came from and where they go to.

At least on one of the questions I got an answer: supplying a big power plant.

 

 

On that same road there was another mystery. I saw a lot of satellite antennas in the gardens. Sometimes two or more. Why?

 

 

I figured out: One for sure must be to watch one of the 500 or so Chinese CCTV state television channels.

The other one, I thought, must be to watch the popular TV show “Wauters vs. Waes” on the Belgian VTM channel.

I was wrong!

 

In fact, it was Philips latest model and extreme compact water kettle

Philips 2014 model water kettle

 

For the way from Baiyin to Lanzhou the map showed a shortcut but the GPS did not.

Uncertain if there was in fact a road and as I like the unknown, I gave it a try.

However, my GPS toy did not like my adventure and blocked twice (lucky I could save the data).

After all, the SHORT-cut turned out to be a LONG-cut in regards of time but at least I was able to see the beautiful Chinese farming countryside!

 

Farming countryside

 

A selfie, countryside near Lanzhou

 

After my successful shortcut maneuver, I got a little nervous while riding through Lanzhou. Lots of people were carrying water.

I later discovered that there was not enough tap water anymore because of few rain the last months resulting in the lack of ground water.

 

 

 

But no water……. no problem!
Good that I like beer and you know, as a Belgian, Chinese beer is like water…..  ;-)

 

My last leg to Xining went well. I even got joined by 2 other bikers also on the way to Xining.

Both were member of the TOTOFE cycling team, riding on a full equipped bike, including a sound system.



TOTOFE bikers or......hikers?

 

"This is going to be though", I thought, especially with my 40kg. luggage handicap.

But after 10km they stopped and wanted to take a picture. After another 30 min. they stopped again for a drink.

Then, 10km further, they wanted to stop again to take a rest……

I said: “Sorry guys but I need to be in Belgium before it gets dark…….”

Either way: or they didn't understand or they did not know where Belgium is but I left them….wishing them a lot more TOTOFE to go……

The more you go to the West, the more you come in Muslim land. Beside the typical dress you also see a lot of mosques like below one in the middle of Xining city.

 

Beautiful mosque in center of Xining

 

Today is a rest day. And rest day means this time: long sleep, treating my body for a massage, cleaning and tensioning the chain, preparing the route for the next days, update the blog, visiting the local street market eating delicious Halal food.

Tomorrow and the following days my way continues westbound passing the Qinghai Lake. On what I have heard this should be a beautiful area.

Looking forward already…..