Day 10 – Border Crossing from Mohan (China) to Boten (Laos) and Onwards to HuayXai

Day 10 in China, which was basicly a short ride to the border and process exit and re-entry into Laos. We tried to cross the Mengla-Boten border early in the morning and after much goodbyes to Bing and much photo taking it was time.

Last Group Photo before Leaving China

By our good fortune, somehow the immigration system in China was down. Or rather the system that is needed for vehicle to clear is down but the foot traffic was ok.

The three girls riding pillion crossing by foot did not know this and cleared nicely into Laos while all the boys with the bikes was stuck in quarantine zone waiting for the system to be back online. 

The long wait not knowing when the Customs system will be back online

At this point, Some wonder if we would get a free Day 11 in China 

A good 8 hours we waited and slept. Even negotiated with the officer to leave the bike in quarantine while we left the compound to get lunch and tapao for the girls where Bing did a shuttle passing food from the border fence.

The hold up was unfortunate but instead of staying a night at Boten, the crazy captain decided with the rest of the gang to push on riding through the night in Laos all the way to Huay Xai for the night. 

That was one crazy ride without clear light to see the f*cking potholed roads with slopes and ditch barely visible. I was last this time for real. No amount of speeding could I do to catch up. Visibility for me was poor with double glasses fogged up. Rain killed more visibility and cold drench gear made me even more tired and shivering.

Double Rainbow near Luang Namtha just before Sunset

My roomate Sea Pirate and Beno really helped me out once the sun set. They hung back and escorted me lighting up the way with their powerful PIAA lights. I could follow to a point and then Beno went too fast and I had to slow down terribely but Khairul stuck through ...

By the grace of god as the group like to say, we all made it in one peice ... I f*cking cursing under my skin for this was not a forced event but a choice forced upon us. Still a good shower and I let the momment pass just being grateful for the support from Sea Pirate and Beno and that we all arived well and good.

The next days was crossing back into Thailand and I part ways with the rest of the gang riding solo to Chaing Rai to rest up before the journey back to Singapore. I made a beeline down stright from Chaing Rai, but with significant stops to rest each day for I know my body fatigue was already too much built up from 10 days riding in China. The gang somehow ride like they were on steroids all reaching Malaysia way earlier than me.

Traveled on : Jun 2023

From Zhenyuan to Mengla Via Puer and Encountering Police Checkpoint along the way

The last day of riding in China. The solemn ride and in a way there was nothing much to experience in between. The road was the same one that we took going up north on the first day with the highway only on the opposite direction but the pace somehow was easier. Maybe it was the shorter distance from Zhenyuan to Mengla compared to from Jinghong to Kunming. I dunnu , but it was like a passing video clip that seams to go slowly.

Start the ride from Zhenyuan and just before we hit the highway we rode toegther along the country side road with the big bikes. Me, Azu, Jazz and Bing eventually lagged so far behind and had a smoke break when I saw a scene too beautiful to passed up stopping even on a one lane narrow street.

A View too beautiful not to pause and soak in. 

Single File, Roadside Pit Stop

Back on the trail and within no time we caught back up with the whole gang which was held up by the police in a small town. All bikes parked we took a break while Bing went through the procedures with the traffic police. It was a standard check and within moments got the thumbs up and we were ready to go but Bullet asked for a photo with the police which he obliged. We got a few photos with a small group and then others suddenly realized we were taking photos, started running from their bike to join in.

This actually spooked the police and one of them bailed out of the photos saying it would not be appropriatte to take them as we would post them on social media. Hence no group photo with the police ... only partial group photo with one police which confidently kept his mask on while we took photos.

The Happy Group .... All Legal in China

Eventually we split up again riding south to Puer but with little persuasion, I detoured the moped group and two big bikes to Puer downtown for proper lunch instead of sticking it out by the roadside. Simple lunch but a good stop while the crew played with an enthuiastic kid and his granpa. Azu and my plan to buy tea at Puer vanish as Bing told us we could get it anywhere in Yunnan even at Mengla where we were headed so there was no need to hunt a tea shop in Puer.

At the hotel, we arrived with good time for Dinner. While registering at the lobby, Jazz heard some flute melody and walked towards a door which led us to a tea shop right inside the hotel itself. The backdoor was inside the hotel and we stumble upon a local family which the father was playing a bamboo flute.

The mother presented the tea ceremony, while the two daughters who could barely speak english did their best to translate and explain the meaning and rituals. I had a twinkle in my eye the moment they uttered a few words in english and that was my que to shut up and enjoy tea while Azu fumbled to communicate his queries and the girls fumbles to answer.

Azu happy with his Tea Purchase from a Family Tea Shop in Mengla

In a way I did not wan to translate too much, for this was a rare opportunity for Azu to experience and connect with the locals. He knew this too I suspect since he did his best to talk to the girls and not once did he ask me to translate directly. I only intejected when I feel the depth of explanation is impossible for the girls to explain at that stage.

Azu, happy with his purchase of Tea and enjoying the flute performance by the father, I shared the video to the group chat where all the rest were having dinner. Almost immediatly I got a call from Din’s wife. ....

Ed ... buy me two piring of the tea ...

What the hell ... do you know which type of tea you wan ?? or how much the tea cost ??

Nvm she said, just buy two first and she would pay me back later she said .

I could only laugh and told her to have her dinner slowly and I would keep the shop open for her.

I requested the family which was kind enaugh to oblige. When Din’s wife came in, I left the family to do all the translation and demonstration as me and azu had to go for the bikers brifing. Within 20 minutes she came out with a bag of tea and a big smile on her face. I guess the second time was easier for the girls to explain.

That night Bing opened up a Kareoke room for the last night of the trip. Kareoke without alchohol as no one drinks. So weird.

Traveled on: Jun 2023

China Day 8 – Hutiauxia – Nanjian - Zhenyuan

Journey from Hutiauxia to Zhenyuan was uneventful. Wake up, ride and hit the highway going stright to Zhenyuan. We met one local solo rider along the way that was riding a vstrom 250cc as well and he just came back from Tibet. The more I ride in China , the more I keep meeting people on a road trip to Tibet. 

Like the sticker says, MUST GO IN YOUR LIFE !!

We had one planned detour stop today which was at Nanjian soil forest. Interestingly it was the moped suggestion to skip the muslim lunch place and head stright for the soil forest. 

Nanjian

They could eat along the way with the food they brought and me and Bing could eat at any shop nearby since we were not restricted to Halal restaurant.

It was a good plan and a plan that would save us some time since todays journey was nearly 600km. This idea would avoid leaving the highway to find the muslim restaurant and only exit to go for the detour stop at Nanjian Soil Forest. We ended up having no lunch until we reach the soil forest as we did not see any suitable rest stop once we exit the main highway. At the soil forest we catch up with the big bikes gang.

Nanjian Soil Forest 

Nanjian Soil Forest

Solo Climb .... Nanjian Soil Forest ^^

A round of applouse was given as they were there not long and we manage to catch up for the first time on highway roads. The fact was the big bikers went to the muslim restaurant but it was unfortunately closed. So they headed to the soil forest and did a picnic similar to what the moped gang planned. That short 30 minutes that they had to detour to find the restaurant allowed us to catch up.

Me and Bing survived on chocolat bars and nuts while they ate their pre packed lunch which consisted of rice, hard boil egg taken from the hotel breakfast and kicap manis. If I would say, it was not really a meal but more of a survivor touring meal. Not much different than the chocolat bars for me and Bing.

They decided to have their prayers at the rest stop and I proceeded to climb the stairs to see the soil forest. Upon returning they said we could go.

Don’t you wanna go see the soil forest ?? Its just there and only a 5 minute walk up the stairs

Tak pa la ... You take photos already rite ... ?

Looks like everyone of them was tramautize from the Tiger Leaping George stairs climb.

Later when we all gathered at Zhenyoun, what I realized was non of the big bike group also went up to see the soil forest. Everyone made the detour out of the highway just to arrive the soil forest entrance and sat at the rest area eating, resting and moving off ... “ Facepalm “ ....

We reached Zhenyuan and this was a new town even for Bing. New highway, hence a new pitstop else previously the detour to Zhenyuan with old national road would make a long time consuming journey. Zhenyuan by 8pm and I could not reisist the temptation to explore. With some persuasion I dragged my roomate Sea Pirate to look for muslim restaurant.

Everyone else seamed to have dug into their rooms without leaving. I decided to leave Bing out of the hunt, thou I gave him a message to let him know where we were headed. Only 750 meters I told Sea Pirate base on google map directions ... walk ? Taxi ? Ride ? ... I always prefer walk within the 2km distance and so he was persuaded to walk with me. At 750 meters .. there was no such restaurant in sight ....

I had two back up restaurant ... and the second one was another 750 m away making the total journey from hotel 1.5km. Sea Pirate started cursing then, but I persuaded him to carry on. Zhenyuan was a big town proper once we spot some goldsmith shops and departmental store, almost no tourist and beautiful landscape all round the river park. There was even a museum but we were too late to explore other than the natural life of its people in the city center.

Halal Muslim Chinese Restaurant in Zhenyuan

At 1.5km we found a restaurant but I had no way of verifying if it was muslim or not. Snap a photo and send to Bing with a location pin. Bing confirmed it was a muslim restaurant. Chinese word at the signboard says halal which me being a banana cant read. We walking in and I asked if this was a muslim restaurant and they said yes, no beer .

Sea Pirate gave the international greeting of Asalammalaikum and was replied the correct phrase of Malaikum Salam. Ok we made the hunt and now we get to feast ...

Deep Fried Fish with spicy tomato sauce - Omellete with long bean - Stir Fried Sweet Potato Leaves 

Two minuts later while still trying to decide the menu, Bing showed up in taxi ... perfect ... now we have three stomoc power and I could really order the food proper. Fish , omlette and a vegatable ... Sea Pirate was appreciative of the food and for him, the first time eating fish in China ...

Traveled on: Jun 2023

Yading to Hutiaoxia and when we Lost a Fellow Rider

To be honest we did not really think much starting out today for its was the begining of the loop to head back to Laos and back home. The idea that small backyard roads were more scenic and beautiful than the mainroad had already set in.The day before we came from the smallest one, the type that looked beaten and utterly dangerous but with amazing fantasy like scenary.

So today when Bing said we would go through a longer but main road instead of the mountain cliff pass road due to the rainy season and safety concerns of landslide, we all just agreed but did not think much on it.

The day started nice and easy and I lagged behind the crew when I saw a beautiful monastry that was too pictursquare to pass up. Just a few turns ahead I catch up with the moped crew all stopped in the middle of the road as they took pictures of snow capped mountain. Yep we saw snowcapped mountain without paying and it was awesome.

A Monastry Near Yading

It was cold as hell and I was about to stop for a wee and some sneakers bar boosters as my whole body was chattering inside. What we would find out later was that it was nearly 2 degrees and we were so high up, nearly 4500m elevation and thats why we could see the snowcaps.

Riding Along the Snowline

Snowcap Peaks

Snowcap Peaks 

Melting Snow but still .... We Malaysian go so Crazy with Snow .. 

The Last 3 Riders ... the Slowpokes 

Few hundred meter in front and another stop for photos. Riding along the snow line ... it was an experience even I had not expected in this trip. Continuing on the journey, I blared my horn to Bing in front. We were losing the snowcap view so we had to double back to take more photos. I could not pass up when we ride and seeing melting snow on the ground that we could pick up. More photos, amazing view .... a great smoking stop and it was time to move on downhill.

We came across this arcade like circuit with a view point from above. I could not reisist and asked Bing to help us take a video as we ride down the circuit. Initially I though we could go as fast as possible to make the video amazing, but as Azu and I started the decent, it was impossible to go fast as it was sooooo cold. We could only go soooo slow else the wind chill bite through all 5 layers of my clothings to numb and kill any nerve left available for control of the bike.

Windy Road Downhill 

Windy Road Downhill

So cold and so slow it was going down. The video still came out amazing.

Downhill after the circuit and just out of the clouds, were the only altitude marker we had seen in the whole trip. 3995M altitude, hence the approxiated 4500m elevation that we were riding along the snow line.

Altitude Marker 3995m Above Sea Level

Downhill downhill and the scenary changed to those like barren hills which I view them like the dessert mountian road in chile and Peru. So beautiful but then we reached low enaugh to ride beside the emerald river waters. I really dunnu how to explain beautiful 10 times but it was the feeling at every turn. It cant get better than this ... and boom ... another stunning view.

A little Village in the Mountains 

Jade Coloured River 

At the first rest stop we saw going down from Yading, we found another Nomad Van selling coffee. This time it was a guy travelling solo across China and he has been on the road for 2 years. His setup was amazing, having a full coffee barista setup with even an aiscream softcone maker.

Reststop 

Coffee Is the Alchohol of the Daytime ... The Van's Motto

We were running late now after all the stops and the distance to the next stop was huge with little sunlight left. Bing rode into the fog, rain, overtaking bus, trucks and everything climbing through another mountain pass for all that downhill we went through and finally around 3pm he relented and made a stop at the side of the road once we were out of the rain and fog.

The moped crew immediately jumped on the opportunity to cook lunch!! ... I for once also cooked lunch and instant noodle never tasted so good. I was about to cook for Bing as well but he just walked into someones house and bought a cup noodle from them.

Leaving the Mountain Peaks and back into the Valleys 

Cooking Lunch Somewhere along the way

Main road but still national road makes it very chaotic to follow people. Somewhere along the way I saw Azu stopped at the junction , I gave him a beep and overtake him while Bing overtake me to lead the way. On my mirror I saw azu follow for a few meters then stop and made a u-turn to turn right to the other junction. Blaring my horn at Bing we stopped and when Azu did not surface after a few minutes we decided to make a turn to find him.

Weather was foggy and also raining, me and Bing went for a hunt looking for Azu till we ran out of road. There was a few forks and we tried all of them but no Azu. Pray I told bing ... we go ... and once out of this fog hopefully we will see them at the first petrol station. An hour later me and Bing were at the petrol station and no sight of the moped gang.

Live GPS position put Wan and Jazz in front of us but Azu did not on his gps. He and me was always together at the back and we never bothered with GPS as it drain the battery. Many frantic calls were made to no answer. Later we found out Azu batt was flats and gone. By chance I made a few calls to Wan and Jazz as well. Wan finally picked up after an hour and confirmed that Azu was with thim in front. How in the world that happen .... guess it must be all that time me and Bing finding Azu in the wrong road that he must have made it back to the right one to continue on.

Bing and me lost much time but I was just releived that everyone was ok. We rode late into the night through the rain to reach our hotel at hu-tiao-xia town. Once it was darkfall, I became even slower with the rain with almost no visibliity due to fogged up windshield and foged up glasses. We arrived late, drench, exhausted but glad everything went well that day.

Still in a dazed from the ride down from Yading .

Traveled on: Jun 2023

Border Crossing: Dongxing (China) to Mong Cai (Vietnam) with a Malaysian Passport.

These last few days in China was more routine than anything else. Travel from one town to another, take a walk around exploring and photos food and sleep. Nothing extra ordinary yet it was a travel without much hiccups.

I dunnu if i prefer these types of travel sometimes and I feel a bit guilty for I tend to travel too fast moving on as it can get a bit boring without ave spectacular sites and culture to visit. Non touristy places does not make you exhausted running to see things after things but at the same time makes you exhausted, as due of boredom you just start jump hopping cities to cities faster.

My contemplation of staying in Dongxing for the night also went out the window that way. I was bored and the idea of hopping over the border to Vietnam earlier to have a change of pace was begining to apeal more and more although at the back of my mind I knew that once I cross the border it wont be relaxing anymore as it was a new playing field that I would have to learn again and get acustom to.

Walking Around Dongxing

Walking Around Dongxing

Walking Around Dongxing

Thou I have been to vietnam before, I have yet to do it alone so I knew this was still going to be a slightly new adventure.

The bus from Beihai reach Dongxing after 4 hours. At 4pm in Beihai I decided to cross the border immediatly instead of spending the night. A 2km walk to the border and accross we go. I knew there was a 1 hour difference so even if I crossed by 5pm ... it would be 4pm in Vietnam hence I would cross it and take my chances.

Border Crossing from Dongxing to Mong Cai

The border crossing point was fairly easy to find with all the directional signpost. Google map however was failing me as the GPS seams to run far far away. Luckily the China AMAP gps was still on point.

Lots of Information Signpost in Dongxing

Dongxing Border Crossing Point Entry

Just at the entrance for China Border exit there was lots of people hanging around asking if one needed to change money and from my guess, they were also offering service to apply permit to exit China or enter Vietnam. 

I would not know really as Malaysian dont require anything of that sort so I just change some CNY to VND just so I am not cashless once over. Still as expected of a border town with China, everything in Mong Cai could still be paid in CNY thou the change might come back in VND with poor exchange rate.

To be honest there is not much to write about this border crossing espescially with a Malaysian Passport. No permits required, no visa ... just stamp out of China then stamp into Vietnam. 

Cleared China Dongxing Exit Imigration & Customs 

Walk Across the Bridge from Dongxing (China) to Mong Cai (Vietnam)

The only question I got asked was at the China side which was why I was going to Mong Cai which I replied as holiday. They further asked if I would go home to Malaysia from Vietnam and I just said maybe. My only suppicion is that if I tried to do a U-turn to extend Visa for China that would be a red flag to them but as I was genuinly going to Vietnam to travel, so I guess we would never know.

Walk Over to Mong Cai -Vietnam Immigration & Customs 

Over at the Vietnam side of the border, for some reason was more expensive than China. Hotels was nearly double the price, food was the same as well and I could not imagine the other items. One thing I spotted thou was the Casinos. There were huge large casinos in Mong Cai ... a few of them in fact but I only entered one. Casino were purely for forginers and no Vietnamese could enter.

The Casino was fully Mandarin friendly and zero English such that I had no idea how to read the gameplay. I reconized a few of them but it was still dounting to play without understanding the rules. Gambling money was in CNY, not USD or VND but CNY. 

Hong Van Grand Hotel Casino

Hong Van Grand Hotel Casino

I somehow can understand the bad exchange rate now from CNY to Dong and vice versa in Mong Cai. It was a Border Town where Chinese Nationals comes to splurge hence making everything more expensive than Dongxing which seams very docile when I was there briefly.

Traveled on: Dec 2023