Category Archives: China

Visa work complete in Kunming, China and ready to ride south tomorrow

. Our World Tour Adventure ., China

Thursday November 13, 2014 We arrived in Kunming, China by bus at 11:00 pm Monday night and once again Jocelyn’s excellent navigation skills found us at the Cloudland Hostel about an hour later at midnight. Riding through the city at night was easy and fun with the little traffic. We were lit up well with our bike lights and headlamps. My headlamp did go out and only lasted about a week with the batteries we bought in Iran. Fortunately that was the last of those and we found regular energizers here.

The next three days were spent in a flurry of activity finding and applying for the Vietnam and Thailand visas. We had to jump through a few last minute hoops for the Thai visa as the consulate is only open from 9-11:30 and is very busy. But we successfully obtained both visas so our consulate visits on this portion of our world tour is complete! Our Laos visa will be obtained on arrival at the border. Thailand does offer a visa on arrival when entering overland but it is only for 15 days which isn’t time for us. We are excited to ride our final 200 miles or so south to Vietnam. Our China visas expire next Tuesday the 18th so once again we are on a schedule.

It has been fun here in Kunming staying at the excellent and inexpensive Cloudland Hostel and it seems that between visa work we have spent our time eating food we haven’t seen in months.

These three guys were a great help in getting us to XiChange after our mountain ride. From the left Jina, Shibu and Awu. Shibu is Jina's and Awu's university English teacher.
These three guys were a great help in getting us to XiChange after our mountain ride. From the left Jina, Shibu and Awu. Shibu is Jina’s and Awu’s university English teacher.
Nice statue.
Nice statue.
Working our way to the bus station in Xichang.
Working our way to the bus station in Xichang.
Waiting for the bus.
Waiting for the bus.
A very interesting statue. I believe she is holding a communications satellite signifying communication in china.
A very interesting statue. I believe she is holding a communications satellite signifying communication in china.
Our bikes and panniers onboard the bus. Didn't even have to take the front wheel off.
Our bikes and panniers onboard the bus. Didn’t even have to take the front wheel off.
Our chariot awaits.
Our chariot awaits.
Eating our way through China. We stop often at the fruit vendors as we have throughout Europe and Asia.
Eating our way through China. We stop often at the fruit vendors as we have throughout Europe and Asia.
These cyclists ride around the city and empty trash bins.
These cyclists ride around the city and empty trash bins.

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Interesting billboard signifying that the world is moving towards China. The current U.S. debt to China is 1.25 trillion dollars. I wonder what the rest of the world owes them.
Interesting billboard signifying that the world is moving towards China. The current U.S. debt to China is 1.25 trillion dollars. I wonder what the rest of the world owes them.
Carrefour stores are throughout Europe and Asia and are like Walmart. The fountain below the sign is full of goldfish people are catching with tiny hooks and bread.
Carrefour stores are throughout Europe and Asia and are like Walmart. The fountain below the sign is full of goldfish people are catching with tiny hooks and bread.
Police everywhere. To the right of the police van is a portable station.
Police everywhere. To the right of the police van is a portable station.
To the right is one of many portable police stations throughout the city.
To the right is one of many portable police stations throughout the city.
Excellent massage from a blind masseuse.
Excellent massage from a blind masseuse.
Jocelyn had read about these blind masseuses from The Lonely Planet.
Jocelyn had read about these blind masseuses from The Lonely Planet.
We bought a kilo of these very delicious strawberries. Some of the best we have ever had.
We bought a kilo of these very delicious strawberries. Some of the best we have ever had.
A nice assortment of dried mushrooms.
A nice assortment of dried mushrooms.
Not too many restaurants serve alcohol and there are very few bars. We enjoyed a local brew here.
Not too many restaurants serve alcohol and there are very few bars. We enjoyed a local brew here.
An army of people painting several feet of the tree trunks white probably for some kind of disease protection. There was a truck following heating this mixture then pouring into buckets.
An army of people painting several feet of the tree trunks white probably for some kind of disease protection. There was a truck following heating this mixture then pouring into buckets.
There isn't a whole lot of science to this. Just throw the paint around and hope that the tree gets covered. Anything next to the tree also gets some! I wouldn't like to be this moped's owner.
There isn’t a whole lot of science to this. Just throw the paint around and hope that the tree gets covered. Anything next to the tree also gets some! I wouldn’t like to be this moped’s owner.
Next country is Vietnam! I spent some time offshore Vietnam during the Vietnam War while serving in the U.S. Navy onboard the USS Hoel DDG-13 (guided missile destroyer). It will be interesting to cycle part of the country.
Next country is Vietnam! I spent some time offshore Vietnam during the Vietnam War while serving in the U.S. Navy onboard the USS Hoel DDG-13 (guided missile destroyer). It will be interesting to cycle part of the country.
Shopping for essentials!
Shopping for essentials!
Displays like this throughout the cities.
Displays like this throughout the cities.
A recycle cycle at work. Some of these have a small electric drive.
A recycle cycle at work. Some of these have a small electric drive.
Huge construction projects throughout China.
Huge construction projects throughout China.
Huge construction projects throughout China.
Our first donuts since Europe!
We haven't seen a clothes dryer since Turkey.
We haven’t seen a clothes dryer since Turkey.
What a cool and very comfortable hostel. We had our own two bed room with a really nice bathroom and tv for $25 per night. There is a bar and restaurant on the left.
What a cool and very comfortable hostel. We had our own two bed room with a really nice bathroom and tv for $25 per night. There is a bar and restaurant on the left.
Happy hour on Cloudland's balcony!
Happy hour on Cloudland’s balcony!
Smiling faces as we can now get back on our bikes. Our passports read like books now.
Smiling faces as we can now get back on our bikes. Our passports read like books now.
Our last visit to a foreign consulate for this portion of our world ride.
Our last visit to a foreign consulate for this portion of our world ride.
We have eaten our way through China with excellent Chinese food then we visited this mall. What a western selection! We have eaten at McDonald's, KFC, DQ, Papa John's Pizza etc.
We have eaten our way through China with excellent Chinese food then we visited this mall. What a western selection! We have eaten at McDonald’s, KFC, DQ, Papa John’s Pizza etc.
A cream puff from beard papa's...just like Jocelyn's papa.
A cream puff from beard papa’s…just like Jocelyn’s papa.
We exchanged Chinese Yuons for Dongs and are now millionaires in Vietnam currency. Which really doesn't mean anything since this note is worth about $24 USD.
We exchanged Chinese Yuons for Dongs and are now millionaires in Vietnam currency. Which really doesn’t mean anything since this note is worth about $24 USD.