It’s quite ironic that I should be writing about my adventures. When I set out on my quest I didn’t want to document my experiences nor stop to capture moments. I just wanted to be fully aware of each moment to experience life and move on by letting go of experiences along with those moments. The idea was not to justify my experiences or my presence in any tangible form. Yet here I am writing again for a few reasons I suppose. To appreciate and thank all the people involved in all my experiences on this tour and for the benefit of other bikers who might want to take a tip or two.
You’ll also find that there are very few pictures on this Blog. The snaps that have been posted here have been mostly clicked by fellow travellers and locals I was fortunate to meet on my journey. They have been kind enough to email them to me to make this Blog as colorful and full of life as it appears now.
PACE OF LIFE
What determines the pace of life when you are traveling?
I would say, the mode of travel.
On a bicycle life moves at just the right pace to take in all the sights, sounds and smells. You can chat with locals and soak up the atmosphere & culture of the place. In certain parts of South East Asia you can even stop by for a refreshing drink of freshly pressed sugarcane juice.
THE ‘THUMBS UP’
Still coming to grips with South East Asian languages, well just stick your thumbs up and it instantaneously brings smiles on the faces of locals. Kids in Laos go a step further by outstretching their palms for a high five as you bike past them. It surely is an honor to be riding past such appreciative country folk. It is also a big thing for kids to shout out ‘SA BA DEE’ as you bike across the hills of Laos. And you reciprocate with your own ‘SA BA DEE’ each time improving on your Lao pronunciation.
MY CAMPING EQUIPMENT
When I started out on my bicycle journey in Thailand, I only had my sleeping mat and sleeping bag, which I had carried from home. I had to inevitably time my daily journey so that I could reach civilization by nightfall and look for a guesthouse.
I later purchased a three-man tent in Laos and this opened up a new way of life and adventure. I could bike late into the evening and pitch my tent just about anywhere in the countryside.
I chose a larger tent to accommodate my panniers with luggage, my biking gear and to have enough room to be comfortable.
I used a sleeping mat, which provided a cushiony effect especially when the tent is pitched on rocky or uneven terrain.
The mat also generates sufficient heat in chilly weather. However it can be very uncomfortable in hot and humid conditions.
I carried a ‘North Face’ sleeping bag on my tour.
In provinces like Yunnan in China a sleeping bag is basic requirement any time of the year. But even in warm countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, it can get cold up volcanoes (Mount Bromo, Indonesia) and hills (Cameron Highlands, Malaysia).
I had my tent, sleeping mat & sleeping bag all rolled into my Ortlieb dry bag and placed horizontally on the rear rack of my bicycle.
CAMPING TIPS
Cycling in the countryside, I would typically start looking out for spots to pitch my tent when it is still reasonably bright enough. It is not a pleasant experience to start setting up your tent poles when it is dark.
I bought a couple of padlocks with which I generally used to lock the entrances to the tent. I always kept one of the entrances permanently locked and used only the other entrance. In fact camping is so safe in Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia & Singapore that I always pitched my tent at dusk, locked my tent and went out to grab dinner someplace.
Make sure you carry a mosquito repellant in Hong Kong. At first I overlooked this suggestion made by a police officer. It turned out to be a nightmare without one of those. Well I have camped in various conditions and in many parts of the world, but it’s definitely got to be on your list if you are camping in HK. Always wear long sleeves and track pants to prevent bites, especially after dusk.
SOME INTERESTING CAMPING SPOTS
Ø School playgrounds, abandoned huts and shelters – Laos
Ø Ngong Ping Campsite – “Big Buddha”, Lantau, HK
Ø The Great Wall of China, Simathai
Ø Lava Plain overlooking Mount Bromo Volcano, Java, Indonesia
Ø Children’s play home – Indonesia
Ø Police Check Posts / Stations – Indonesia
Ø Amid snowcapped mountains, hills & valleys – Yunnan, China
Ø National Parks – HK, Singapore
Ø Beach Parks – Singapore, HK, Macau
CAMPING IN HONG KONG & MACAU
Hong Kong & Macau have official campsites set up by Country Parks. The facilities include camping grounds, barbeque pits, toilets, shower rooms, automated beverage dispensing machines, payphones, etc.
Camping is free and permits are generally not required.
In Hong Kong, Lantau and Lamma islands are ideal for camping. If you want to save a hundred dollars on accommodation in HK, just ride a ferry to Mui Wo in Lantau and Nam Shan campsite is just a 30 minute climb on a bicycle. But note that bicycles are charged as per freight charges and only slow ferries accept bicycles.
The most picturesque campsite in all of HK is the Ngong Ping campsite in Lantau, overlooking the “The Big Buddha”. This is a perfect location to meditate in the backdrop of hills and the giant Buddha. But rain and gusty wind are quite common in this campsite. There is also a Youth Hostel in Ngong Ping near the campsite.
Macau’s Coloane island has fantastic campsites like the Hac Sa Beach campsite. The campsite offers hiking trails and several basketball courts in addition to all basic campsite facilities.
CAMPING IN SINGAPORE & MALAYSIA
BIKING IN LABRADOR NATURE RESERVE, SINGAPORE
Lots of free campsites in the countryside and hills of Malaysia like Cameron Highlands. However I didn’t spend much time in Malaysia as I was preoccupied in purchasing another bicycle to continue on my bicycle tour.
Singapore has one of the best camping facilities – probably the most economical way to stay in Singapore. The best part of Singapore’s campsites is it’s easy accessibility from different parts of the city. Most of these National Parks are on the coast along its beaches. In addition to fantastic facilities like camping grounds, barbeque pits, toilets, shower rooms, payphones, ATMs etc, there is also usually a hawker center within the Park or just outside the park area.
Camping is free on weekends but a permit is required for camping on weekdays. Obtaining a permit is also easy, just pitch your tent and an official of the National Parks authority will approach your tent, gather your personal details and tag your tent with a permit. This permit is also free.
East Coast Park –This Park is usually busy bustling with weekenders biking and rollerblading. Eating options include 24 hour McDonals and other restaurants. But if you are looking for cheap eats this is not the place for you. Walk across the highway through the underpass and you’ll find hawker centers.
7-Eleven is also inside the Park area. An entertainment complex consisting of a bowling alley and a gaming arcade is also situated in the Park. One drawback is that the toilet and shower facilities are on pay and use basis and they is closed between midnight and 7AM. You’ll have to hop over to McDonalds during these hours if you need to relieve yourself.
Changi Beach Park – My favorite campsite is Singapore.
Changi village is just a stone’s throw away and there are loads of hawker centers including one right adjacent to the bus terminal. Don’t miss the ‘Sting Ray’ fish in BBQ sauce at the hawker center.
Changi village sports a ferry terminal from where ferries ply to Palau Ubin island. Changi village also hosts the weekend Friday Flea Market where the best bargains are on display. There are shops renting bicycles, rollerblades, fishing equipment, etc. You could also work out an appetite by playing a game of Basketball with the locals.
West Coast Park – This Park has a promenade and camping is allowed only on weekends. An interesting way to go around the park is by hiring a go-cart type of pedal powered car.
There is also an obstacle track for bicycles. No hawker center inside the Park, but you’ll find one right across the Parkway.
Sembawang Park – I found this park to be a quiet hideaway away from the hustle and bustle. The hawker center is a couple of kilometers from the Park. But no 7-Elevens here.
Pasir Ris Park – This Park has all the basic amenities of a campsite and is less crowded than the Changi Beach Park.
Lots of free campsites in the countryside and hills of Malaysia like Cameron Highlands. However I didn’t spend much time in Malaysia as I was preoccupied in purchasing another bicycle to continue on my bicycle tour.
Singapore has one of the best camping facilities – probably the most economical way to stay in Singapore. The best part of Singapore’s campsites is it’s easy accessibility from different parts of the city. Most of these National Parks are on the coast along its beaches. In addition to fantastic facilities like camping grounds, barbeque pits, toilets, shower rooms, payphones, ATMs etc, there is also usually a hawker center within the Park or just outside the park area.
Camping is free on weekends but a permit is required for camping on weekdays. Obtaining a permit is also easy, just pitch your tent and an official of the National Parks authority will approach your tent, gather your personal details and tag your tent with a permit. This permit is also free.
East Coast Park –This Park is usually busy bustling with weekenders biking and rollerblading. Eating options include 24 hour McDonals and other restaurants. But if you are looking for cheap eats this is not the place for you. Walk across the highway through the underpass and you’ll find hawker centers.
7-Eleven is also inside the Park area. An entertainment complex consisting of a bowling alley and a gaming arcade is also situated in the Park. One drawback is that the toilet and shower facilities are on pay and use basis and they is closed between midnight and 7AM. You’ll have to hop over to McDonalds during these hours if you need to relieve yourself.
Changi Beach Park – My favorite campsite is Singapore.
Changi village is just a stone’s throw away and there are loads of hawker centers including one right adjacent to the bus terminal. Don’t miss the ‘Sting Ray’ fish in BBQ sauce at the hawker center.
Changi village sports a ferry terminal from where ferries ply to Palau Ubin island. Changi village also hosts the weekend Friday Flea Market where the best bargains are on display. There are shops renting bicycles, rollerblades, fishing equipment, etc. You could also work out an appetite by playing a game of Basketball with the locals.
West Coast Park – This Park has a promenade and camping is allowed only on weekends. An interesting way to go around the park is by hiring a go-cart type of pedal powered car.
There is also an obstacle track for bicycles. No hawker center inside the Park, but you’ll find one right across the Parkway.
Sembawang Park – I found this park to be a quiet hideaway away from the hustle and bustle. The hawker center is a couple of kilometers from the Park. But no 7-Elevens here.
Pasir Ris Park – This Park has all the basic amenities of a campsite and is less crowded than the Changi Beach Park.
CAMPING IN PALAU UBIN, SINGAPORE
STAYING IN POLICE STATIONS IN HK
It was quite a challenge for me to find accommodation in the ‘New Territories’ of HK. Crossing the border from Shenzen in China, there was nothing more than a highway. I asked around and was informed that there were no guesthouses or camping options around. I was also told that camping was allowed only on official campsites in HK. There was this bird sanctuary I went over to visit but it was nearing dusk and was closed for the day. Camping they said was not allowed in the sanctuary and I decided to move along.
It was getting darker and I had to soon pitch my tent some place. A passerby suggested that I might find something near the train station or even take a train to another part of HK. So I got to the train station and the lady at the counter said that there were no accommodation options there and that only folding bicycles were allowed on trains.
I was figuring my next move when I was greeted by a bunch of guys (who looked like locals) on cycles. They turned out to be Nepalese living in HK and one of them was even able to speak a little Hindi. Well, they were very eager to help and I explained my situation to them. They even got me a drink at a 7-Eleven store and I followed them to a Nepali restaurant. They ordered some food and we all sat down at a table to chat which was occupied a by Pakistani friend of theirs. The food was quite delicious and their hospitality was the highlight of the rendezvous.
After the meal, I asked them about police stations nearby and they helped me locate a payphone and even provided coins to make calls to the police. I thanked my friends, bid them goodbye and biked to the police station.
At the police station, I explained my predicament and requested them to provide a small area within the premises of the police station for me to pitch my tent. The suggestion did not go well with them and I was offered the couch in the waiting area of the police station.
In the morning I was fortunate to meet a very interesting police officer. His name was Ivan. We talked about travel, adventure and various other aspects of life. He gave me several tips on biking in HK and we exchanged email addresses. I am very thrilled to write here that Ivan has emailed me and it was an absolute pleasure to receive his mail. Just one thing, I should have taken your advice and accepted the mosquito repellant that you offered me that morning. The campsites were swarming with mosquitoes.
My next night was also in the New Territories and as luck would have it, I was again stranded for the night. Again I couldn’t find any guesthouses and had to settle for a park just outside the train station. I was contemplating pitching my tent when I was approached by two police officers. I explained my situation to them. They noticed my camping gear and suggested that I could camp there for the night. I was delighted. I wrote down the telephone number of the police, just in case.
I pitched my tent and no sooner had I settled down than an officer of the train station approached my tent. He evidently spoke only Chinese and he started making gestures and signs indicating me to pack my tent. Soon it turned into a game of dumb charades. I flashed the telephone number of the police and he called the number on his hand phone. More confusion ensued with the phone being handed back and forth and finally the police informed me that I had to pack my tent and leave the premises. I then arranged with the police to spend my night, in the police station. So I packed my tent and biked to the police station. So for the second night in a row I had to spend my night in a police station, which I was quite getting used to actually.
CAUGHT CAMPING IN A ‘NO CAMPING ZONE’
I had just arrived from Batam, Indonesia to Singapore’s Harbor Front. I had something to take care of on Bukit Merah Road the next morning and didn’t want to bike all the way to any of the National Parks and just to come back again in the morning. There was this hawker center and I went in for some food. I enquired about camping options in the vicinity and was told that the Labrador Nature Reserve had BBQ pits and that it wasn’t an official campsite.
Well I decided to take a chance and pitched my tent under a shelter as it had been raining. I was returning from the washroom back to the tent and preparing to call it a day when two gentlemen approached my tent. One of them flashed an identity card and introduced himself as an official of the National Parks. They said camping was illegal in the Park and were about to book me but decided to just warn me and let me go. They instructed me to pack my tent immediately and get going right away.
Well it wasn’t too bad as I spent the rest of the night café hopping. Singapore hosts numerous 24-hour cafes. And especially on weekends, you can even catch a game of English soccer for free and cheer every goal with the local folk.
CAMPING IN INDONESIA
I arrived at the Batam ferry point from Singapore’s Harbour Front ferry terminal. By the way, don’t miss the delicious pepper chicken pie at the food court just behind the ticket counter on Level 1 at Harbour Front.
From the ferry point, I biked to the nearest town of Nagoya, some 35 km and reached by nightfall.
I biked for a while in search of a park or someplace to pitch my tent, but couldn’t find any. I then spotted a police station and tried my luck there, but with no avail.
I biked around town till 1 AM and was thrilled to realize that the town had numerous all night cafes. Just what I had wanted. I had by now gotten used to spending my nights in coffee shops. Ordered some toast and engrossed myself in reading the newspaper I had picked that morning in Singapore.
Well I then decided to hop to another coffee shop, but stopped in to get supplies like biscuits and some snacks for my next day’s ferry ride.
This was a 24-JAM department store. I reloaded my panniers, and was contemplating spending my night on the sidewalk next to the store. Just then a couple of gentlemen on a motorbike approached me asking me I needed any help. I told them that I was looking for a cheap guesthouse in the vicinity. They offered to help me look for a place and I was asked to follow the motorbike. It was quite late and I followed the men for 10 minutes until we reached a guesthouse somewhere in the interior of the town area. I thanked my friends and bid them goodbye. Expectedly, the room rates were beyond my budget. I wasn’t that desperate – I still had the coffee shop option and of course my sidewalk was always available.
Well I decided that the sidewalk was by far more challenging and I could as well build a little character that way. So I biked back to the store, locked my bike, and settled on the sidewalk. It wasn’t too bad actually, the 24-hour store was right beside and so it was quite safe so to speak.
I slept quite well I guess, just a couple of hours, actually. I had to be at the ferry terminal quite early next morning. So set off by 5AM and reached the ferry terminal in time for my ferry to Dumai.
In Bukittingi, I biked down into the valley where I found a spot next to a small stream where I camped for the night.
In Surabhaya, I was hunting down the ‘Rodalink’ bike shop to get some accessories and it was pretty late by the time I was done. I spotted a roadside food stall and was served with the best sambal and rice dish I had tasted so far. A local Indonesian was also dining there who spoke a little English and we started talking. After the meal, he invited me to his home to stay for the night. Well I was looking to start biking towards Mt. Bromo and the main highway was just round the corner and was keen on looking around for some options nearby. Well I thanked him for his offer and went around cruising on my bike.
I then spotted a police patrol car and approached the officers and asked if I could pitch my tent someplace. They were very friendly but spoke little English. The officers discussed this for a few minutes among themselves and then one of them started a motorbike and said “Follow Me”. I started on my bicycle and to his surprise kept pace with him. Well it was a short ride and we arrived at what seemed to be a police check post on the highway. There were a couple of other officers here and they said that I could pitch my tent for the night right next to their setup, which was just a small shelter.
One of the officers got me dinner at a nearby food stall and he took me to a big building, apparently a car showroom. Can’t quite remember which, maybe it was Toyota or Mercedes. They introduced me to the security officer and he took me inside the showroom and showed me the rest room. He said that I could freshen up there. Wow!
The next morning I packed my tent and went back to the car depot, got ready for my cycling next day, thanked the security and the police officers and was on my way.
STAYING IN POLICE STATIONS IN HK
It was quite a challenge for me to find accommodation in the ‘New Territories’ of HK. Crossing the border from Shenzen in China, there was nothing more than a highway. I asked around and was informed that there were no guesthouses or camping options around. I was also told that camping was allowed only on official campsites in HK. There was this bird sanctuary I went over to visit but it was nearing dusk and was closed for the day. Camping they said was not allowed in the sanctuary and I decided to move along.
It was getting darker and I had to soon pitch my tent some place. A passerby suggested that I might find something near the train station or even take a train to another part of HK. So I got to the train station and the lady at the counter said that there were no accommodation options there and that only folding bicycles were allowed on trains.
I was figuring my next move when I was greeted by a bunch of guys (who looked like locals) on cycles. They turned out to be Nepalese living in HK and one of them was even able to speak a little Hindi. Well, they were very eager to help and I explained my situation to them. They even got me a drink at a 7-Eleven store and I followed them to a Nepali restaurant. They ordered some food and we all sat down at a table to chat which was occupied a by Pakistani friend of theirs. The food was quite delicious and their hospitality was the highlight of the rendezvous.
After the meal, I asked them about police stations nearby and they helped me locate a payphone and even provided coins to make calls to the police. I thanked my friends, bid them goodbye and biked to the police station.
At the police station, I explained my predicament and requested them to provide a small area within the premises of the police station for me to pitch my tent. The suggestion did not go well with them and I was offered the couch in the waiting area of the police station.
In the morning I was fortunate to meet a very interesting police officer. His name was Ivan. We talked about travel, adventure and various other aspects of life. He gave me several tips on biking in HK and we exchanged email addresses. I am very thrilled to write here that Ivan has emailed me and it was an absolute pleasure to receive his mail. Just one thing, I should have taken your advice and accepted the mosquito repellant that you offered me that morning. The campsites were swarming with mosquitoes.
My next night was also in the New Territories and as luck would have it, I was again stranded for the night. Again I couldn’t find any guesthouses and had to settle for a park just outside the train station. I was contemplating pitching my tent when I was approached by two police officers. I explained my situation to them. They noticed my camping gear and suggested that I could camp there for the night. I was delighted. I wrote down the telephone number of the police, just in case.
I pitched my tent and no sooner had I settled down than an officer of the train station approached my tent. He evidently spoke only Chinese and he started making gestures and signs indicating me to pack my tent. Soon it turned into a game of dumb charades. I flashed the telephone number of the police and he called the number on his hand phone. More confusion ensued with the phone being handed back and forth and finally the police informed me that I had to pack my tent and leave the premises. I then arranged with the police to spend my night, in the police station. So I packed my tent and biked to the police station. So for the second night in a row I had to spend my night in a police station, which I was quite getting used to actually.
CAUGHT CAMPING IN A ‘NO CAMPING ZONE’
I had just arrived from Batam, Indonesia to Singapore’s Harbor Front. I had something to take care of on Bukit Merah Road the next morning and didn’t want to bike all the way to any of the National Parks and just to come back again in the morning. There was this hawker center and I went in for some food. I enquired about camping options in the vicinity and was told that the Labrador Nature Reserve had BBQ pits and that it wasn’t an official campsite.
Well I decided to take a chance and pitched my tent under a shelter as it had been raining. I was returning from the washroom back to the tent and preparing to call it a day when two gentlemen approached my tent. One of them flashed an identity card and introduced himself as an official of the National Parks. They said camping was illegal in the Park and were about to book me but decided to just warn me and let me go. They instructed me to pack my tent immediately and get going right away.
Well it wasn’t too bad as I spent the rest of the night café hopping. Singapore hosts numerous 24-hour cafes. And especially on weekends, you can even catch a game of English soccer for free and cheer every goal with the local folk.
CAMPING IN INDONESIA
I arrived at the Batam ferry point from Singapore’s Harbour Front ferry terminal. By the way, don’t miss the delicious pepper chicken pie at the food court just behind the ticket counter on Level 1 at Harbour Front.
From the ferry point, I biked to the nearest town of Nagoya, some 35 km and reached by nightfall.
I biked for a while in search of a park or someplace to pitch my tent, but couldn’t find any. I then spotted a police station and tried my luck there, but with no avail.
I biked around town till 1 AM and was thrilled to realize that the town had numerous all night cafes. Just what I had wanted. I had by now gotten used to spending my nights in coffee shops. Ordered some toast and engrossed myself in reading the newspaper I had picked that morning in Singapore.
Well I then decided to hop to another coffee shop, but stopped in to get supplies like biscuits and some snacks for my next day’s ferry ride.
This was a 24-JAM department store. I reloaded my panniers, and was contemplating spending my night on the sidewalk next to the store. Just then a couple of gentlemen on a motorbike approached me asking me I needed any help. I told them that I was looking for a cheap guesthouse in the vicinity. They offered to help me look for a place and I was asked to follow the motorbike. It was quite late and I followed the men for 10 minutes until we reached a guesthouse somewhere in the interior of the town area. I thanked my friends and bid them goodbye. Expectedly, the room rates were beyond my budget. I wasn’t that desperate – I still had the coffee shop option and of course my sidewalk was always available.
Well I decided that the sidewalk was by far more challenging and I could as well build a little character that way. So I biked back to the store, locked my bike, and settled on the sidewalk. It wasn’t too bad actually, the 24-hour store was right beside and so it was quite safe so to speak.
I slept quite well I guess, just a couple of hours, actually. I had to be at the ferry terminal quite early next morning. So set off by 5AM and reached the ferry terminal in time for my ferry to Dumai.
In Bukittingi, I biked down into the valley where I found a spot next to a small stream where I camped for the night.
In Surabhaya, I was hunting down the ‘Rodalink’ bike shop to get some accessories and it was pretty late by the time I was done. I spotted a roadside food stall and was served with the best sambal and rice dish I had tasted so far. A local Indonesian was also dining there who spoke a little English and we started talking. After the meal, he invited me to his home to stay for the night. Well I was looking to start biking towards Mt. Bromo and the main highway was just round the corner and was keen on looking around for some options nearby. Well I thanked him for his offer and went around cruising on my bike.
I then spotted a police patrol car and approached the officers and asked if I could pitch my tent someplace. They were very friendly but spoke little English. The officers discussed this for a few minutes among themselves and then one of them started a motorbike and said “Follow Me”. I started on my bicycle and to his surprise kept pace with him. Well it was a short ride and we arrived at what seemed to be a police check post on the highway. There were a couple of other officers here and they said that I could pitch my tent for the night right next to their setup, which was just a small shelter.
One of the officers got me dinner at a nearby food stall and he took me to a big building, apparently a car showroom. Can’t quite remember which, maybe it was Toyota or Mercedes. They introduced me to the security officer and he took me inside the showroom and showed me the rest room. He said that I could freshen up there. Wow!
The next morning I packed my tent and went back to the car depot, got ready for my cycling next day, thanked the security and the police officers and was on my way.
CAMPING AT A POLICE CHECK POST, SURABHAYA, INDONESIA
FOOD
Ø Weirdest
ü Snakes on grill (chewy and rubbery)– China
ü Deep fried assortment of insects ranging from crickets, houseflies, dragonflies, cockroaches, etc. (tasted like chewing sawdust) – Cambodia & Thailand
Ø Tastiest –
ü String Ray fish in barbeque sauce – Singapore
ü Steamed Rice with Sambal (Makasan Padang - Sauce made with green chilies)- Indonesia
Ø Specialties of SEA:
Ø Thailand
ü Khao Phat Kai (Chicken/Egg Fried Rice)
ü Khao Man Kai (Steamed Rice with Chicken)
ü Steamed rice with gaeng (spicy gravy)
Ø Malaysia
ü Nasi Lemak – Steamed Rice with spicy sambal and chunks of fish
ü Roti Canai – Parota with fish gravy
Ø Indonesia
ü Nasi Goreng – Egg Fried Rice
ü Ayam Sate – Grilled Chicken wih peanut sauce & onions
ü Ayam Barkar – Grilled Chicken
ü Ikan Barkar – Grilled Fish
In China, I would just hang around tables in hawker centers and perhaps look around for some interesting dishes and the locals would invite you to join them, especially when they were having BBQ. Generally there were large groups and they would have a range of interesting dishes on the grill – squids, chicken feet, potatoes, with a variety of sauces. It sure is an interesting way to explore the local flavors.
Sometimes I would also go around the hawker center and ask vendors for taste before actually ordering my dish. This always didn’t work though. In those times, I would go around the tables and point to some dish and ask the locals dining there if I could taste a dish. I have had quite a few of them actually invite me to join them at the table. The locals were always very hospitable and friendly.
SELF-COOKING IN LAOS
I was on a trail from Vang Vieng to Ponsavan and then to Luang Prabhang. I passed through several tiny villages en route. Most of these villages had just a couple of eating options in the form of a small make shift kitchens. I was quite keen on khao phat kai, but none of the eateries served them. They just had steamed rice. I started to explain to this old lady what I wanted and how I wanted by pointing to things in the kitchen and she realized the futility of the whole exercise and slowly moved out of the kitchen and I started to make myself comfortable. She showed me where the oil and rice were. Then I would start prowling around pick up a couple of onions, some greens, chilies, eggs, etc. I would break the eggs, stir fry the greens and add steamed rice to make a crude variation of khao phat kai. Well once I realized the effectiveness of this technique, I got quite good at taking over kitchens all across Laos. After my meal I would pay about 5000 kip.
ACROSS THE YANGSTE RIVER & OVER THE TIGER LEAPING GORGE
My most challenging bike ride was from Lijiang to Shangri La. After having camped for the night at the Yak Meadows overlooking the Yulong Snow Mountains, I negotiated a difficult 40 km downhill cobble stone terrain in wet weather to reach the town of Daju.
There was more challenge in wait for me when I encountered the Yangste river across the Tiger Leaping Gorge. That involved hiking down with my bicycle, which might not have been too difficult but for the fact that I had to make two trips – once for my bicycle and the second trip for my luggage.
The uphill hike was a completely different proposition. That involved carrying my bike on my shoulder and hiking up the steep cliff. The path was quite narrow, just a hiker’s path. I was fortunate to have been assisted by a Chinese local who gave me a hand around the last few bends. Of course, I had to make another trip for my luggage. It was a great relief to have made it to the other side of the river, but there was a lot more work to be done. I was in the middle of a swampy landscape and there were no sign of roads anywhere around me. I had no clue as to which way to go. I randomly set out trusting my intuitions to explore a way out. After a few abandoned dwellings I finally could see a paved road out in the distance, which seemed like an oasis in a desert. There were moments of uncertainty until I reached the paved road and saw a sign board which read ‘ Shangri La 159 km’
MEETING THE RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE RIGHT TIME
I was hunting down bike shops to get my bike boxed up for the flight next day. Impulsively, as I turned into a narrow alley, I was stopped by a Macanese lady by name May, who happened to be a biker herself. She referred me to Wing Lei Bicycle shop. The owners, Mr & Mrs. Knok, not only boxed up my bike in no time, they also offered to drive me to the airport. That was very generous and gracious of them. They gifted me with a water bottle and a pair of biking shorts as well.
DINNER WHERE YOU LEAST EXPECT IT
I was climbing one of the tiny hills in Singapore when I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted at the top a group of expats who had just completed a hash run. I was asked to join them for dinner, which was quite an honor.
During a casual conversation, they asked me how long I intended to bike and I replied, “As long as I have money”. One of the gentlemen pulled out his wallet and handed me a 10 dollar note. I was so overwhelmed that I didn’t know what to say. He said, “Don’t be shy, and take it”. I then accepted it.
He also gave me his card and offered his help if I ever needed one.
Well it was not the first time this kind of a thing had happened to me.
On one other occasion, I was riding the underground train in Hong Kong when a lady offered me some candy. I took one and thanked her. Later, she handed me the small matchbox sized candy box and got down at her station. I pocketed it and later opened it to find a 10-dollar bill tucked into the tiny candy box.
Was it karma? Were these people related to me in some past life? What makes someone give spontaneously?
Well there is another theory that you receive only when you give - the wheel of karma. Isn’t that interesting?
This brings me to yet another recollection, when I was meditating at a monastery in Tibet and a group of Chinese tourists walked in. I opened my eyes to find that they were looking at me quite weirdly and started to feel my hair on my hands, which seemed odd to them and they offered me some money. But I surprisingly refused to accept. I guess it needs an attitude to accept, as does an attitude to give.
Well the next time I was in Singapore, I decided to hunt for a job, before flying back home. My strategy was to camp at East Coast / Changi Park, take a shower at the campsite and bike to the city to attend interviews. At the end of the day, I would bike back to camp. Well it worked for a few days but it was time consuming as I had to bike to every part of the city and I could only attend a few interviews every day. Also most of the offices were in high-rise buildings and malls. So getting the bike safely locked and secured was quite a hassle. So I wanted to keep my bike and stuff someplace for a couple of weeks. I called the gentleman who had given me his card on the hilltop. He invited me home and when I arrived, he took me inside and said, “This is your room”. I was never so overwhelmed in my life. I accepted his generous offer. He got me all ready for my job hunting next day – got me a hand phone, a backpack, an umbrella and a map. He knew I was working on my resume and that evening he got a digital camera and we shot a picture to upload on my resume. I was so very touched by his gesture. Well I just can’t thank him enough.
INCENSE BURNING REALIZATION
I parked my bicycle on the sidewalk of Jalan Bukit Merah, Singapore and hopped into the Queen’s shopping Mall to use the payphone. I was warmly greeted by the pleasant fragrance of incense burning beside a Chinese deity.
I was on the phone for a while and the incense began to suffocate me. Suddenly it hit me like a ton of bricks. What a lesson, I exclaimed. The same elements in life are responsible for pleasure and pain. Emotions, desires, feelings, etc were all two faced both giving us an opportunity to experience the extremes.
THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA EXPERIENCE
I decided to visit one of the sections of the Great Wall of China the next day. I was staying in a Youth Hostel in Beijing and one of my dorm mates suggested camping on the Great Wall. I instantly decided that was exactly what I would do. But I had to abandon the idea of biking there and so I kept my bicycle and other things in the luggage room of the hostel and took my backpack, my sleeping bag and my tent. I wanted to avoid the touristy crowd and picked the stretch from Jinshalling to Simathai, a relatively remote section of the Great Wall.
I took a bus from Beijing by noon and the bus dropped me off someplace, which I was told was close to the Jinshalling section of the wall. I was also informed beforehand that there was no public transport to the Great Wall and had to hire a taxi. Well I was about to soon find out anyway.
No sooner had I got down from the bus than a taxi driver was on to me. He knew that I wanted to go to the Great Wall and he kept insisting that there was no public transport. He spoke a little English and I asked him the fare to get to the Jinshalling part of the Wall. He said 160 RMB! That was ridiculous. Well this pretty much happens to tourists no matter where in the world and me being from India, I prided on being a persistent bargainer. Well we bargained and the taxi driver came down to a 100 RMB. I wanted to get a second opinion anyway and started walking away. There were a couple of shops across the highway and enquired but couldn’t get anywhere due to the language barrier.
Well one thing in China is to get your destination written down in Chinese script and you just flash it to locals to get directions. I did that all the time on my bicycle. I would copy the Chinese script of my destinations from the Lonely Planet and place them on my handlebar bag and use that to get directions. In other situations I would walk into a big hotel and get the receptionist in the lobby to do the translation. They always spoke a little English.
Well I was getting nowhere with any of the shopkeepers and decided to hitch hike. I stuck my thumb out and more than half a dozen vehicles drove past, but none stopped. Well expectedly the taxi driver had been following me and was quite amused that I was trying to hitch hike my way. Well it was late afternoon now and I wanted to be on the Wall before sunset. So I decided to go with the taxi but some more bargaining was in order. Well I brought it down to 40RMB and I hopped in. In about 5 min, he stopped at what seemed to be a taxi stand; he spoke with another taxi driver and before I knew it, I was asked to get down and get into another taxi. That taxi had a local Chinese passenger and I realized that it was a shared taxi and was determined to get the fare down, which was logical. Well they didn’t want to listen to me and ignored me. Well I was stuck here in the middle of nowhere and decided to ride along. Another Chinese passenger got in and we got started.
Well I tried to pump the two passengers what the ride was costing them but couldn’t even get to first base. I was almost certain that I was still being overcharged, but I let it go and enjoyed the ride. I was hoping that my passengers would get down before my destination arrived. That was exactly what happened and they got down and I was shocked to see them both pay 10 RMB. I protested and the driver argued that there was another 8 km to Jinshalling and I was the only passenger. Still 30RMB for that ride! No way! I paid him 10RMB and I got down with my fellow passengers. It was another highway again, no restaurants around as I had planned to grab some dinner before I got to the Wall. So I picked up some fruits alongside the highway. There was another taxi stand and I enquired and I guess word had got around that I had gotten away on my first ride and I was quoted 12RMB for the next 8km. As usual I bargained and we settled for 8RMB. It was nearing dusk and I was keen on getting on the Wall as soon as possible.
Well I got there and paid my entry fee (which was quite hefty, 120RMB I think but I can’t quite remember), got my map and started. At the gate, the security officer noticed my tent and asked if I was going to pitch my tent on the wall. I nodded and he said that would be 50RMB extra. I smiled at him and said that I had already paid for it at the counter. He smiled back and let me in.
I started the climb using the steps and reached the Wall, which was quite a spectacle. At start I was confused about the direction to Simathai. I had arrived on a long never-ending stretch of the Wall and I could have gone in either direction. Luckily I had my compass and used the map to head off the right way. The Wall was paved and in good condition when I started but began to deteriorate as I hiked up the Wall. Most parts of the Wall were in ruins and certain stretches were quite treacherous. The stretch from Jinshalling to Simathai was 11 km. I decided to hike half the distance, before preparing to pitch my tent. There was absolutely no one in sight until, I spotted a bunch of people from a distance. I got there and was greeted by three tourists and we got talking. They were from Israel and were planning to spend the night on the Wall in the open. I wished them luck, bid goodbye and moved on. It was getting dark now and I had to stop and pitch my tent. I found a patch on the Wall with a little grass, checked the direction of wind and pitched my tent. Ate my fruits and slept.
Next morning, I got up by 4AM, packed my tent and set off. In about 45 min or so, I reached the Simathai section of the Wall. I took the suspension bridge and crossed over to the other side. Just one note here, if you are planning to camp on the Wall pick a spot closer to any of the towns where the Wall is in good condition. In the middle sections, the Wall is pretty much in ruins and it’s not pretty to camp amidst ruins.
On the other side, I was surprised to see a Youth Hostel. I was kicking myself. If only I had biked up to the Youth Hostel here, I could have parked my bike there and hiked the Wall. Nevertheless, I went in to enquire but there was no one in sight. I walked out to the exit, which was actually the entrance, which I later realized if one were to be coming from the Simathai section of the Wall. The reception was closed and this is where I had to be careful. I had heard from a few travelers that they had to pay the entrance fee on both sides of the Wall. That was ridiculous, I thought. So I realized that this was my chance to get out. It was 5AM and there was no hint of any soul in sight. I actually got out of the gate and was about to exit the main gate when a Chinese security officer from the roof spotted me and suggested that I stop. Well I could always claim that I was going to enter. Well apparently he had spotted me when I was getting out. I pretended not to understand him and he got hold of my hand and summoned another official and he grabbed hold of my other hand and they started to drag me to the reception. It was as if I was held for a crime or something. Well I wasn’t going to give up without a fight and I demanded to see the authorities. Well you can imagine the scene with the communication barrier for one. Even if I was going to pay, I wanted a receipt and the picture postcard.
In a few minutes, a smart lady came strolling up to us and I demanded an explanation. She confirmed that the fee had to be paid even if I were exiting from this section of the Wall. Well I asked her what would happen if I were to backtrack and exit from the Jinshalling section again. I was going to have to pay again. So I was made to pay an exit fee, as insane as it sounded. Well it was another 100 RMB or something like that.
Well no hard feeling at the end of it all. Once in while I guess tourists like me get really paranoid about making trips on a budget and not get overcharged. It’s not actually the money but there is a principle involved.
Well me being from India I know exactly how tourists get ripped off back home and my apologies for such occurrences. But I guess it’s human nature after all and is bound to happen in cultures of developing countries.
Well, the best part of my return trip was that there was a local bus service directly to the main bus terminal. So I waited for the bus and took another bus back to Beijing. In the end, it was all worth it I guess.
VISAS & BORDER CROSSINGS – AN INDIAN PASSPORT HOLDER’S PERSPECIVE
My original plan was to fly to Bangkok, purchase a bicycle with the works, bike across to Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Tibet, Nepal and bike back to India. So I did not want to fly back to India and got myself only a one-way ticket.
I had arranged for my Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese visas from India.
Thailand Tourist Visa – Better to get this from India. The visa officer informed me that the duration of the visa is usually one month. But I guess it’s finally up to immigration. The validity of the visa is typically 3 months. My plan was to bike from Thailand to Laos and hence did not have a return ticket. I had to submit a covering letter stating my purpose and itinerary and that I intended to cycle out of Thailand. With that I was issued my single entry visa. I got this for 1250 INR at the Mumbai consulate. To my surprise, I was stamped for 2 months of stay at immigration, which suited me quite well indeed.
Chinese Tourist Visa – This was 6 months before the Olympics and it wasn’t a very big deal. The documents that were requested at first were quite exhaustive but eventually they issued my visa even without requiring my return ticket. I picked this up at the Mumbai consulate. The visa officer there was a Chinese and I explained my plans and she was quite helpful. But I was only able to get a single entry, 1-month stay visa with 3 months validity starting from the date of issue. This visa cost me 1000 INR.
Vietnamese Tourist Visa – This visa had a few interesting options. I realized that I could postdate my visa by a couple of months. You’ll have to apply for an approval at first and I applied this from the consulate of Vietnam in Mumbai. In a couple of days my approval got granted form Hanoi, the visa was issued in another three days. This visa did not have a separate validity date but I got a 3-month tourist visa starting after a couple of months.
Internet resources confirmed that Laos visa was available on arrival and my Tibet Permit would be issued from China. I didn’t need a visa to Nepal and that Nepal to India was no big deal.
All my plans had to be inevitably reworked on the very day I was to board my flight from Kolkata to Bangkok. The Tibet situation had become worse and the Chinese had suspended issue of Tibet Passes to all tourists. So that cut out my entry back into India via Nepal. Of course the situation might have improved but I couldn’t plan my journey based on that assumption. So that meant that I had to fly back to India. So I got myself a return ticket back to India from Bangkok. Air India Express I guess was the best bargain then.
In Thailand I reviewed my plans and reversed my direction of journey. I realized that there was a border crossing from Laos to China via Boten and then I could come down to Vietnam, Cambodia and then back to Thailand.
Border Crossing to Laos
Well I crossed the Thai/Lao border from Nong Khai in Thailand to Vientianne, the capital of Laos. You just bike to the immigration checkpoint, get stamped out on the Thai side and arrive at the Lao side for your “Visa On Arrival”. It was pretty straightforward: Fill the form, submit your passport, attach two photographs and pay the visa fee and you are issued your visa. Well my bicycle and my panniers weren’t even checked and I biked across the Thai – Lao Friendship Bridge. It was another 22km from the border to reach the city of Vientainne. I started biking and the traffic seemed strange at first. I couldn’t figure out was wrong until I realized that I was biking against the traffic. Then it struck me that this was left hand drive. In Thailand as in India you keep to the left, but here you had to keep to your right. Well I sorted that out, and it felt strange for a while when you had to turn and things like that. But as everything else in life you get used to it.
Border Crossing to China
I biked from Luang Namtha to the border crossing at Boten, which is about 60km. I had had my Chinese visa already stamped on my passport but was a little anxious nevertheless. Well I got stamped out of Laos immigration and arrived at the Chinese immigration point. The officials looked at me curiously and I presented my passport showing them my Chinese visa. I was detained there for at least half an hour and was interviewed by half a dozen officials. I was questioned on my purpose of travel and various other facts. Of course language was a barrier, they brought out English speaking officials and finally they decided to let me through even though they seemed to imply that they were doing me a favor. Well I was about to start on my bicycle when I was asked to open my luggage. So the tent, sleeping bag, my panniers were all carefully scrutinized and every part of my luggage was opened. By then I guess the officials and I had gotten quite friendly and it soon turned into a game of dumb charades. It was quite fun and I pointed on the map of China where I intended to bike and they seemed to admire my sense of adventure. I packed my stuff and biked off.
Border Crossing to Hong Kong
I was aware of a border crossing from Shenzen, China to Hong Kong. But the crossing shown on the map turned out to be only for trains. Well I asked around and a gentleman who spoke pretty good English gave me directions to the land border crossing.
I eventually reached the immigration point. It was a closed air conditioned complex and a long Q to reach the counter. The security did not at first allow my bicycle and I had to make quite some commotion to get a supervisor out and was then allowed to take my bicycle inside.
I knew that I didn’t need a visa to enter HK, which was an honor in itself and was quite looking forward to it. I got stamped for a 14-day stay in HK and I didn’t have a pay a dollar. Well there was a surprise waiting in store for me as I rolled out with my bicycle.
An immigration officer stopped me and informed me that bicycles/ pedestrians were not allowed on the freeway bridge connecting Shenzen and HK. So what was I supposed to do?
Well there was a bus service shuttling passengers across the freeway and I decided to ride it. The bus captain at first refused to allow my bicycle and I had to explain that I had no other options and then he wanted to charge me for the bicycle. I had to wait out a couple of buses and finally I found a bus, which agreed to accept my bicycle at no extra charge. It was back to right hand drive as in China you keep to your right. I was just about to start when a police officer stopped me. Well what is it now? I said to myself. The officer smiled and said, “Keep to your left and ride carefully”!!
I smiled back, thanked him and started. This was the New Territories island of HK.
Border Crossing to Macau
It’s just a 45-minute ferry ride from HK to Macau. Immigration counter is open 24 hours. The only hassle is the escalator, which has to be negotiated to get to the ticket counter. After that I was escorted by an official who led me with my bicycle through numerous service elevators and various other tunnels and doors. Finally we were inside the ferry and we found a cozy place to park it. I got stamped for 30 days and again no visa required.
Well my bicycle was stolen in Vietnam and was hence forced to backpack all the way from Saigon to Singapore.
Border Crossing to Cambodia
I backpacked from Vietnam to Cambodia across the Bavet border crossing. My visa was issued on arrival for 20 USD. I met a group of 5 Koreans while we were waiting for our visas. We started to talk and they were also heading for Pnom Phen. They asked me how I was planning to travel and I said that I would be taking public transport. They were kind enough to offer to ride me to PP. But I didn’t want to capitalize on their good nature and I bid them goodbye and set out. I came out and realized that there was no scheduled public transport from there to PP and that the service was sporadic. Hiring a taxi was the only other alternative, which was beyond my budget. I was scouting around and my Korean friends happed to come along looking to hire a taxi. They said that they would anyway have to hire 2 taxis and that they would be happy to ride to PP. I accepted the offer and we made it to PP. They asked me if I had any arrangement made for accommodation and I shook my head. They then offered me to join them at the hotel they were to stay. I was quite honored and I accepted it. It was a swanky hotel and I hadn’t stayed in such a place for quite some time. The next morning I thanked my friends and took my bus to Siem Reap.
VISA RIGMAROLE
Border Crossing to Thailand
I wanted to cross the border to Thailand to purchase a new bicycle in order to continue my bicycle tour. I had checked on the Internet and it looked as if visas were issued at the Poipet border crossing. I showed up at the border, but I was surprised to know that visas on arrival are issued only from Thailand coming into Cambodia and not the other way around. The only thing to do was to go back to PP and get it issued from the Thai consulate. I backtracked and someone informed me that they issued visas at Battambang. But in Battambang I realized that there was no consulate and that PP was my only option.
I returned to PP and approached the Thai consulate. There I was informed that I had to have a residence in Cambodia to apply for a visa as I held an Indian passport. I absolutely despise consulates where you’ll have to communicate with the officer with a microphone through a glass window. It was one of those and that’s as far as I could go. They said that the only thing for me to do was fly to Bangkok and avail visa on arrival. So I booked my flight ticket and was all prepared to check in at the airport when I was asked for my return ticket. I produced my ticket from Bangkok to India but that was scheduled after a couple of months. The airline refused to fly me without a return/onward ticket dated at least 14 days prior to the date of arrival at Bangkok. I tried to explain but it was futile. My airline also had no refund policy. So there I was stuck in Cambodia. I had to go somewhere. I decided to fly to Malaysia.
I approached the Malaysian embassy in PP and I was delighted to be sitting in the private office of the visa officer and an opportunity to speak to him face to face. To my surprise I was even able to tell him my story and after listening to it, he asked me to purchase my ticket to KL and that he would have my visa ready in a few hours. I appreciated his kindness and as promised my visa was ready and it cost me just 15USD. The visa officer also helped me by providing various brochures and maps of Malaysia.
I was to board my flight to KL from Siem Reap at 7 AM and as a custom I arrived at the airport the previous night itself. But to my surprise the International Airport at Siem Reap closes at midnight! You are not even allowed to hang around anywhere inside the premises of the airport. But I wasn’t going to go back to town, take a dorm and come back again in the wee hours of the morning. My presence attracted all the supervisors and I had to speak with several officials and managers and finally it was so arranged that I could wait at a shelter inside the premises of the airport. Even a security official was stationed to keep a watch over me.
The next morning I was able to fly to KL with my Malaysian visa.
WATER FESTIVAL IN THAILAND
The water festival in Thailand during mid April every year is a fantastic time to visit the country. The festival lasts for 3 days and you better be prepared to get soaked by buckets of water. The sight of kids and adults alike with water machine guns waiting to soak pedestrians is a common sight. I was also not spared when I was on my bicycle. People set up base alongside sidewalks with huge barrels of water to soak motorists who go past them. Locals also load gallons of water in open trucks and keep soaking motorists all along the way. There is yet another thing where a paste is smeared all over your face. Typical hang out places during the festive season is Khao San Road and Silom Road. I joined the party on Silom Road by 11 PM and even though the atmosphere was quite charged even at 5AM, I called it a day by 5.30AM. It was one of the most exciting festivals I had ever witnessed.
FOOD
Ø Weirdest
ü Snakes on grill (chewy and rubbery)– China
ü Deep fried assortment of insects ranging from crickets, houseflies, dragonflies, cockroaches, etc. (tasted like chewing sawdust) – Cambodia & Thailand
Ø Tastiest –
ü String Ray fish in barbeque sauce – Singapore
ü Steamed Rice with Sambal (Makasan Padang - Sauce made with green chilies)- Indonesia
Ø Specialties of SEA:
Ø Thailand
ü Khao Phat Kai (Chicken/Egg Fried Rice)
ü Khao Man Kai (Steamed Rice with Chicken)
ü Steamed rice with gaeng (spicy gravy)
Ø Malaysia
ü Nasi Lemak – Steamed Rice with spicy sambal and chunks of fish
ü Roti Canai – Parota with fish gravy
Ø Indonesia
ü Nasi Goreng – Egg Fried Rice
ü Ayam Sate – Grilled Chicken wih peanut sauce & onions
ü Ayam Barkar – Grilled Chicken
ü Ikan Barkar – Grilled Fish
In China, I would just hang around tables in hawker centers and perhaps look around for some interesting dishes and the locals would invite you to join them, especially when they were having BBQ. Generally there were large groups and they would have a range of interesting dishes on the grill – squids, chicken feet, potatoes, with a variety of sauces. It sure is an interesting way to explore the local flavors.
Sometimes I would also go around the hawker center and ask vendors for taste before actually ordering my dish. This always didn’t work though. In those times, I would go around the tables and point to some dish and ask the locals dining there if I could taste a dish. I have had quite a few of them actually invite me to join them at the table. The locals were always very hospitable and friendly.
SELF-COOKING IN LAOS
I was on a trail from Vang Vieng to Ponsavan and then to Luang Prabhang. I passed through several tiny villages en route. Most of these villages had just a couple of eating options in the form of a small make shift kitchens. I was quite keen on khao phat kai, but none of the eateries served them. They just had steamed rice. I started to explain to this old lady what I wanted and how I wanted by pointing to things in the kitchen and she realized the futility of the whole exercise and slowly moved out of the kitchen and I started to make myself comfortable. She showed me where the oil and rice were. Then I would start prowling around pick up a couple of onions, some greens, chilies, eggs, etc. I would break the eggs, stir fry the greens and add steamed rice to make a crude variation of khao phat kai. Well once I realized the effectiveness of this technique, I got quite good at taking over kitchens all across Laos. After my meal I would pay about 5000 kip.
ACROSS THE YANGSTE RIVER & OVER THE TIGER LEAPING GORGE
My most challenging bike ride was from Lijiang to Shangri La. After having camped for the night at the Yak Meadows overlooking the Yulong Snow Mountains, I negotiated a difficult 40 km downhill cobble stone terrain in wet weather to reach the town of Daju.
There was more challenge in wait for me when I encountered the Yangste river across the Tiger Leaping Gorge. That involved hiking down with my bicycle, which might not have been too difficult but for the fact that I had to make two trips – once for my bicycle and the second trip for my luggage.
The uphill hike was a completely different proposition. That involved carrying my bike on my shoulder and hiking up the steep cliff. The path was quite narrow, just a hiker’s path. I was fortunate to have been assisted by a Chinese local who gave me a hand around the last few bends. Of course, I had to make another trip for my luggage. It was a great relief to have made it to the other side of the river, but there was a lot more work to be done. I was in the middle of a swampy landscape and there were no sign of roads anywhere around me. I had no clue as to which way to go. I randomly set out trusting my intuitions to explore a way out. After a few abandoned dwellings I finally could see a paved road out in the distance, which seemed like an oasis in a desert. There were moments of uncertainty until I reached the paved road and saw a sign board which read ‘ Shangri La 159 km’
MEETING THE RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE RIGHT TIME
I was hunting down bike shops to get my bike boxed up for the flight next day. Impulsively, as I turned into a narrow alley, I was stopped by a Macanese lady by name May, who happened to be a biker herself. She referred me to Wing Lei Bicycle shop. The owners, Mr & Mrs. Knok, not only boxed up my bike in no time, they also offered to drive me to the airport. That was very generous and gracious of them. They gifted me with a water bottle and a pair of biking shorts as well.
DINNER WHERE YOU LEAST EXPECT IT
I was climbing one of the tiny hills in Singapore when I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted at the top a group of expats who had just completed a hash run. I was asked to join them for dinner, which was quite an honor.
During a casual conversation, they asked me how long I intended to bike and I replied, “As long as I have money”. One of the gentlemen pulled out his wallet and handed me a 10 dollar note. I was so overwhelmed that I didn’t know what to say. He said, “Don’t be shy, and take it”. I then accepted it.
He also gave me his card and offered his help if I ever needed one.
Well it was not the first time this kind of a thing had happened to me.
On one other occasion, I was riding the underground train in Hong Kong when a lady offered me some candy. I took one and thanked her. Later, she handed me the small matchbox sized candy box and got down at her station. I pocketed it and later opened it to find a 10-dollar bill tucked into the tiny candy box.
Was it karma? Were these people related to me in some past life? What makes someone give spontaneously?
Well there is another theory that you receive only when you give - the wheel of karma. Isn’t that interesting?
This brings me to yet another recollection, when I was meditating at a monastery in Tibet and a group of Chinese tourists walked in. I opened my eyes to find that they were looking at me quite weirdly and started to feel my hair on my hands, which seemed odd to them and they offered me some money. But I surprisingly refused to accept. I guess it needs an attitude to accept, as does an attitude to give.
Well the next time I was in Singapore, I decided to hunt for a job, before flying back home. My strategy was to camp at East Coast / Changi Park, take a shower at the campsite and bike to the city to attend interviews. At the end of the day, I would bike back to camp. Well it worked for a few days but it was time consuming as I had to bike to every part of the city and I could only attend a few interviews every day. Also most of the offices were in high-rise buildings and malls. So getting the bike safely locked and secured was quite a hassle. So I wanted to keep my bike and stuff someplace for a couple of weeks. I called the gentleman who had given me his card on the hilltop. He invited me home and when I arrived, he took me inside and said, “This is your room”. I was never so overwhelmed in my life. I accepted his generous offer. He got me all ready for my job hunting next day – got me a hand phone, a backpack, an umbrella and a map. He knew I was working on my resume and that evening he got a digital camera and we shot a picture to upload on my resume. I was so very touched by his gesture. Well I just can’t thank him enough.
INCENSE BURNING REALIZATION
I parked my bicycle on the sidewalk of Jalan Bukit Merah, Singapore and hopped into the Queen’s shopping Mall to use the payphone. I was warmly greeted by the pleasant fragrance of incense burning beside a Chinese deity.
I was on the phone for a while and the incense began to suffocate me. Suddenly it hit me like a ton of bricks. What a lesson, I exclaimed. The same elements in life are responsible for pleasure and pain. Emotions, desires, feelings, etc were all two faced both giving us an opportunity to experience the extremes.
THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA EXPERIENCE
I decided to visit one of the sections of the Great Wall of China the next day. I was staying in a Youth Hostel in Beijing and one of my dorm mates suggested camping on the Great Wall. I instantly decided that was exactly what I would do. But I had to abandon the idea of biking there and so I kept my bicycle and other things in the luggage room of the hostel and took my backpack, my sleeping bag and my tent. I wanted to avoid the touristy crowd and picked the stretch from Jinshalling to Simathai, a relatively remote section of the Great Wall.
I took a bus from Beijing by noon and the bus dropped me off someplace, which I was told was close to the Jinshalling section of the wall. I was also informed beforehand that there was no public transport to the Great Wall and had to hire a taxi. Well I was about to soon find out anyway.
No sooner had I got down from the bus than a taxi driver was on to me. He knew that I wanted to go to the Great Wall and he kept insisting that there was no public transport. He spoke a little English and I asked him the fare to get to the Jinshalling part of the Wall. He said 160 RMB! That was ridiculous. Well this pretty much happens to tourists no matter where in the world and me being from India, I prided on being a persistent bargainer. Well we bargained and the taxi driver came down to a 100 RMB. I wanted to get a second opinion anyway and started walking away. There were a couple of shops across the highway and enquired but couldn’t get anywhere due to the language barrier.
Well one thing in China is to get your destination written down in Chinese script and you just flash it to locals to get directions. I did that all the time on my bicycle. I would copy the Chinese script of my destinations from the Lonely Planet and place them on my handlebar bag and use that to get directions. In other situations I would walk into a big hotel and get the receptionist in the lobby to do the translation. They always spoke a little English.
Well I was getting nowhere with any of the shopkeepers and decided to hitch hike. I stuck my thumb out and more than half a dozen vehicles drove past, but none stopped. Well expectedly the taxi driver had been following me and was quite amused that I was trying to hitch hike my way. Well it was late afternoon now and I wanted to be on the Wall before sunset. So I decided to go with the taxi but some more bargaining was in order. Well I brought it down to 40RMB and I hopped in. In about 5 min, he stopped at what seemed to be a taxi stand; he spoke with another taxi driver and before I knew it, I was asked to get down and get into another taxi. That taxi had a local Chinese passenger and I realized that it was a shared taxi and was determined to get the fare down, which was logical. Well they didn’t want to listen to me and ignored me. Well I was stuck here in the middle of nowhere and decided to ride along. Another Chinese passenger got in and we got started.
Well I tried to pump the two passengers what the ride was costing them but couldn’t even get to first base. I was almost certain that I was still being overcharged, but I let it go and enjoyed the ride. I was hoping that my passengers would get down before my destination arrived. That was exactly what happened and they got down and I was shocked to see them both pay 10 RMB. I protested and the driver argued that there was another 8 km to Jinshalling and I was the only passenger. Still 30RMB for that ride! No way! I paid him 10RMB and I got down with my fellow passengers. It was another highway again, no restaurants around as I had planned to grab some dinner before I got to the Wall. So I picked up some fruits alongside the highway. There was another taxi stand and I enquired and I guess word had got around that I had gotten away on my first ride and I was quoted 12RMB for the next 8km. As usual I bargained and we settled for 8RMB. It was nearing dusk and I was keen on getting on the Wall as soon as possible.
Well I got there and paid my entry fee (which was quite hefty, 120RMB I think but I can’t quite remember), got my map and started. At the gate, the security officer noticed my tent and asked if I was going to pitch my tent on the wall. I nodded and he said that would be 50RMB extra. I smiled at him and said that I had already paid for it at the counter. He smiled back and let me in.
I started the climb using the steps and reached the Wall, which was quite a spectacle. At start I was confused about the direction to Simathai. I had arrived on a long never-ending stretch of the Wall and I could have gone in either direction. Luckily I had my compass and used the map to head off the right way. The Wall was paved and in good condition when I started but began to deteriorate as I hiked up the Wall. Most parts of the Wall were in ruins and certain stretches were quite treacherous. The stretch from Jinshalling to Simathai was 11 km. I decided to hike half the distance, before preparing to pitch my tent. There was absolutely no one in sight until, I spotted a bunch of people from a distance. I got there and was greeted by three tourists and we got talking. They were from Israel and were planning to spend the night on the Wall in the open. I wished them luck, bid goodbye and moved on. It was getting dark now and I had to stop and pitch my tent. I found a patch on the Wall with a little grass, checked the direction of wind and pitched my tent. Ate my fruits and slept.
Next morning, I got up by 4AM, packed my tent and set off. In about 45 min or so, I reached the Simathai section of the Wall. I took the suspension bridge and crossed over to the other side. Just one note here, if you are planning to camp on the Wall pick a spot closer to any of the towns where the Wall is in good condition. In the middle sections, the Wall is pretty much in ruins and it’s not pretty to camp amidst ruins.
On the other side, I was surprised to see a Youth Hostel. I was kicking myself. If only I had biked up to the Youth Hostel here, I could have parked my bike there and hiked the Wall. Nevertheless, I went in to enquire but there was no one in sight. I walked out to the exit, which was actually the entrance, which I later realized if one were to be coming from the Simathai section of the Wall. The reception was closed and this is where I had to be careful. I had heard from a few travelers that they had to pay the entrance fee on both sides of the Wall. That was ridiculous, I thought. So I realized that this was my chance to get out. It was 5AM and there was no hint of any soul in sight. I actually got out of the gate and was about to exit the main gate when a Chinese security officer from the roof spotted me and suggested that I stop. Well I could always claim that I was going to enter. Well apparently he had spotted me when I was getting out. I pretended not to understand him and he got hold of my hand and summoned another official and he grabbed hold of my other hand and they started to drag me to the reception. It was as if I was held for a crime or something. Well I wasn’t going to give up without a fight and I demanded to see the authorities. Well you can imagine the scene with the communication barrier for one. Even if I was going to pay, I wanted a receipt and the picture postcard.
In a few minutes, a smart lady came strolling up to us and I demanded an explanation. She confirmed that the fee had to be paid even if I were exiting from this section of the Wall. Well I asked her what would happen if I were to backtrack and exit from the Jinshalling section again. I was going to have to pay again. So I was made to pay an exit fee, as insane as it sounded. Well it was another 100 RMB or something like that.
Well no hard feeling at the end of it all. Once in while I guess tourists like me get really paranoid about making trips on a budget and not get overcharged. It’s not actually the money but there is a principle involved.
Well me being from India I know exactly how tourists get ripped off back home and my apologies for such occurrences. But I guess it’s human nature after all and is bound to happen in cultures of developing countries.
Well, the best part of my return trip was that there was a local bus service directly to the main bus terminal. So I waited for the bus and took another bus back to Beijing. In the end, it was all worth it I guess.
VISAS & BORDER CROSSINGS – AN INDIAN PASSPORT HOLDER’S PERSPECIVE
My original plan was to fly to Bangkok, purchase a bicycle with the works, bike across to Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Tibet, Nepal and bike back to India. So I did not want to fly back to India and got myself only a one-way ticket.
I had arranged for my Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese visas from India.
Thailand Tourist Visa – Better to get this from India. The visa officer informed me that the duration of the visa is usually one month. But I guess it’s finally up to immigration. The validity of the visa is typically 3 months. My plan was to bike from Thailand to Laos and hence did not have a return ticket. I had to submit a covering letter stating my purpose and itinerary and that I intended to cycle out of Thailand. With that I was issued my single entry visa. I got this for 1250 INR at the Mumbai consulate. To my surprise, I was stamped for 2 months of stay at immigration, which suited me quite well indeed.
Chinese Tourist Visa – This was 6 months before the Olympics and it wasn’t a very big deal. The documents that were requested at first were quite exhaustive but eventually they issued my visa even without requiring my return ticket. I picked this up at the Mumbai consulate. The visa officer there was a Chinese and I explained my plans and she was quite helpful. But I was only able to get a single entry, 1-month stay visa with 3 months validity starting from the date of issue. This visa cost me 1000 INR.
Vietnamese Tourist Visa – This visa had a few interesting options. I realized that I could postdate my visa by a couple of months. You’ll have to apply for an approval at first and I applied this from the consulate of Vietnam in Mumbai. In a couple of days my approval got granted form Hanoi, the visa was issued in another three days. This visa did not have a separate validity date but I got a 3-month tourist visa starting after a couple of months.
Internet resources confirmed that Laos visa was available on arrival and my Tibet Permit would be issued from China. I didn’t need a visa to Nepal and that Nepal to India was no big deal.
All my plans had to be inevitably reworked on the very day I was to board my flight from Kolkata to Bangkok. The Tibet situation had become worse and the Chinese had suspended issue of Tibet Passes to all tourists. So that cut out my entry back into India via Nepal. Of course the situation might have improved but I couldn’t plan my journey based on that assumption. So that meant that I had to fly back to India. So I got myself a return ticket back to India from Bangkok. Air India Express I guess was the best bargain then.
In Thailand I reviewed my plans and reversed my direction of journey. I realized that there was a border crossing from Laos to China via Boten and then I could come down to Vietnam, Cambodia and then back to Thailand.
Border Crossing to Laos
Well I crossed the Thai/Lao border from Nong Khai in Thailand to Vientianne, the capital of Laos. You just bike to the immigration checkpoint, get stamped out on the Thai side and arrive at the Lao side for your “Visa On Arrival”. It was pretty straightforward: Fill the form, submit your passport, attach two photographs and pay the visa fee and you are issued your visa. Well my bicycle and my panniers weren’t even checked and I biked across the Thai – Lao Friendship Bridge. It was another 22km from the border to reach the city of Vientainne. I started biking and the traffic seemed strange at first. I couldn’t figure out was wrong until I realized that I was biking against the traffic. Then it struck me that this was left hand drive. In Thailand as in India you keep to the left, but here you had to keep to your right. Well I sorted that out, and it felt strange for a while when you had to turn and things like that. But as everything else in life you get used to it.
Border Crossing to China
I biked from Luang Namtha to the border crossing at Boten, which is about 60km. I had had my Chinese visa already stamped on my passport but was a little anxious nevertheless. Well I got stamped out of Laos immigration and arrived at the Chinese immigration point. The officials looked at me curiously and I presented my passport showing them my Chinese visa. I was detained there for at least half an hour and was interviewed by half a dozen officials. I was questioned on my purpose of travel and various other facts. Of course language was a barrier, they brought out English speaking officials and finally they decided to let me through even though they seemed to imply that they were doing me a favor. Well I was about to start on my bicycle when I was asked to open my luggage. So the tent, sleeping bag, my panniers were all carefully scrutinized and every part of my luggage was opened. By then I guess the officials and I had gotten quite friendly and it soon turned into a game of dumb charades. It was quite fun and I pointed on the map of China where I intended to bike and they seemed to admire my sense of adventure. I packed my stuff and biked off.
Border Crossing to Hong Kong
I was aware of a border crossing from Shenzen, China to Hong Kong. But the crossing shown on the map turned out to be only for trains. Well I asked around and a gentleman who spoke pretty good English gave me directions to the land border crossing.
I eventually reached the immigration point. It was a closed air conditioned complex and a long Q to reach the counter. The security did not at first allow my bicycle and I had to make quite some commotion to get a supervisor out and was then allowed to take my bicycle inside.
I knew that I didn’t need a visa to enter HK, which was an honor in itself and was quite looking forward to it. I got stamped for a 14-day stay in HK and I didn’t have a pay a dollar. Well there was a surprise waiting in store for me as I rolled out with my bicycle.
An immigration officer stopped me and informed me that bicycles/ pedestrians were not allowed on the freeway bridge connecting Shenzen and HK. So what was I supposed to do?
Well there was a bus service shuttling passengers across the freeway and I decided to ride it. The bus captain at first refused to allow my bicycle and I had to explain that I had no other options and then he wanted to charge me for the bicycle. I had to wait out a couple of buses and finally I found a bus, which agreed to accept my bicycle at no extra charge. It was back to right hand drive as in China you keep to your right. I was just about to start when a police officer stopped me. Well what is it now? I said to myself. The officer smiled and said, “Keep to your left and ride carefully”!!
I smiled back, thanked him and started. This was the New Territories island of HK.
Border Crossing to Macau
It’s just a 45-minute ferry ride from HK to Macau. Immigration counter is open 24 hours. The only hassle is the escalator, which has to be negotiated to get to the ticket counter. After that I was escorted by an official who led me with my bicycle through numerous service elevators and various other tunnels and doors. Finally we were inside the ferry and we found a cozy place to park it. I got stamped for 30 days and again no visa required.
Well my bicycle was stolen in Vietnam and was hence forced to backpack all the way from Saigon to Singapore.
Border Crossing to Cambodia
I backpacked from Vietnam to Cambodia across the Bavet border crossing. My visa was issued on arrival for 20 USD. I met a group of 5 Koreans while we were waiting for our visas. We started to talk and they were also heading for Pnom Phen. They asked me how I was planning to travel and I said that I would be taking public transport. They were kind enough to offer to ride me to PP. But I didn’t want to capitalize on their good nature and I bid them goodbye and set out. I came out and realized that there was no scheduled public transport from there to PP and that the service was sporadic. Hiring a taxi was the only other alternative, which was beyond my budget. I was scouting around and my Korean friends happed to come along looking to hire a taxi. They said that they would anyway have to hire 2 taxis and that they would be happy to ride to PP. I accepted the offer and we made it to PP. They asked me if I had any arrangement made for accommodation and I shook my head. They then offered me to join them at the hotel they were to stay. I was quite honored and I accepted it. It was a swanky hotel and I hadn’t stayed in such a place for quite some time. The next morning I thanked my friends and took my bus to Siem Reap.
VISA RIGMAROLE
Border Crossing to Thailand
I wanted to cross the border to Thailand to purchase a new bicycle in order to continue my bicycle tour. I had checked on the Internet and it looked as if visas were issued at the Poipet border crossing. I showed up at the border, but I was surprised to know that visas on arrival are issued only from Thailand coming into Cambodia and not the other way around. The only thing to do was to go back to PP and get it issued from the Thai consulate. I backtracked and someone informed me that they issued visas at Battambang. But in Battambang I realized that there was no consulate and that PP was my only option.
I returned to PP and approached the Thai consulate. There I was informed that I had to have a residence in Cambodia to apply for a visa as I held an Indian passport. I absolutely despise consulates where you’ll have to communicate with the officer with a microphone through a glass window. It was one of those and that’s as far as I could go. They said that the only thing for me to do was fly to Bangkok and avail visa on arrival. So I booked my flight ticket and was all prepared to check in at the airport when I was asked for my return ticket. I produced my ticket from Bangkok to India but that was scheduled after a couple of months. The airline refused to fly me without a return/onward ticket dated at least 14 days prior to the date of arrival at Bangkok. I tried to explain but it was futile. My airline also had no refund policy. So there I was stuck in Cambodia. I had to go somewhere. I decided to fly to Malaysia.
I approached the Malaysian embassy in PP and I was delighted to be sitting in the private office of the visa officer and an opportunity to speak to him face to face. To my surprise I was even able to tell him my story and after listening to it, he asked me to purchase my ticket to KL and that he would have my visa ready in a few hours. I appreciated his kindness and as promised my visa was ready and it cost me just 15USD. The visa officer also helped me by providing various brochures and maps of Malaysia.
I was to board my flight to KL from Siem Reap at 7 AM and as a custom I arrived at the airport the previous night itself. But to my surprise the International Airport at Siem Reap closes at midnight! You are not even allowed to hang around anywhere inside the premises of the airport. But I wasn’t going to go back to town, take a dorm and come back again in the wee hours of the morning. My presence attracted all the supervisors and I had to speak with several officials and managers and finally it was so arranged that I could wait at a shelter inside the premises of the airport. Even a security official was stationed to keep a watch over me.
The next morning I was able to fly to KL with my Malaysian visa.
WATER FESTIVAL IN THAILAND
The water festival in Thailand during mid April every year is a fantastic time to visit the country. The festival lasts for 3 days and you better be prepared to get soaked by buckets of water. The sight of kids and adults alike with water machine guns waiting to soak pedestrians is a common sight. I was also not spared when I was on my bicycle. People set up base alongside sidewalks with huge barrels of water to soak motorists who go past them. Locals also load gallons of water in open trucks and keep soaking motorists all along the way. There is yet another thing where a paste is smeared all over your face. Typical hang out places during the festive season is Khao San Road and Silom Road. I joined the party on Silom Road by 11 PM and even though the atmosphere was quite charged even at 5AM, I called it a day by 5.30AM. It was one of the most exciting festivals I had ever witnessed.
MORE VISA TROUBLE
I was not able to apply for a Thai visa either from Singapore or Indonesia. I applied for my Malaysian visa from Singapore but was refused and it was impossible to apply from Indonesia. Philippines visa was also not possible from Indonesia.
However my Singapore visa was approved both from Malaysia and Indonesia.
The visa run around gave me an opportunity to learn valuable lessons in life. In some ways, you get to go only where you are destined to go. And when I got to visit a country it made me feel honored and blessed to be able to experience a new culture. You learn to sometimes accept things the way they are and sometimes you go after things and learn not to take “NO” for an answer.
I was not able to apply for a Thai visa either from Singapore or Indonesia. I applied for my Malaysian visa from Singapore but was refused and it was impossible to apply from Indonesia. Philippines visa was also not possible from Indonesia.
However my Singapore visa was approved both from Malaysia and Indonesia.
The visa run around gave me an opportunity to learn valuable lessons in life. In some ways, you get to go only where you are destined to go. And when I got to visit a country it made me feel honored and blessed to be able to experience a new culture. You learn to sometimes accept things the way they are and sometimes you go after things and learn not to take “NO” for an answer.
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