Mark making friends with a panda at Wolong

Crossing a flag strewn bridge near Danba

On the road near Four Girls Mountains

Village below in Western Sichuan

China Cycling Travelogues

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Andy

Andy

Visit Andy's website here for more photos and additional information: http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Bikepacker/

Beijing by bike - May

Day 195, 12th December
Luiyang - Dayao

As we woke up this morning and got ready, we were filmed by UTV, the channel for Hunnan province. Maybe the Chinese like to see what 6 smelly bikepackers stuff into their panniers? They followed us out of town as we left, it was a small price to pay considering they had footed the bill for our stay at the Army hotel. Apparently, they said that they’re going to spread us over 3 nights, I’m particularly worried about the night they filmed us blowing the hell out of each other with fireworks after quaffing a crate of beer up in the hills! Maybe we won’t be let out of China?

The weather was a bit drizzly as we cycled the 10 miles south to Dayao where we had been told by the TV crew that we could possibly visit a firework factory. Rory was particularly excited by this. In town he asked a guy who could speak English and just happened to be a friend of the general manager of a firework company. The guy got on his bike and motioned us to follow him. About a quarter of an hour later we were standing outside the head office of a famous firework company.

Nick and Tobes
I don't know what was written on theses cards but they certainly got the desired results.

The managers sons, who could speak English, soon arrived and said that they were “Honoured” that we had come to see their firework factory as they had just seen us on TV this morning! We were taken into a luxurious lounge for tea and all the fruit we could eat, then were given a tour of the actual factory. The factory itself was set up like army barracks with rows of stone buildings about 40 feet apart in case one exploded - the rest didn’t. As we toured the buildings, what amazed me wasn’t just the enormous size of some of the display fireworks, but the fact that everything was being made by hand. The mortar balls were assembled by groups of women who were wetting strips of gummed paper and laboriously covering the shell over and over again to make the right sized ball. Pots full of gunpowder and fuses lay next to people. We were shown to the building that makes the ‘Party-Poppers’ that are exported to England. Everything was assembled by hand, even the streamers that shoot out of the poppers were cut by a guy with a cleaver as if he were slicing a cucumber! The women appeared to work like automatrons, their hands moving so fast that they were in a blur. During the tour a mobile phone was handed to us, it was Liu, the general manager who insisted on us staying in a hotel in Liuyang where we had just cycled from this morning, he desperately wanted to meet us and would not take no for an answer…..

Firework Factory
The firework factory in Liuyang where we were kindly shown around. Notice the barrack-style huts to stop the spread of fire.

We were facing a moral dilemma here and all had the feeling that we were pushing peoples hospitality too far and said so to Liu and his sons. We told them about the TV crew paying for our hotel last night, and that we were happy to free-camp, it really wasn’t a problem. But, they insisted so much that we backed down and eventually accepted their offers which brought huge smiles to their faces. I mean - we’re just six cyclists, nothing really special, right?

We were told that we could leave the bikes in the factory and that we were going to be driven to a hotel nearby in Liuyang. Before we left the factory we were treated to a ‘Cake’ - a huge display firework that was amazing to see, even in the daylight!

Take us back home!
Me and Nick, unconcious, and a smiling and satisfied Tobes...

As we were driven into Liuyang by car, we became concerned that we might end up at the other hotel we’d stayed in last night. Then the car turned into a road on the right, and we saw something that made our jaws drop! It was something called ‘The Grand Sun City Resort’ - a huge five-star modern hotel set in the hills above Liuyang, not a place for us but a place for high-ranking officials or businessmen, we couldn’t believe it and began to feel insecure. The lobby was marble and a grand piano stood in the centre. We met Liu, our host, who was paying for all of this. He said he admired us and that we were brave to cycle through China! The rooms were luxurious with en-suite bathrooms. I have never before stayed in such a place, and guess I never will - Toby and I got into our room and just whooped with joy and laughter. Was this better than free-camping in the rain? You bet dude!

We had showers, freshened up, and met Liu in the lobby later and he took us to the hotel’s restaurant for a typical Chinese meal. Waitresses put cloth napkins on our knees and Chinese wine flowed along with plate after plate of delicious Chinese food which were set upon a revolving table. During the meal, Liu asked us if we wanted to go to the city of Changsha an hour away to visit a Chinese disco. We accepted accept Scott and Stephane who wanted an early night.

Grand Sun City
Us with our host, Liu, who paid for all of this for us - Thanks Liu!

What happened next has to be toned-down somewhat for this journal as I don’t know who’s going to read it or if I become famous in the future or something… What had began a few days ago as a strange set of events that went from strange to crazy, were now just going to get totally insane. An hour after leaving the hotel we were parked up outside a Chinese night-club. It didn’t look like a nigh-club that I’d ever seen, it looked rather exclusive? We were ushered upstairs into a private room, about 30 by 50 feet square. The room was bedecked with comfy sofas, curtains draped everywhere, a small bar, a DJ on karaoke, sports equipment - quite surreal.

At the far end were double doors. The music started, the drink flowed, the double-doors flew open, Liu announced “Here are the girls”, and a dozen beautiful Chinese girls flooded the room………….

Popper Chopper
This is the guy who chops all the streamers for your party poppers - respect, he still hass all his fingers!

………….at 3am we were drunkedly bundled back into the car and driven back to the hotel after what must have been one of the most strangest and most unusualist days of my life so far. What can possibly happen next????

Total Miles: 9320.39 Todays Miles: 17.04 Average speed: 10.6 Time on bike: 1:36

Firework makers
All by hand, and no heating - that could cause a fire. So when you're watching those lovely fireworks, think of these women!

Mortar Shells
All by hand, strip of paper by strip of paper, months to make - for one big bang!

"Can I take them with me"?
No you can't Rory. Lot's of lovely fireworks...
Hmmm...
Hmmm...,
I think that's as far as I can go before getting banned from Travelblog. Next journal entry: Pretty paddy-fields and wrinkly locals, the usual stuff

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Continued here...

Visit Andy's website here for more photos and additional information:http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Bikepacker/

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