Posts Tagged ‘Mengla’

Day 243. 73km. Mengla – Na Teuy

Posted: January 10, 2016 in China, Cycling, Laos
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I have left the People’s Republic of China, and am now in Laos. I staggered over the border – I have spent all my energy cycling in China, and am ready for a tropical rest in Laos.

Na Teuy

Na Teuy

I started on the old road today. I curved its way around the landscape as expected, but, was the centre of much roadwork activity. With the peace gone, the road surface only OK, and delays while trucks did their thing, I returned to the new road, went through tunnels, and got to the border faster.

I am staying in a little village 20km over the border in Laos. Another 35km tomorrow to Louang Namtha and then a rest while I wait for Mark (who cycled with me in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan) to join me.

Na Teuy

Na Teuy

Day 242. 81km. Menglun – Mengla

Posted: January 9, 2016 in China, Cycling
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The old road on the map got even wigglier and steeper than yesterday. Today I didn’t see the cycling forbidden signs, and cycled smoothly up and downhill on the new road that rarely was on land – either on massive stilts above the valley, or in carbon monoxide tunnels. I saved about 50km,10000 kcal and one day of cycling.

Banana plantation

Banana plantation

Motorbikes were also forbidden, which didn’t deter anyone. I must have cycled past at least a dozen policemen. The road was OK to cycle on.
The valleys were very steep and absolutely dense in the greenest of green foliage. Looking down from my lofty perch on a bridge, the jungle below reigned supreme. I could not help but think how hard it would have been cycling here, on the old road.

Misty mountains

Misty mountains

Mengla is the last sizable town in China. Laos – here I come!