From: Tony <theworldjog@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jan 19, 2017 at 2:39 PM
Subject: Re: World walk blog China 9
To: Tony <theworldjog@gmail.com>
Cc: myworldwalk2016@gmail.com, tony_mangan@hotmail.com


10,952 kilometres for 275 road days.

I had another couple of enjoyable days walking on some back roads. I walked late into the evening as the smog was less of a problem on those secondary roads due to lighter traffic. It had become so bad that I had to scrub my hands and face at every stop. I even bought a large mirror for they are rare on the road stops. Restaurants only have outside toilets with a hole in the ground. Washing facilities are rudimentary,  just a basin which is filled up with hot water poured from a thermos. I use my own towel for the ones provided are usually filthy.
I arrived in a dusty village called Beizhang at the end of a 47 kilometre day. I was lucky to spot a wooden bed in a small dark cul-de-sac at the side of a shop. That did  nicely, it was one am, nobody was about so I just pulled my sleeping bag out and had a solid six hour sleep. The next day I walked almost a marathon. There was a lot more fertile land and even green grass for some small farms are working hard on their irrigation systems. A mountainside was stacked with solar panels to power a community.
Picking my way along some more byways towards the major river called Yellow River. Stopping to take a look from the bridge I thought it more like a coffee coloured river, than yellow. Small ice floes drifted along at speed as I got a wind battering.
I crossed at the north end of the river.
In some of the villages, towns and cities preparation is underway for the Chinese New Year, the year of the cockerel. Many places have decorative floats and have their streets decorated. Other communities were busy  landscaping, even planting trees in swathes of land alongside the highway.
I asked one man and after he consulted with his smart phone I told the new year will begin on the 27th. However, it seems to be a long celebration, just like our Christmas and New Year.
Back onto route R108 I had a decent 35 kilometre day. Stopping at what looked like a hotel in a small village I was brought to a nearby mobile phone shop by a friendly man. The shop had a small hotel at the back. The price was right, only 30 Yuans, about 4 Euro. It was a strange place, for once again I checked into a dud! It had no shower, or even a toilet! But there was wifi. The bed was clean and had an electric blanket. Situations like this, I just laugh and consider it a night camping under a roof! I think the worst hotel I ever stayed in was in a small village in Bolivia. I will never forget it's name. The Palace also had no shower or toilet. They had a deal with a public bathhouse across the road. However, that closed at 10pm. The two men in my room used chamber pots! Cheaper mattress lodgings were available on the Palace Hotels reception floor.
Many locations on Chinese roads have cameras which take photos of every vehicle that passes. I imagine registration plate recognition technology is in place and this is a good way to monitor people's movements. That night I stopped at a petrol station and was refused camping. The attendant brought me around the corner and suggested I camp beside a shop which was just off the highway. In the morning the elderly shop owner seemed surprised, yet he brought me out a sandwich and filled my thermos. I reckon he called the cops though, for when two officers stopped by they went into the shop first before they came out to talk to me. One of the officers spoke good English and asked to see my passport. When I asked him why he told me because he is a policeman. I reckon they are not used to being talked back to! After he photographed my information page and visa they left.
 Twenty minutes later I was still packing up and the officer returned looking for my phone number!
" No! Why do you want it?"
" I case we have anymore questions for you"
So I said. " You shouldn't have anymore questions, I am a peaceful world walker and you can find me on the road."
" But if you need help"
" I have walked almost 11,000 kilometres from Ireland, so I don't think I need help in this village!"
I didn't fancy giving my phone number. A couple of weeks ago when trying to make a call home I got cut off and a Shanghai number called me back. He spoke Chinese. I wondered what that was about!

Tonight, Thursday,  I made it to a small town a few kilometres north of Dali and found a comfortable hotel, which even had a shower and a toilet. Chinese laundry is now under way!





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