Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB - Going to China advise please (after reading the forum I still have some questions)

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Quote:

Originally Posted by cardpostale (Post 449805)

Hi Gotan,
we crossed China some months ago and it was really nice. We planned it before leaving and set up a group with 3 people in a Landcruiser. While they were in Kazakhstan they met a couple in a Hyundai Gallopper and they join us. So you can join a group only some weeks before entering China. There are always some people looking for other to set up a group to cross China, so I guess you will find it.
Crossing Tibet on the bike was one of the highlights of our trip, feel free to have a look on our website. Honestly, you should keep on looking for a group to join. The road from Lhasa to Kathmandu is one of the best I have ever ridden.
We didn't need the Carnet for neither for China nor for Mongolia but needed it in Nepal and India.
Guillaume

Hi Guillaume:

thanks a lot for the advice....btw were is your website??

Cheers,

Francisco

hi Francisco,
here is our website : Cardpostale | A honeymoon around the world
Guillaume

Cartepostale's experience looks promising.

We've been looking into riding in China via some local Chinese contacts and their advice does seem rather at odds with some of the 'frustrating' experiences discussed here. Riding in China does undoubtedly require some careful forward planning and a lot of bureaucracy, translation of documents, form-filling, time-wasting, etc. However, our contacts went to quite a lot of trouble to check out the situation regarding temporary import and licensing of foreign motorcycles and their riders. It would appear that it is possible and - strictly speaking - guides are no longer necesssary except for certain sensitive areas or where there is political unrest. Unfortunately, as our contact says, as with all things Chinese, rules are often made up as they go along and not applied impartially. We know also that there are some (official) rule changes regarding travel in China that were due to come into effect this year, but I'm damned if I can remember where I read this.

In a lot of instances, I would hazard a guess that travellers, having no local contacts and no knowledge of Chinese, are simply being conned by unscrupulous border officials into parting with their cash. But we shall see ...