It is about $0.80-$0.90 per litre

more or less US$0.75 a liter

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Hey Super, looks like you pay more than me in your forgotten far far away province.

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Hi guys, bit of a further update for you all.

I left Beijing on Saturday (10 May) and rode to Haixie (not sure I've spelt that right). I drove out of Beijing at 8am making sure I kept well outside of the 2nd ring road, found the expressway and had a great run to Badaling (bikes are allowed on the expressway) and then did a 2 hour Great Wall walk before heading out to North West. Once I got close to Badaling the weather changed dramatically (altitude was 1,000+ metres) and it was a VERY cool ride for the rest fo the day (little did I know what was to come). It was good run on decent roads until after around 150km I came upon this massive 15-20km long roadblock where police were stopping all Beijing bound trucks for checks. As a result, all the inbound trucks just parked themselves in both lanes blocking all traffic in either direction (of course they managed to turn a two lane road into 3+ lanes of stuck trucks so it was absolute chaos). I managed to thread the bike through this mess by riding along either the edge of the road, through lanes of trucks no more than 80cm wide or by taking short cuts through fields as the need arose). This happened at least 3 more time that day. During one major logjam I pulled offroad and found a Jialing dealer who replaced and installed the rubber cush drive hub for me, oiled the chain, tightened a couple of loose boats and sold me two new bungy straps all for 20 yuan ($2.50). The Haobon rides much more nicely again now.

Apart for the weather, and the trucks, the other challenge for the day was navigation. Basically I was supposed to be taking the G110 North but signposting was almost non-existent. I tired to use the GPS (which showed the G110) but this only served to confuse me more and I managed to get myself on the wrong road three times by following the GPS instead of my instinct. After almost ending up in Datong for the night I pulled in around 8pm to only hotel I could find and paid my highest sum yet for a night's accommodation (160 yuan or a little over $20) right on the border of Heibe and Inner Mongolia.

Sunday (11 May) - Haixie to Erenhot. Given Saturday's cool weather I decided to get all my cold weather gear on, and luckily I did. Once again I allowed the GPS to misdirect me before finding the way back on to the G110 by instinct after around 50kms of riding. There were more massive lines of trucks but these ones were on the expressway instead of the G110 (at this point the two roads run side by side). I was heading North west to Jining and the Haobon was running slowly because of the massive head wind I was riding in to. In noticed the temperature was dropping as the wet weather gear was not enough to keep the wind completely out, and then it happened.

At first I thought it was just sand blowing across the road combined with wind, and then it started to pile up on my body - snow flurries.

Oh well, it looks quite pretty - bit cold maybe but quite pretty.... and then it turned into corn snow - hard little pellets of the stuff. Now don't forget, I'm running with an open face helmet and NO visor and NO eye protection. This was extremely painful and I had to put my left hand over my face to provide some protection. Fortunately it didn't last long and by Jining I thought it may be clearing - little did I know.

From Jining it's pretty much straight North to Erenhot - 320 km of good road, the last 100km or so an expressway (yes, bikes allowed). There were no problems getting past police check points to ride the road but the weather was only getting worse. Most of the time I was riding North so I had the full brunt of the wind in my face (with only a balaclava to protect it) and at times riding west with the bike leaning around 10 degrees to the right to stay upright in the wind, but still getting blown from one side of the road to the other. In the middle of this stretch was around 150km where it was no longer flurries - it was snowing heavily and the snow was staying on the ground. I would have loved to take photos but I was just so cold I couldn't. I pulled into Erenhot just before dark, found a good 80 yuan hotel and hopped under two doonas to thaw for the night. My fingers and toes were frozen but by morning I was all well apart from my throttle thumb which is frost bitten and will probably take another month or so for the feeling to return and the tingling to disappear.

Monday (12 May). I'm up bright and early ready and warmly dressed (extra pair of long johns today) for my border crossing. Fuel up in case of fuel shortage in Mongolia and off I go to the border post.

I get to the first check point and the soldier shouts his few words of English at me "NO!" pointing to the Haobon.

I get out my trusty electronic translator and determine that he won't let me take the bike across. He then shouts "Wait!", so I do for an hour or so. He then points me in the direction fo the customs office, shouts "customs broker", tells me to leave the bike behind and lets me through the first checkpoint.

I go up to the customs broker office desperately searching for anyone who may speak a smidgin of English, find a friendly chinese-mongolian lady who seems liek she has done this sort of thing many times before and who also speaks a little English. She takes me to a customs officer who phones a colleague and I am then driven a further 200 metres towards Mongolia to the incoming arrivals building. We meet a helpful female customs officer by the name of Tong Hao who explains the only way I can take a bike bought in China, out of China, is by having a letter of guarantee from CITS (the Chinese government International Travel Service) that I will bring the bike back into China (and leave a $500 deposit as proof). I drive back to Erenhot to find the CITS office and explain to them what I need. The CITS lady has no idea what I'm on about so I ask for her card to take back to customs for them to call her.

By this time it is almost noon. I get back to the border only to find a new soldier on the first checkpoint - let's just call him "little Hitler" . He point blank refuses to let me go back to customs and threatens to set his alsatian guard dog on me.

I watch a few of the Mongolians who are getting similar treatment. A big truck slowly drives through and they run beside it on the opposite side to the guard next to the wheels (yes, he's looking under waiting for just such a thing to happen)

The nest truck goes through - he spots a couple of them doing it and gives chase. Whilst he does, another group of Mongolians run through in a different direction. I take my chance and walk quickly, expecting to be screamed at and have a rifle pointed at me. I doge behind a couple of more trucks and lo and behold I'm back in. I head up to immigration - it is now 12.05, only to find the whole area has shut down for an hour for lunch.

1pm and I speak to Tong Hao who calls CITS and advises a letter of guarantee is not possible. She then spends another 3 hours running around seeking out alternatives for me - if nothing else, I can't say she wasn't helpful and friendly. Finally she comes back to me and says my only option is to go back to Beijing and seek special approval (which will take up to 2 weeks to obtain). Basically they have said that only bikes imported in to China can be exported (but they won't let you import in the first place - catch 22 :confused1. After 9 hours my patience is wearing thin, and frustration is mounting. I reluctantly decide it is isn't worth it.

As much as I would love to ride to Ulan Bataar it looks like it will have to be the train. Only problem is I now can't get an train ticket until who knows when. I have spent all day running around exploring alternatives - no buses or planes on this route. Once again, frustration is mounting.

Garry from Oz.

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Garry from Oz - powered by Burgman

Yet another great adventure Garry.

Why don't you try to put the bike in one of those trucks that cross the border? I'm sure some driver will be happy with few extra RMB.

Else just sold it at the border and buy another after.

Good luck and keep us updated.

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There is an American guy living in Beijing, name is Jim Briant he owns a well known CJ750 workshop.

He has already crossed this border I think and he is going back in UB this summer. Don't know if he can help.

Here the contact I found on his website (mycj750:::introduction)

Contact us:

• 13811532632 Jian
• 13901320922 Jim
• (8610) 8459-0062 Direct

E-mail:

• mycj750@yahoo.com
• mycj750@hotmail.com
• mycj750@gmail.com
• jim@way2prc.com

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Hi Brice, I tried the truck thing but unfortunately that won't work because the truck drivers have to provide a manifest of all cargo, pay respective duties and then their truck is checked by the customs to confirm that there is nothing they have not declared.

I spoke with Jian at myyCJ750 a couple of months back before I left Australia. Essentially what they do is get the special export permit for you and this is bundled in their price for the bike ($3-4,000). I believe it also takes them a few weeks to otain this permit.

With my limited time I can't afford to wait this long.

Anyways, the good news is that I now have a ticket for the train to Ulan Bataar in my hot little hands, it leaves at 11.15 tonight and takes 14 hours for the 800km journey. I have to work out how I return once I reach Ulan Bataar (they won't sell me a ticket here). I also have to find somewhere to park the bike in Erenhot for a few days (hopefully in my hotel).

I have only just caught up on the news about the Sichuan earthquake (I trust Carl is OK?)

I travelled through Sichuan 11 days before the quake. I saw on TV last night that in one of the towns I passed through (Da Xian) over 200 people were killed. It's interesting to note, in hindsight, that there were landslide warnings on a lot of the roads I rode and quite a few times there were BIG rocks (60cm square) lying in the middle of the road that had recently fallen. At other times small rocks actually fell onto the road right in front of me. I guess in any earthquake there is always a bit of a lead up and forewarning.

I have updated my blog but I can't read it (only update it) as ALL blogs are censored by the Chinese government. My blog is Across the universe

Garry from Oz.

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Garry from Oz - powered by Burgman

Hi all, just arrived tonight in Shanghai after 6.5 days and 2,500km of riding down from the Mongolian border.

These last few days have been some of the most challenging and interesting of my travels.

The roads have been indescribably bad - so bad that one day I only managed to cover 180km in 10 hours on the road. Lots of roadworks - 200km+ sections of road so badly chopped up it may as well not exist. Landslides and roclk strewn roads. Potholes 2 foot deep and riding on dirt.... and then yesterday it rains to make it all one big chopped up swamp. When it rains in China it is is one huge torrential downpour for an hour or so.

Two more flat tyres in the middle of nowhere - had to ride 25km on bumpy gravel before I could find someone to repair. Rack snapped off from constant bouncing and the steering head bearings and swing arm bearings have worn out from being hammered by all the bumps.

Had the opportunity to stay with a family after the first puncture - the Chinese are very hospitable and you won't believe some of the foods I have eaten (I don't even know what it was I was eating). Speaking of which, it's also been 4 days since I've last been to the bathroom so I'm not sure if it agrees with me or not.

Last night, another puncture around 7pm (dark). Once again, family took me in for a meal whilst it was being repaired.

I've also broken the heart of a Chinese hotel receptionist once she learned my age and marital status.

Now to sell the bike and book a ticket to Busan to pick up the Burgie. The Russian journey will be longer but I'm not sure if it will be so challenging- I've really gotten off the beaten track in China

At least my derriere will be pleased to have a nice comfy seat again and less bumps on the road. :-)

Lots more to say - will update blog and post here again tomorrrow.

Garry from Oz

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Garry from Oz - powered by Burgman

Hi Garry,

Read your B L O G. This is fine writing and with some photos you've got good material for an unconventional travel book.

I wish you the best for the next legs of your trip.

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The Haobon has been sold to a local bike repairer for a bargain price. I trust the new owner gets as much enjoyment out of it as I did.

I'm off to Busan tomorrow morning to pick up the Burgie and start the next stage of my journey across Russia. I'll start a new thread in the North Asia section for all to follow my travels.

Garry from Oz.

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Garry from Oz - powered by Burgman

I'm now just starting Part 2 of my travels, this time on my own bike (burgman 650) after my one month 7,500km China ride on a local Haobon 125cc bike: see
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-part-ii-35545for details of the next leg.

Today I am in Busan, Korea and the good news is that I've just cleared customs without delays.

After some minor hiccups with paperwork and having to get Vicroads (local vehicle registration office in Australia) to fax through copies of the registration documents to Korean customs (which took all of 15 minutes), Mr Lee of Eagle Shipping took me down to collect the bike. The bike arrived in perfect shape and undamaged despite my concerns about how well I had crated and packed it.

It took me a couple of hours to uncrate and reassemble it before paying all fees (total around US$500) and riding the bike out the gate and into Korea. The Korean customs people, as usual wherever I go, were polite and helpful. One of them even gave me a copy of a book he has written but I will need to brush up on my hanguel first!

I will leave tomorrow morning to ride North to Sokcho for the Dong Chun ferry to Vladivostok.

It's good to be back on the Burgie - much smoother and more comfortable than the Haobon, but of course it is far less nimble and feels quite ponderous initially - that feeling will hopefully disappear once I get used to riding it again.

My blog is Across the universe

Garry from Oz.

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Garry from Oz - powered by Burgman

What a fantastic journey - you must have some very interesting tails to tell. I'm envious already and my trip starts on nov 25th '08.

The bureaucratic hurdles are always the most infuriating I imagine.

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TurboCharger + Francois (our BMW R1200gs) '07
www.riding2up.net, blog.riding2up.net