Whoowee in Wuwie!
Mood:  a-ok

Hi everyone. I know the maps you may access don't have alot of the little and not so little towns I mention in my blogs; google and yahoo maps are worthless in this country. Anyways, I'm on the very southern edge of the Gobi, been out of the true desert for several days, and out of the winds from hell for almost a week. Here in Wuwie, as in Whoowee, I'm out of the desert! Have seen some sections of the Great Wall and tomorrow about 16k south of here will catch my best view and perhaps last. I'll load those pics in another few days.

After that I start climbing into what looks on the relief map an endless terrain of hills and small mountains for the rest of the trip. Met a Vancouver Canada couple heading the other way about 2 days ago. Damian and Jill are cycling from the Shanghai area and are heading for London. Nice people who gave me the news that after Langzhou, about a 3/4 days from here the winds end so the hills won't be so bad. This morning riding in I met Neil, cyclist who started in New Zealand and is heading home to Tipperary, Ireland. Such an encouragement to meet other westerners, lets me know I'm rolling closer to home.

The police here in China are nice people, I should know, been "interviewed" by them half a dozen times, 3 or 4 times they show up at the hotel room in the late evening wanting to look at the passport and visa. Pleasant manners but still a unique experience for it to occur so frequently. From the other cyclist reports it just gets worse as I head east, terror plot worries for the Olympics have jacked up security in a very secure place. It's all part of the journey and I have come to expect it. Hell I've taken to rolling into a town and speaking to the first officer I see and ask for a pingqua (hotel), might as well make it easy for them and get it out of the way.

Serini, by the time you read this I hear that you attended Ken's block party, hope everyone had a good time and got in a little trouble at least!

I'm writing this on a computer in a computer sales store, they were kind enough to give me a little time and everyone is sitting around watching me type, although no one can read what I'm saying! I have come accustom to eating, drinking, typing and doing small repairs with an audiance! Now I know how film stars and hot chicks must feel! So keep the faith everyone, I'm coming home on time and (hopefully) on budget. China is as close as I'll ever get to visiting another planet and I'm getting better everyday with the chopsticks!   Be cool, talk to you again soon.   Brian