The Wondering Cyclist

Got my 90 day Chinese visa from the embassy in Tashkent. No hassles and no nonsense about LOI

Will need to get a bus to reach the border before my Kazakhstan visa expires but what the heck!

Day 129

Reached Tashkent, Uzbekistan, what a cracy place! Just don’t try cycling here!

Just been to the Chinese Embassy to try for a visa! What a difference, at last an

embassy that want’s to help! Looks like I will get a 90 day visa after all!

Kazakhstan has been hard to cycle. They have undertaken to rebuild the whole road network. Seem to spend most of my time dragging my bike through soft sand and gravel through clouds of chocking dust.
I have reached the town of Shymkent and taken a few days rest.

Russia is a strange place – it has wonderfull friendly people but, as a foreigner I can not get my own internet access or even a phone unless I’ve got at least a 90 day visa (which they wont give me!)

Well that’s Holand and Germany come amd gone. Now in Poland.
Slight problem with my bike – the trailer hitch has been clicking on the rear mudguard, that worked a couple of scews out, lost my rear reflector and worse, when I dropped over a large curb the back section of the mudguard shattered! Well at least I’ve now got lots of clearence!

Cycled up to Harwich. Head wind all the way and still feeelng the strain of carrying full luggage! My legs bonked and all most had to walk / crawl the last few miles through the lanes!
Saw the news about the volcano and thought – er better book my ferry ticket. Got on the saturday over night just before they sold out completly.