On Two and Four Wheels Through the Middle Kingdom – 9,000 Km Over Hill and Dale

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On two and four wheels through the Middle Kingdom – 9,000 km over hill and dale

Landau, 14. March 2017 The team were well-guarded but also roads – into the mountains of the Foping The great Next Story destination has well looked-after and were able to visit all nature reserve – home to the protected been reached: Hong Kong. Over of the landmark sights in the country and giant panda. This was followed by Hanz- three years, each with three individual the capital in the company of their tour hong, the heavenly Jiu Zhai National stages, a changing list of participants guides. Park in the Valley of the Nine Villages, covered a distance of almost 29,000 and Jianmen Pass – a trip bursting with kilometres. For a combined total of The journey through China resumed in natural scenery and mountain passages. 111 days, 69 participants from 12 the border city of Dandong and continued countries travelled along remote through Panjin and the imperial summer Stage 3: Chengdu – Hongkong roads, through narrow laneways and residence of Chengde to the Chinese After the change of team in Chengdu we over miles of dirt tracks, crossing 14 capital Beijing. The first stage of the expe- had the opportunity to experience a Chi- different countries. Now the team on dition came to an end here on 6 June, nese opera, performed in traditional robes the final leg stood before the Hong and the group was joined by those taking and costumes. A visit to a tea plantation Kong skyline to conclude a great pro- part in the second stage. Together we all and insights into life in the small Tibetan ject in a worthy manner. But before went to see the main sights and the village of Xieluo Puzi brought home to that, the final expedition participants Great Wall of China close to Beijing. the team just how far away Europe was – still had to make a journey that could there was some amazement among the hardly have been more exciting: village inhabitants as they had obviously China from north to south, and a Stage 2: Peking – Chengdu never seen a “long nose” in the flesh short but intense stop in North Korea. Our next destination was Pingyao. With its small black brick houses, the town – before. „We do not take a trip; a trip takes us.“ once the centre of China’s financial John Steinbeck world – looks exactly as it did 400 years Other stops along the way were the ago during the Ming period. Then on the Xichang Space Centre which, owing to way to Xi’an we faced hours of waiting. the unique Chinese style of appointment Stage 1: Harbin – Peking The problem: were we allowed to drive planning, we were unable to see. The Accompanied by cool, rainy weather, our motorbikes on the expressway? After same went for Lake Lugu. the 2016 leg of the expedition got un- some skilful negotiating and a couple of derway on 22 May in Harbin, northeast hours’ delay we finally reached agree- And the challenges didn’t let up: flooding China, a centre of heavy industry and a ment with the police and, travelling in after heavy rainfall in the Xichang area, a trade bridge to Russia. After we all temperatures of around 50 °C we noodle soup that had to be eaten with passed our driving test – obligatory for reached Xi’an, once the most important chopsticks, daring alternative routes af- foreigners before they are allowed to starting point of the Silk Road in China. ter a landslide, and minor elbow injuries drive in China – we travelled to Chang- for the motorbike riders – the trip to Lijiang chun, China’s biggest car city, and then Apart from the impressive Terracotta was quite something! on to the old imperial city of Shenyang. Army, the attractions included the Dra- Here the team had the opportunity to gon Boat Festival that captivated the From Lijiang we headed for Yulong, the take a guided tour of a local paper factory Next Story team and two million other place where Progroup is sponsoring a of the world’s biggest manufacturer of visitors. A dinner with representatives of World Vision project in 2016 (see details containerboard made fromrecycled paper. machinery supplier, Valmet, concluded in the following pages). our visit to Xi’an. This was followed by a true highlight: a After a friendly see-off in Yulong, the three-day visit to North Korea and the After so much culture, it was time to take expedition headed south and southeast capital, Pyongyang, when the team in some nature: our motorcade travelled for Hong Kong. Our stops along the way gained some unforgettable impressions. in the following days – sometimes on dirt were Kunming, the City of Eternal Spring,