Changsha Railway Station
It is about 7:30 in the morning in Changsha, Hunan province, People's Republic of China. It is just getting light outside. I rolled into town about an hour ago on the overnight K9018 from Shenzhen. I only bought a hard seat ticket, so I spent the night fitfully trying to find a way to sleep, dozing, or sitting awake imagining dozens of ways to engineer a more comfortable hard seat car.
Before I go any further, let me explain why I am here. In about two hours, when shops begin to open, I am going to go out and buy a bicycle. I am then going to ride that bicycle to Guiyang, 645km away as the crow flies. I am going to do this in about 12 days. Or that's the plan, anyway.
And, internet cafes providing, I will share this all with you.
I am going to be biking through a region called Xiangxi (湘西). This simply means western Hunan province; 湘 is the character symbolizing Hunan and 西 means west. Xiangxi is much more than just a district on a map, however. In Chinese mythology, it is the center of sorcery and arcane mystery. Xiangxi is home to demons, ghosts and spirits. The bodies of the dead walk at night on a long march back to the place of their birth. Witches plant mystical worms in the flesh of their victims to control their every move.
Or so I hear.
My plan for this trip is to be as prepared as possible without actually knowing what I am getting into. I have maps, I have a route, I have clothes and supplies and emergency equipment. That being said, I have no idea what the road will really be like or what I will find there. That's the fun of the whole thing, really.
I hope you will stick with me,
and I hope I don't get eaten by Chinese zombies,
but it would be kind of cool if I did.
Regards,
Niko
Before I go any further, let me explain why I am here. In about two hours, when shops begin to open, I am going to go out and buy a bicycle. I am then going to ride that bicycle to Guiyang, 645km away as the crow flies. I am going to do this in about 12 days. Or that's the plan, anyway.
And, internet cafes providing, I will share this all with you.
I am going to be biking through a region called Xiangxi (湘西). This simply means western Hunan province; 湘 is the character symbolizing Hunan and 西 means west. Xiangxi is much more than just a district on a map, however. In Chinese mythology, it is the center of sorcery and arcane mystery. Xiangxi is home to demons, ghosts and spirits. The bodies of the dead walk at night on a long march back to the place of their birth. Witches plant mystical worms in the flesh of their victims to control their every move.
Or so I hear.
My plan for this trip is to be as prepared as possible without actually knowing what I am getting into. I have maps, I have a route, I have clothes and supplies and emergency equipment. That being said, I have no idea what the road will really be like or what I will find there. That's the fun of the whole thing, really.
I hope you will stick with me,
and I hope I don't get eaten by Chinese zombies,
but it would be kind of cool if I did.
Regards,
Niko
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