MerDragon China Rally 2010

[NaPTuNe]

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Richard's Harley refuses to start again... It almost went up the tow truck. If it goes up the truck, Richard would have to sit in the coach bus. After awhile, the bike managed to start again and Richard wishes to ride it. Of course that would be his choice, considering having paid so much for the trip.

 

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Above: Albert the debt collector on his Harley and his new "boyfriend" (Ah Poh). Some people are upset over bike giving problems... While some people are happy making gay friends along the trip...

 

On the road again!

 

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We went past rice fields...

[NaPTuNe]

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My bike is so dirty!!!! We went past a stretch of road where it was wet and muddy. We later on realised it wasn't mud at all. We past a cement factory and those were cement stuck on our bikes! Check below:

 

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Cement splashed all over the inner parts of my bike. It will eat into the paint and parts if I don't wash it soon.

 

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Jinan Yellow River Bridge Toll Station.

 

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Jinan Huangtai Hotel. Our 3rd hotel. We arrived around 12pm. It took us 4 hours to get here from Dezhou.

 

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Shack... Waiting for room keys distribution at the hotel lobby.

[NaPTuNe]

We will be staying in Jinan for 2 nights. The next day 13th is a no ride day. After showering myself, I showered my bike. The main group went off for some hotspring sight-seeing tour. I didn't join them. I have been to three quarters of China and seen most of the famous sights. Back in 2005, I backpacked alone and toured China for 2 months. I was tired from all the riding so I decided to wash my bike, then go and sleep. Some guys stayed back with me to wash their bikes too. Some of them claim they are bikers, NOT tourists...

 

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This is Neil from UK. He rides a Honda Varadero. Sometimes I ride behind him in the convoy, he always points out to the rider behind to look out for potholes and rocks.

 

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We washed our bikes infront of the hotel using the hotel's tap. I am surprised the hotel actually allowed us to do that. The local people started to crowd around and watched.

 

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Finally bike is clean! Parked one side show-off.

Edited August 30, 2010 by NaP^TuNe

[NaPTuNe]

The guys who came back from the sight-seeing tour gave me the pictures below. So this is what they were up to...

 

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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.........

[NaPTuNe]

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Unwanted pregnancy, head down to Quan Chen hospital.

 

In China, thanks to their exploding population, they practise strict birth control. Every couple can only have 1 child. If you are a farmer or peasant, you will be allowed a 2nd child provided your first child happens to be a daughter. If first child is a son, then it shall stop there.

 

I have a china friend who told me that if a women is caught carrying a 2nd child, the authorities would literally catch the women and send her for an abortion. But if the women manages to secretly keep the child till its almost time for birth, the authorities will allow the child to be born . Following a heavy fine.

 

Abortion advertisments can be seen everywhere at the bus stops, subway trains, billboard advertisment and tv... Its very common. And condom vending machines are everywhere. See below.

 

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Condom vending machines!~

Edited September 1, 2010 by NaP^TuNe

[terri_one]

I took this pic becos i saw that the man was more interested in seeing you at different angles (if you know what i mean) than checking out the bike. it was fun watching him in action.

 

 

 

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[NaPTuNe]

I took this pic becos i saw that the man was more interested in seeing you at different angles (if you know what i mean) than checking out the bike. it was fun watching him in action.

 

I was wearing a t-shirt so he's not going to get any "free show". Heng ah...

[NaPTuNe]

After washing my bike, I went back and slept for a few hours. I don't even remember falling asleep, that was how tired I am.

 

Dinner later that day:

 

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Xi Bei Jiao Zi Chen. Northwestern Dumpling Restaurant.

 

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The restaurant does not have a booklet menu. The menu is a walk-in row of pictures showing the type of dishes they have.

 

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There's a wet piece of paper inside the ash tray that says "Smoking is bad for your health". Heck, this only happens in tourist's restaurant. Their local people smoke like nobody's business, they don't give a **** about you having bad or no bad health.

 

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Every meal... BIG Fish, Big Meat...

 

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This is the best they could do when we asked for chilli. This is no chilli?! This is green bell peppers. We asked for chilli, they say there's no red chilli, only green ones. And this is what we got. In ShanDong Province, you can't find spicy food nor hot chilli. They don't eat that.

[NaPTuNe]

13th Aug (Friday the 13th...)

A free day in Jinan, no ride day.

 

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Quan Chen Guang Chang. It means Quan Chen Square. Something like our Raffles Place area, office, malls, restaurants...

 

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[NaPTuNe]

I always enjoy taking pictures of children and plants...

 

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[NaPTuNe]

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Silver Plaza Mall, one of the most up-market shopping mall that sells goods from international brands.

 

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Some of them went for chinese "massage"...

 

By the end of 13th, we were 6 days into our trip already. Time seems to pass quickily when we are enjoying. We gradually got to know one another better.

 

Day 7, 14th Aug. 8am.

Jinan ----> Tai An, 88km, 2hrs.

 

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The two chinese boys next to me are the only "eye-candy" during the trip. Young, cute and the one on my right speaks English with an american accent. I forgot their names. They are a pair of brothers helping us with logistics along the trip.

 

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Eng Chye (BMW GS1200) & Me. A happy-go-lucky guy whom I've rode to Thailand with. He's quite into long-distance riding. So am I.

 

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It was pouring but the rain stopped just before we left.

 

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[NaPTuNe]

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Leaving Jinan for Tai An~~

 

Below is a video taken on one of our rides. Watch it and see how the chinese police "work". I do not wish to comment more but watch closely what happens when our black van (our tour guide) stopped next to the police car. Part of our trip fees goes into "that".

 

 

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It was just a short 2hrs ride to our hotel in Tai An.

Edited September 4, 2010 by NaP^TuNe

[StEeL]

nice experience that you have got from this trip. saw the video of you riding through the bumpy road towards Nan Jing. should be a memorable 1 for you i suppose. glad that all have enjoyed the trip. hopefully i will be able to join in someday. so you going for the 3NCR as well?

[ah_veo]

got this from my FB. i like this one. this is funny...what u doing ahh? hahahaaa.....lol.

Edited September 3, 2010 by ah_veo

[NaPTuNe]

nice experience that you have got from this trip. saw the video of you riding through the bumpy road towards Nan Jing. should be a memorable 1 for you i suppose. glad that all have enjoyed the trip. hopefully i will be able to join in someday. so you going for the 3NCR as well?

 

Is this Darryl? Yes, I've signed up for 3NCR and also going to Koh Samui after the event. I BLOODY LOVE long-distance riding... Hahaha!~~

[NaPTuNe]

got this from my FB. i like this one. this is funny...what u doing ahh? hahahaaa.....lol.

 

I was worshipping my bike. And the other fellow is hugging my bike. I shall go into explaining why we did that in the later part of my photo sharing..

 

I've been uploading too slow yeah i know... sorry... I am too busy these days.

[NaPTuNe]

We stayed 1 day in Tai An. Our main purpose is to visit Mountain Tai.

 

Mt. Tai Shan

The leader of the 'Five Sacred Mountains', located in the center of Shandong Province, lying across the cities of Tai An. Here we go!

 

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We queue up and took a bus up to the mountain's cable car station.

 

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Left to right: Me, Kelvin (my videos are by him) & William.

 

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The carvings on the stone say" We are more than happy to welcome friends from afar", and there goes Richard sitting beside it.

 

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[NaPTuNe]

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Seems like I'm not short enough to get a free ride...

 

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We came up to the top, the station's name is Nan Tian Men Station.

Edited September 3, 2010 by NaP^TuNe

[NaPTuNe]

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You gotta give it to the mainlanders for their translation skills.

[NaPTuNe]

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Every lock symbolises a wish for good-luck or good-health or good-love... So you actually buy a lock, pray to the gods, make a wish and lock it there.

 

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There happened to be a fight among the locals. Over ice-cream... Bunch of idiots...

 

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Edited September 3, 2010 by NaP^TuNe

[NaPTuNe]

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[NaPTuNe]

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[NaPTuNe]

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Yeah it looks abit like Great Wall, but it's Tai Shan.

 

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The different routes to go different attractions on the top.

 

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A hotel at the top of the mountain for catching sunrise in the morning.

 

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If you look what's behind me, you can see a sign saying the hotel name is "81 Motel". Hotel 81 chain on the top of Mount Tai???

Edited September 3, 2010 by NaP^TuNe

[NaPTuNe]

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The peak of the mountain is called Yu Huang Ding.

 

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It says we're 1510 metres above sea level.

 

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Taken from the peak of Tai Shan.

 

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Edited September 3, 2010 by NaP^TuNe

[NaPTuNe]

So we've seen Tai Shan. To be honest I was disappointed, its nothing spectacular. The Huang Shan (Yellow Mountains) in AnHui Province is so much better. When we decided to decent the mountain, we realised the cable car queue is soooo long! Check out the pic below!

 

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It took us 1 hour to get to our turn.

 

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A dam on the mountain.

 

It was around 6.15pm when we decended the mountain and we caught sunset in the cable car.

 

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