Tash Rabat & China border

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So Monday, was a goodnight with UK bike group in CBT in Nayrn.



Met up with Steve from 'Motorexplorers', who sets up trips to China, with people who apply.

John & Colene (two up on GS, from USA), Jason, Chris (kiwi), Herve (French). Brian, Kurt (Norwegian), a good team who all met basically enroute through Europe.







We left Nayrn full of fuel & food, to travel south towards China, to stay at another Yurt at Tash Rabat 'Caravaneserai' - an old Silk road boarding house dating from 10th century. The road to China is quiet, and this site was 15km to east on gravel track, so quite a remote spot. The stone structure was well kept, something the Kyrgyz's are prowd of. My 2nd Stay in Yurt was cold, as I was recovering from short but nasty tummy bug, so if U'r hungry - it can get very cold.



The trip through China with a vehicle requires a local guide to meet U at border, then stay with U till leave China, this is expensive especially on bikes as the guide needs his own car (and driver - guides don't drive). My trip had been booked with Navo, a Chinese travel agent , but to share costs I hadadvertised on HUBB (www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb), a real useful site if U want do an adventure trip, an unlimited source of advice.



Dmitry replied, a Russian Journalist (custom motorcycles & adventure trips), also a restraunt owner in Moscow (Honky Tonk, real good food). We were supposed to meet in Moscow, but that weekend he fell off a motorcycle & broke his collar bone, so real tight schedule to get fixed and ride 2500km in a month, but where was he? Well he turned at 9am as we rejoined main road south to Tarugart, - Brill, I have good company to Lahore.





Torugart (3700m), the Kyrgyz side was just cold, China side was slow, we had wait for our guide to appear in person at border gate, various lunches by officials, so wecwere on move in China for 2pm. X-ray baggage check after 4.5km, immigration 60km, customs 70km - bit bizzar. 170km to Kashgar, nice run down mountain valley.

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Photos

Motor explorer team leave CBT Nayrn
Bit tricky to get good team photo.
Just rained some, so they had alweather gear on, bikes full of gear & tents. Plan 31 day jolly east through China, a big desert! then down to Singapore.

MotorExplorer
Steve runs guided trips from UK through China.
Real good service, not sure of costs, but will carry spare tyres, filters, etc.. (Tyres worth 3..4 times value here, just can't buy your size). Also has spare seat in van, so if passenger needs a lift - hop in. Experience too, which fixer too pay etc.

Tash Rabat
Bit like an old castle in UK, except for it's different roll on ancient Silk Road Caravans.

A dormatory, one of 31 rooms.
Stone bench or bed, might be tough nights sleep.
1ft square holes in roof worked well for lighting in day.

central hall
8..10m to domed roof, doors rooms and cooridoors.

7 bikes at Yurt site
Herve, a French man joined at Yurt camp, last one on Steve group. Had all BMV! kit, wanted to use his heated suit in yurt. Small sauna on site was popular.

The Goat
Character this one, liked the GS, especially to lick flies off screen.

Birthday Party
One of bike team was 5**, so owner gave him a Kyrgyz hat, thought was only for village elders - did they get that right?
Then 5yr old daughter did authentic dance, nice scene.

8 bikes at check point.
Broke camp for 8am, met Dmitry on road.
One lorry here, but as border had been shut 3days holiday, was about 200 lorries in que at actual border, we just floated past! - as bikes do. Surprise how quick Steve in van passed too.

Long road to China
Looking South across mountains on border.

Dmitry & Road Glide, 1500cc Harley.
What character, a real asset to team. 6'6", with 18" pony tail. If a local touches his bike, one shout & boy jumps like was electrified!

Colene & John
What pair, destination NZ, fly with bike from Kuala Lumpur.
But it is team of 8, who sort each other out.

Leaving border.
3700m, but bright sky not really cold.
What a buzz, ride bike 1100km to China.

Cafe
We:re not allowed to stop before immigration, so guide bought 2 chocolate bars. Moto team wizz past, wacky races.

no bridge!
So many differences.
Numerous side rivers wash over road, so no bridge fail, a good solution. Sometimes bit gravel or silt stays on road.