Kashgar

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First day in China, we went to vehicle testing centre, for bike checks & permits to drive.

Buying fuel for a bike is tricky especially in city, only possible at the 3rd service station, which we drove 100m up wrong side note dual carriegway to get too!. The fast pump flow rate is considered a risk, so attendants fill a kettle then we can pour fuel into bike away from pump, I would suggest this is quite risky too.



Kashgar is a city of 1million people, so are there 1000 cities like it in China?. Estimate 200,000 electric scooters in this city - they are everywhere, have own special lanes between pavement and main roads, but seem to just move randomly with purpose, 1 in 30 would carry 4.



Police and army are very visible here, do lots of exercise in main square & 15 armed SWAT team watched men enter mosque for Friday prayers. Obviously there is bit political unrest bubbling beneath surface, but we see no evidence.



What time is it? In theory all of China runs on Beijing time 2 hrs to east, which seams odd as Kashgar is due south from Kyrgyz (some locals do hove watches set this time), but ther is some sense in Beijing arrangement - as China is spread over 5 time zones, but sunrise is 2hrs late at 8:30. We did spent time discussing as a group what time is it?



Night out with Dmitry any Hervé.



Hervé is French but now lives in Reunion on in indian ocean, , so shipped bike to Paris to start his journey to join Steve's group. But then did 20,000km, going via Portugal, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Serbia, Turkey, Georgia, Kazak, Kyrgyz - amazing. Final destination is Singapore, where he can eadily ship bike home. Says they don't need refrigeration equip (his business) in winter in Indian ocean.



We ate in Bizzars, what fun, duck or chicken?, avoid sheep's head, just missed sheep being despatched in butchers bit. But meals are so cheap, the 3 of us ate for less 50uan £7, where as night before in western restaurant 2 steaks & 2 beer was 340uan !

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Photos

3rd Petrol station
Bikes not allowed near pumps

Decanting with 7ltr Kettle
Brian & Hervé top up GS.
No smoking!

scooter conjestion
Major intersection in city is quite busy, pedestrians are forced into subway, no animals on roads in this city.
Lights all have timer, might start at 90S.

4 on Scooter
We did see 5 on one bike, but is rare.
Babies often have rear facing cot, how would UK like this?

some scooters
Where did I leave mine?

Eating at Noodle place
This was a self'ie, but need to practise more.

Goates heads
This was horrible.

Noodle Supprise
It was cold, bit spicey, very little meat.
Went back next day.

small shoes
One of many.

The Chairman
Overlooking central square

central square
Pleased with globes picture
But beneath, can see two army trucks, counted 9 one night.

Tea at. 11pm
Not a hard night, pubs quite hard to find.

Chinese documents.
New license plate, was small for cameras to focus on, especially in my pocket. Never had to show either document.