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Brisbane, December 12th, 2006
Sydney, November 11th, 2006
Delhi, October 16th, 2006
Sorry, I cannot keep this English section up-to-date at the moment. Please have a look at the pictures (with English comments).
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Islamabad, September 30th, 2006
After my decision against riding on the exciting road to Tibet I had to compensate this by creating another little adventure. Thanks to cycling at night I successfully pass the Chinese checkpoints on the way to the Khunjerab Pass (4655 m), a part of the Karakoram Highway which is officially closed for cyclists. Being 800 meters before the pass, Chinese officials finally send me back to the immigration office in Tashkurgan, 126 km down the valley, in order to get on a bus and receive the exit stamp in my passport. Nevertheless of this detour, the whole mission was a success. Happy enough I enjoy the long downhill.
 | The Karakoram Highway (KKH) on the Pakistani side is even more spectacular than it already was on the Chinese part. White 7000m giants throne over lush green terraced fields and orchards, while the muddy river makes his way through wild grey gorges. In Karimabad, the former capital of the old kingdom of Hunza, I stop for a week to take full advantage of the great scenery and to get to know the friendly people (belonging to the Ismaili branch of Islam). I enjoy vegetarian food at the Old Hunza Inn, visit the Tibetian-style Baltit Fort, hike to Ultar Meadow and recover in a posh cafe, |
| where they serve hot chocolate and Swiss walnut cake. Together with the French backpackers Pascale, Caroline and Olivier I trek to Rush Peak, my first 5000 m peak. Although we cannot catch a glimpse of far-away K2, the views are just spectacular, especially the ones down to the enormous glaciers in the surrounding valleys. The night`s snowfall makes the area even more magical! |
To avoid stone-throwing kids further south along the KKH, I turn off at Chilas. But the jeep track over the Babusar Pass (4170 m) turns out to be the roughest connection since starting my trip in Switzerland. During two days I can cover less than 40 km a day. Sand, lose gravel, big stones, creeks and steep ascends or all at the same time are not the cyclist`s favourites. For the last almost one thousand altimeters I push my bike. Maybe stupid, but the feeling on the top is great.
Well, after weeks in mountainous areas I have now arrived in the plains of Punjab. About life here during Ramadan (started on September 25) I will tell you soon. Take care!
Kaschgar, September 4th, 2006
| After I lived and cycled in Central Asia for almost three months I arrived in Kashgar, China. Here I enjoy exotic and spicey dishes (finally again after the bland nuitrition in the "Stans"), lively Sunday Market and good talks with many fellow cyclists. |
 | Kashgar itself is caught between two worlds, two completely different cultures. From the medieval town where the local Uigur people rule you step out into a Chinese version of western luxury: Fine hotels, huge supermarkets, pop music, internet... Interactions are little; the cultures seem to have only smelly squat toilets in common. Tomorrow I start cycling towards Pakistan, trying to sneak through Chinese checkpoints in order to be able to cycle all the way to another exciting cultural change. And it will be Ramadan! |
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