We'll be leaving Ruili tomorrow!

[Photo by Neil Dana]

Journal by Nancy Olson

(I should be writing about how we're leaving Ruili tomorrow and going to Myanmar, and all that good stuff, but I am swamped with other writing assignments. Instead, please enjoy this submission I wrote for Santa Cruz Mountain Bikes' website.)

TEXT:

One of my teammates looked at my bike shoes and commented that bringing them along was a bit “excessive.” How can I argue with a guy like that? Clearly, he just doesn’t get it.

We were embarking on a yearlong driving expedition that would take us around the world, through 25+ countries, across four continents, and over a distance of 30,000-some-odd miles. We were packing nine team members and all of our gear into four Certified Land Rover Discovery vehicles, and we were carrying two Santa Cruz Blurs that had been hand-delivered by Mr. Rob Roskopp (professional skateboarder back in the day, El Numero Uno of Santa Cruz Mountain Bikes) himself.

The expedition is called “LONGITUDE”, its purpose is to raise money and awareness for Parkinson’s Disease research, and it is the Drive Around the World non-profit organization’s third vehicle expedition. This is the first time mountain bikes have been on the gear list.

In the months leading up to our departure, I was accused by each of my teammates, some more than once, of being “obsessed” with the bikes. I think the label is unfair and a little extreme, but I guess there are much worse things I could be called than bike-obsessed. They just didn’t understand the ramifications of bringing not one, but two, of what most consider the “the Range Rover of mountain bikes” along on a journey around the world. I mean, these aren’t just bikes, for Christ’s sake, they’re works of art. Why couldn’t my teammates understand the consequences of traveling through third-world nations and some of the remotest areas on earth with a pair of Picassos?

There were secure bike racks to be researched and obtained, unbreakable locks and cables to be purchased, and a tool kit to be sourced. None of these things could be taken lightly if I was to achieve my goal of getting both bikes from start to finish without incident. The votes against my success were about seven of nine.

We left our headquarters in Los Gatos, California, behind Nov. 1 to have our official kick-off at the Parkinson’s Institute of northern Calif. That was more than eight months, 19 countries, and 22,000 miles ago. And you know what? The bikes are still with us, and they’re still in near-perfect condition.

With the rapid pace of our travels, and with the intensity of the workload each of us juggles each day, the bikes haven’t tasted quite as much international dirt as I’d hoped they would, although they have seen action in all but five of the 19 countries we’ve visited. And I’ve only tasted dirt in two of those…(minor headers down sand dunes and rocky switchbacks…and one embarrassing tumble on some steps in a Chinese alley).

I’ve had a blast zipping down monstrous sand dunes on Peru’s coast, flying down muddy switchbacks in the Andes, darting messenger-style through Santiago, Chile, traffic, circumnavigating glacieral lakes in Patagonia, chasing roos in Australia’s Outback, racing pedicabs in China, and enjoying a 1.5-month solo sabbatical down the east coast of Australia. My bike is my refuge and my therapist.

Since we can’t very well drive across oceans, we had a span of about two months to kill while waiting for our vehicles to ship from South America to Australia. I had time, a bike, and orders to Australia, so I packed up my Blur and hopped a flight to Cairns. I planned a route that would take me approximately 1200 miles down the right-hand coast of Australia, from Cairns to Brisbane, and it was some of the best fun I’ve had on this entire expedition.

I ordered a B.O.B. bicycle trailer from the U.S., strapped my gear to it in Cairns, and headed off on an incredible, 37-day, solo adventure. Because I was by myself, I was able to meet more people and become more intimately familiar with Queensland, Australia, than I ever would have with my team and vehicles in tow. Everybody wanted to talk to the crazy American dragging a trailer behind her “push bike” (That’s Australian for bicycle). My Santa Cruz helped me make some very dear new friends during that 1200-mile journey. (For a daily report from the trail, click HERE)

Actually, my Santa Cruz helps me make friends in every country, because people are just drawn to its majesty. And that’s a lot of what this expedition is about: meeting new people and exploring different cultures. We have close to 10,000 miles and at least six countries left in our travels, and I’m looking forward to many more Santa Cruz adventures. I intend to sample some of the rocky trails and thin air of the Himalayas, the sands of Pakistan, and the frigid tundra of Siberia before touching down again on U.S. soil. We enter Myanmar (formerly Burma) tomorrow, and the bikes are cleaned, lubed, tuned, and ready. This is the jumping-off point for the Himalayas, and adventure awaits. Am I glad I packed my cycling shoes? Affirmative. Am I bike obsessed, as accused? You bet your pooper I am. Now, bring it!

Nancy Olson is a U.S. Marine Corps reservist, an adventure racer, and the United States’ representative in the 2003 Land Rover G4 Challenge global driving/adventure-sport competition. She hails from Southlake, Texas, but currently resides in Los Gatos, California (when she’s not living out of a Land Rover).

Logbook for Aug 12th, Day 283
Start: Ruili, China Time: N/A N: E:	Finish:Ruili, China Time: N/A N: E:	Mileage:
Notes: Our guide is meeting us at the Myanmar border early tomorrow. Once we cross into Myanmar, we probably will not have access to the Internet. I might not be able to post logbooks or journals until we reach India. So, don't fear! Just assume all is well, because it will be. We're in good hands! (N.O.)

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four Certified, Pre-Owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking HERE. One hundred percent of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research, and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.

Bizarre item of the week: Look, kids, you can win a pack of Lucky Strikes! [For the record, we don't think anybody should smoke, especially kids.]

[Photo by Nancy Olson]

Journal by Todd Borgie

So, it finally happened: I got sick! This ends my streak of traveling to over 35 countries without getting sick. I woke up Monday morning with a splitting headache; any slight movement would induce nausea, and it seemed like it would have been a real relief if my right eyeball finally popped out of my eye socket, with all the pressure that had been built up behind it. All I wanted to do is pop it like a pimple. Ouch!

Two days later, I was at least moving, but not very quickly, and I had the attention span of about two minutes before getting tired. Thanks to Chanda, I was outfitted with all the latest film releases, so it was somewhat relaxing being sick.

Despite the work I needed to get done, the most important thing to do was get ready for our departure from China into Myanmar, something that we have been waiting for for six weeks, and something many people only dream about.

I really don’t know what to expect of Myanmar, I know so little about it. I don’t know what the people will look like, what the food will be like, or what the road conditions will be like. According to our research, we will be the first vehicle expedition to go through Myanmar since 1953; in other words there is not a lot of information about driving through Myanmar.

I am eager to see Myanmar. So much effort has gone into the planning, the fruits of this labor will be truly exciting.

Logbook for Aug 11th, Day 282
Start: Ruili, China Time: N/A N: E:	Finish:Ruili, China Time: N/A N: E:	Mileage:
Notes: Nick spent all day at the Internet cafe. Permits coming along great. Poor Ma is bored to tears. The rest of the team is enjoying the food and the people here. By the way, we are stared at like nobody's business in this town. And people like to impress us with their English by saying "Hello!" (N.O.)

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four Certified, Pre-Owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking HERE. One hundred percent of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research, and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.

A jeweller shapes a piece of jade in Ruili.

Photo by Neil Dana.

Ruili. They have dirt instead of sidewalks...

Photo by Nancy Olson

Logbook for Aug 10th, Day 281
Start: Ruili, China Time: N/A N: E:	Finish:Ruili, China Time: N/A N: E:	Mileage:
Notes: We had an awesome lunch and dinner with Ma, and then we went out on the town. Ruili has a surprisingly active night life. Looks like our permits will be ready to move into Myanmar on Friday the 13th. (N.O.)

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four Certified, Pre-Owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking HERE. One hundred percent of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research, and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.

An assortment of jade for sale in Ruili

Journal and photos by Neil Dana

Ruili, a border town in China next to Myanmar, filled with mostly Chinese people and quite a few Burmese trying to sell jade wherever we walk, is where we have been for the last five days and will be for two more. We are the only foreigners I have seen here, except one person from Nigeria whom we met, named Efe who is the first person to try and teach English in this large town. The streets are all torn up, rarely blessed with a sidewalk, instead filled with craters and sewage holes that are very dangerous if you happen to fall in one. The streets are bustling with people, vendors, fruits, even a water park, go-carts, bumper cars, and all kinds of restaurants. There are places to buy a nice suit for $12 or a shabby one for $5. We almost bought a few, but they didn't have any long enough for us, since we are six feet tall, and that is not the norm here in China. There are also all kinds of things to eat, like tasty brains, heart, eyeballs, dog, intestines and turtle. Mmmn mmn. I haven't tried any of those delicacies yet, and doubt I will. It is great to see it all on display, though.

And of course, ordering food or anything else is hilarious, since we don't speak any Mandarin and all the people here speak NO ENGLISH. If you are lucky, they know how to say “hello.” Whenever I try to talk to someone, they will rattle off in Mandarin as if I can understand; it is really funny. People have even sat down with us at restaurants and talked to us for thirty minutes, and we have no clue what one another said. This is truly the most foreign place I have ever been, and I love it. You would think that a border town that is not aesthetically beautiful, and run down would be a bummer to spend time in, but in truth it is my favorite place we have stayed in China. It is 100% Chinese, and it is not geared towards foreigners, and that is really fantastic to experience. Going out in the evening to eat is great. There are small houses and families that have turned their abode into a restaurant, and the family sits around and talks and plays games, and you can go eat there and hang with them. There is this game they play with their hands where they both throw their hands into the middle of the people playing and hold out a number between one and ten, and they both scream out what they guess the total will be. They keep doing this until one of the people gets the right number, and then the other has to drink a milkshake. It is sort of like the Rock, Paper, and Scissors game. They also play tons of dominoes and cards. China is a big gambling country, and people are in the streets everywhere here playing cards and having a blast.

Ruili is also a place where it is very popular to buy and sell jade. The jade comes from Burma, yet the craftsmanship is better here in Ruili, so you get the best of both worlds here. Today, I went walking around the jade market, which is filled with all kinds of vendors selling bracelets, rings, carved jade pieces, and full jade stones that haven't been carved. You can buy heaps of jade if you wish; it is really inexpensive and there are hundreds of markets to choose from. There are also Burmese guys running around the streets with jade wrapped up in red paper in small bags that they try to pawn off constantly, or take you to a jade shop that either they or a friend owns.

There were also places where you can actually watch people carving the jade. It is quite a process and takes a long time. These people work hard and make beautiful pieces of art from these rocks. There are different qualities of jade as well, such as the very clear jade that you can see through, or the milky white jade, or the greener jade. There is red jade, too. My favorite is the clear jade with hints of green. Unfortunately for me, it is also the most expensive, so I haven't bought any yet, and don't know if I will. It is just a rock, for Heaven's sake.

So Ruili has been a very good experience, and it is really a treat to be in such a foreign country. We have had some time getting used to the Asian cultures. In Singapore, Malayasia and Thailand, there was plenty of English. In Cambodia, there was a bit less, and in Laos, the English really started dropping off, and now in China, bye bye, no more English. Of course in some towns there is more English, like when we were in Dali, which was much more tourist-oriented. But out on the country roads and here in Ruili, we are in the heart of China. Thank goodness we have Ma, who is our guide. When we all go to eat with him, he orders all the food for us and we end up with an amazing assortment of delicious food. I am so impressed with the food in China, especially the Yunnan Province; it is spicy and very tasty. However, when we go eat without Ma, it becomes comedy. We usually resort to only eating at places where we can point to food items that are on display or on someone else’s table. There are also the Chinese Markets, which have such a wide variety of goodies to choose from, such as marinated and dried spicy mushrooms, or honey-glazed walnuts, yak jerky, corn-flavored candy, and all the green tea you can imagine. I never really explored the Chinese markets back home, but when I get back to California, I am going straight to Chinatown and finding some of these treats that they have mastered.

Well, I am off now to go get some spicy beef on a stick barbecued and mixed with some noodles and sauteed vegetables, all for $1.

Neil

Logbook for Aug 9th, Day 280
Start: Ruili, China Time: N/A N: E:	Finish:Ruili, China Time: N/A N: E:	Mileage:
Notes: Today was rainy and then hot. Todd slept all day. He has a sinus infection. Myanmar stuff is looking good. (N.O.)

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four Certified, Pre-Owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking HERE. One hundred percent of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research, and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.

A fruit stall in Ruili

Photo by Nancy Olson

Logbook for Aug 8th, Day 279
Start: Ruili, China Time: N/A N: E:	Finish:Ruili, China Time: N/A N: E:	Mileage:
Notes: Ruili is sort of a ho-hum town, compared to the ones we've been in recently. There just isn't a ton to do without getting out of the city. I think we'll try to go to some hot springs soon, and the cycling here is supposed to be quite good. Today was a day for Internetting and dining out. It rains here every day. (N.O.)

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four Certified, Pre-Owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking HERE. One hundred percent of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research, and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.

I don't know what this says, but isn't it COOOOL? I'll have to ask Ma Xiaowei what it means...

UPDATE: I asked what it means, and I'm sorry if I disappoint you...It says, "Do not enter construction area without a hard hat."

Photo by Nancy Olson

Logbook for Aug 7th, Day 278
Start: Ruili, China Time: N/A N: E:	Finish:Ruili, China Time: N/A N: E:	Mileage:
Notes: The day was spent doing our own thing. Everything is difficult here in Ruili, where we know no Chinese, and they know no English. It's hard enough just to order something at a restaurant...(Nick and Chanda ended up buying a $67 lunch, and the lobster came out with it's living and moving head on one side of the platter and it's squirming body on the other. It stared at Nick, who looked back at it squeamishly. They sent it back and had it cooked.)... Walking through Ruili is an experience in itself, as few locals have ever seen a westerner in real life, and they are not too shy to stare... Tonight is China's match in the football world cup, so the boys will be glued to the telly. Later. (N.O.)

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four Certified, Pre-Owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking HERE. One hundred percent of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research, and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.

The team shops in Ruili, China.

[Photo by Todd Borgie]

Journal by Colin McAuliffe

Adam, Neil, Chanda and I inadvertently entered Burma the other night without even knowing it. We had read in the Lonely Planet that there were casinos everywhere here, so we went hunting for some cheap blackjack tables. We ended up at what we thought was a big casino, but turned out to be just a big hotel. So we ask at the front desk where the casino is at, and they say they'll send a car to take us there. So we figured we'd be riding in style to some swanky Chinese joint. Wrong; what ended up happening was pretty interesting, though.

A rinky minivan pulled up and we all piled in. We started down the main drag of Ruili, but took a dark turn and headed down a back street. We all kind of looked at each other like we wanted to know what the heck was going on, but since no one except us speaks any English here, it was pretty pointless to ask. Anyway, we continued on that road for a while and then made another turn onto a bumpy dirt road lined with palm trees. We bounced down that road for about ten minutes, the whole time wondering what was going to happen. There was a lot of traffic going both ways, so we didn't really think we were being set up for a robbery or anything, but still, it was a little strange. Eventually, the van turned down a dusty street and we pulled up into a dirty, rubbage-strewn Chinese village. Another quick turn and we were parked in front of a small square building.

We were ushered inside by our driver, and lo and behold, there was the casino; well, sort of. Actually, it was just five tables of the same game, a game which I have never seen before, and I don't think I will ever understand. I'm pretty sure white people have never been in there before, because when we walked in, the whole place shut up and basically dropped their jaws. I felt like I was in a zoo. We were ushered to a table; however, having no idea how to play this crazy game, we kind of just lingered around trying to watch. But everyone at the table got up and left. We kind of took that as a hint and got out of there.

It wasn't until the next day, when I met Efe, a nigerian, and the only foriegner that actually lives in this town, that I discovered that that was really Burma we were in. Turns out there's tons of places around here where you can cross the border with no problems.

So yeah, this place is weird, and really, I can't wait to move on. Every day we are held up is more time until I can get home and start relaxing.

Logbook for Aug 6th, Day 277
Start: Ruili, China Time: N/A N: E:	Finish:Ruili, China Time: N/A N: E:	Mileage:
Notes: We spent the day working and catchingup on much-needed sleep. We went to the shops in town, and the guys are considering buying cheap suits ($6). (N.O.)

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four Certified, Pre-Owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking HERE. One hundred percent of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research, and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.

A pedicab in Ruili. In the background, the moped rider is wearing a long raincoat. The boy in my journal was severely injured because of something like that.

Journal and photo by Nancy Olson

Today started out like any other day. It’s a border day, so we had planned to roll out at 0500. The nice young Chinese man at the hotel was set to wake us at 0415. Realizing that we would need our sleep to drive off that early, he was running around last night asking everybody if we were sleepy and saying he’d be waking us at the prescribed hour.

Well, 0415 came and went without anybody in the Chinese guesthouse stirring, and then we were all saved by Todd’s camera alarm going off at 0430. He rousted the troops while I grabbed the two Santa Cruz mountain bikes and dashed off to affix them to their racks on D1 and D3. I’d put them in our room for security, and I’d require extra time to ready them and myself for departure. By the time it was all done, I was sweating, and a little bit angry, but I did manage to make it to the driver’s seat in time to avoid holding up the convoy.

We rolled out at 0517. We were heading to the border city of Ruili, where we’d have to negotiate how we were going to manage two counter-situations which, on one hand, were the fact that our vehicles’ Chinese “visas” would expire today, and, secondly, the fact that our Myanmar guide and permits would not be ready for six more days. Technically, the vehicles cannot stay in China, and they cannot enter Myanmar. We’ll see what happens…

The drive was easy enough along China’s smooth thoroughfare north, and then we moved onto a narrow, winding, cobblestoned road that brought us down a detour through the mountains and villages situated amongst rice paddies. It was breathtaking (my favorite Seinfeld word). We saw people on bicycles in the poring rain, each wearing wide rice-paddy hats that acted like umbrellas to keep the rain off. I seriously need to get one of those hats.

We were driving along a smooth road now, and I was occasionally looking from side to side for any hats that might be for sale, when Nick came over the radio and said “Looks like a kid may have fallen off a moped up here.” Last in the convoy, Chanda and I rolled to a stop on the shoulder and prepared for the worst. Todd came running from the front to grab me for assistance. I had no medical kit handy, so I grabbed a clean Thai Ultimate Car towel from behind my seat and ran forward to where a distraught father was holding a very sluggishly moving, bloody son.

He had very large tear wounds to the top of his head and behind his left ear. I gave the towel to Chanda, who put pressure on those to stop the bleeding. He also had a puncture wound in the vicinity of his left cheekbone, and a minor scrape to his entire left cheek. I looked in his mouth because I though he had broken his front teeth out, or perhaps even had one shoved up into his jaw, but I was relieved to see this typical seven-year-old had lost them naturally, before the accident.

Somebody grabbed a Thermarest and another Thai Ultimate Car towel, and we laid the boy on his back, taking the burden from his frightened father and trying to prevent further damage in the very likely case of a spinal cord injury.

Justin, who had been in the lead and had rolled past the moped parked in the right lane and hadn’t seen the man and child, parked his car and ran back to the scene with the team med kit. I cursed myself for not being familiar with its contents. Let’s see, a bleeding head wound, possible neck and spine injury, certainly a concussion if not worse. I searched for a compression bandage and gauze. Justin grabbed them. I saw a space blanket, and I grabbed that. It was cold and rainy, and the boy would certainly be going into shock. The first-response medical training I had received through Wilderness Medical Associates several years ago in my weeklong Wilderness First Responder course flashed into my mind very clearly.

Todd had sent Neil to ensure the flashers were on in the rear vehicle. With the convoy safely out of harm’s way, we focused on the patient. This was going to be an excellent team effort. [The film guys recorded the event, once Colin got over his aversion to the sight of blood and gore.]

We wrapped him in the space blanket (it looks like aluminum foil, and it reflects body heat like nobody’s business to keep the victim warm and alive). Chanda and Justin were looking at the boy’s head wounds, which had stopped bleeding, and trying to keep the boy conscious. I was suddenly afraid he might have some life-threatening wounds hidden under his clothes, so I opened up his jacket and shirt and felt down each arm and leg, as well as his back and chest. There was no visible or palpable damage, and he didn’t wince at my touch.

A glance at the moped explained what had happened. A rain jacket was shredded and wrapped around the rear chain and axel. The boy had been wearing it when it became caught in the wheel, wrapped around the rear axel in an instant, and ripped the kid off the back of the moped, head first, into the street. Dad must have been really on the ball (and traveling slowly) to stop the cycle before dragging his son down the road.

The boy was in a bad state, and he really wanted to just go to sleep, but the crazy white people standing around him wouldn’t let him. Todd asked the father to keep talking to his boy, to keep him awake. Our guide, Ma Xiaowei, explained in Chinese that he and Nick were going up the road to fetch a doctor, and that an ambulance was on its way from the hospital 60 km back the other way.

With help on its way, our job was to keep the boy stable until we could turn him over to professionals. That meant keeping him warm and comfortable, keeping him alert, and keeping his head still. It also meant comforting the distraught father. “Nay-OHn,” he would say. “Nay-ohn, lots of stuff in Chinese.” We repeated the boy’s name, Nay-ohn, and spoke to him soothingly. Chanda did a wonderful job of calming him, while I struggled to get his legs comfortable and warm. I removed his Spider-Man sandals and checked his toes for capillary refill, which indicates how circulation is at the extremities. He was alright, but his feet were like icicles. I wrapped his little legs in the space blanket and the towel.

Occasionally, he would go into a fit and start crying and kicking his legs. We didn’t want him flailing, but that was a good sign that his legs and pelvis were likely ok. Later, his eyes would roll back as he fought desperately to just go to sleep. Each time, we’d wake him up. If he was alert, we knew he was breathing. We wanted him alert. We wanted him still. We wanted him comfortable (Poor boy was soooo uncomfortable), and we wanted the doctor to hurry up.

His feet began to warm up, and we felt confident we could keep him conscious until help arrived. I wanted to put gauze over his wounds to prevent infection from jumping into that delicate area of the body. We talked to the boy and comforted the father. Oh, the poor father!

Finally, Nick and Xiaowei arrived with the doctor, a young woman whose emergency bag consisted of gauze and a stethoscope. Chanda and I backed off and let her do her thing. Moments later, the ambulance arrived. They wrapped his head in gauze and loaded him up. We helped a friend of the father cut the jacket out of the moped’s gears. We wrapped all the bloody gauze and towels up and asked the EMTs to dispose of it for us. I retained the magical space blanket, which had no blood on it. The ambulance left, the lady doctor hopped onto the back of the moped, and they all drove off, sans helmets.

We had a border and customs agents to reach, so we packed up, too, and left without ceremony. I’m really proud Chanda, and of Todd, and the way we worked together as a team. There’s always some initial fear at entering an unknown situation like that. I’m always nervous about what I might see. This boy’s head was a mess. The wounds were deep, and they were bloody. But for some reason, it was not gross, it was not scary, and it was not intimidating. Chanda has had nurse training. I had First Responder training. I have a lot of confidence in my abilities to stabilize a patient and handle an emergency. I was pleased that the team worked together so well during this real-life drama.

In the Discovery, I reflected on how much worse this situation could have been. The boy was ripped headlong off the back of a moped. No broken bones were sticking out. He was breathing, he was conscious, and his heart was pumping. His head, although we don’t know the extent of his internal injuries, looked pretty good. It was intact. He’s young, and the wounds will heal. By the time he’s our age, I bet you won’t even notice the scars. All in all, I’d say he’s a very lucky boy.

I’m really glad Drive Around the World was there to help. I can’t imagine how terrified that father would have been if he’d been there by himself, alone and helpless. He didn’t know what to do, and he didn’t know if his son would make it. He was terrified, and he felt awful. I’m glad we were there to assist him.

If we had left Dali at 0500, when we were supposed to; if we had received our 0415 wakeup and left on time, rather than at 0517, we would have passed that moped before the accident, and that father would have been alone with his wounded son. All things happen for a reason, don’t they?

We stored up a lot of good Kharma from that event, and it helped us when we got to the border. The Chinese customs officials were awesome, and they were in favor of giving us an extension to keep our vehicles in China until the 14th, when our Myanmar guide and permits would be ready. They sent us to the border police for their approval, and the cops were just as friendly and just as supportive. We got our extension. We’ll stay here in Ruili until the 14th, unless our agent arrives sooner, and then we’ll begin our adventure in Myanmar. Life is good.

Logbook for Aug 5th, Day 276
Start: Dali, China Time: N/A N: E:	Finish:Ruili, China Time: N/A N: E:	Mileage:
Notes: An exciting day. See the journal entry. We left for the border at Ruili at 0517. On the way, we assisted a boy who was badly injured falling off a moped. We made it to the border at Ruili and received an extention to keep the cars in China until the 14th. (N.O.)

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four Certified, Pre-Owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking HERE. One hundred percent of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research, and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.

Todd receives acupuncture from a wise old Chinaman and his helpful daughter.

[Photo by Nancy Olson]

Journal by Todd Borgie

August 4

We are still in Dali. Although touristy (primarily Chinese tourists), this is probably one of the most accessible traditional areas that I have been to in China. It is still able to keep sort of a small town feel, despite all the venders and the interesting types of individuals that roam the streets here.

Anytime I roam the streets here, I have to beware of “Shoe Guy.” I should have gotten a picture of him, but I think he has turned in for the night. Anyway, “Shoe Guy” can spot a flawed shoe from a click (one kilometer is a click) away. When a flawed shoe has been spotted on his radar, he quickly closes in on his target. Once at the target, I believe he tells you exactly what is wrong (but I don’t speak Chinese), or he tugs on the problematic area. I have rebuffed him several times, but this hasn’t stopped him.

The sole is peeling away from my flip-flops, and this seems to bother Shoe Guy. I guess letting a shoe go un-repaired is like Superman not capturing a bad guy. Anyway, later, while I was having a conversation with Neil in the street, Shoe Guy stealthily swung in with glue in-hand and fixed the problem with my sole; amazing! Dumbstruck, I looked at Neil and began to laugh, and shoe guy looked proud!

Such is life here in Dali.

So far, life in China has been great. This has been my best experience yet in China (this is my third time here). People have been very friendly, our guide, Mr. Ma, has been beyond helpful; he will sleep well when we are gone, as he has been busy helping out with all of our work, including hospital visits, border visits, negotiating, translating, and answering all of our questions about China.

What transcends our feeling that all is well here is our looming question of what is going to happen tomorrow. Although Nick has done everything in his power to deal with the situation, paperwork sometimes takes a life of its own. This is the case with Myanmar. Although the permits have been issued for India, the Myanmar permits will not be issued by the time we get to the border, because the Myanmar permits were contingent upon the India Permits, and the India permits where just issued. However, the China permits, which are currently in motion, depend upon the Myanmar permits, which depend upon the India permits. Each department wants exact dates of arrival and departure, so the task is difficult. We now find ourselves needing to check out of China, but not being able to enter Myanmar. Our wait may last up to a week, hmm. We are hoping that we will be able to check out of China but stay in the area between the border (so we won’t have to officially check into Myanmar) until our permits are ready and our guide is at the border. I hope that explanation is confusing, because that is how it is: confusing. This is the life and times of traveling with a vehicle expedition: we are hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. People are buying movies in case the wait is long; we have thought about the idea of each car choosing a night to entertain the team. Who knows what will happen?

With this looming over our heads, the team is spending the day preparing, buying food, researching the floods in Assam, and uploading information…a typical workday.

The day closed with a trip to the acupuncture doctor. Despite my fear of needles in my younger days, something I inherited from my own experiences plus a gene from my father, I have been intrigued with acupuncture. I mean, how did someone come up with the idea that sticking needles in someone would make them feel better? The Chinese have been doing this for thousands of years, so I am assuming it is doing something. Generally, time weeds out most bad ideas.

Here in China, I have been wondering what type of role Chinese medicine will play in the search for a Parkinson’s cure or even treatment of Parkinson’s disease. In terms of acupuncture, I figured I have to try it to see what it is all about in order to look into how it might affect Parkinson’s. I really didn’t have any ailments, so I figured I would have it done to improve my energy levels.

I was lying on my stomach, so I didn’t see the needles get stuck in my back, but according to Nancy, they stuck a couple of needles at least 3 inches into my shoulder. I can tell you that these hurt! After completing the sticking process (about 10 different needles), the doctor took my pulse and told me to relax for about ½ hour. Nancy and Chanda, who were guiding Justin and me in our experience, figured out that he and the majority of his family were deaf and mute.

After relaxing as much as I could with an arm that was falling asleep and with needles stuck in my back, the doctor returned. Once the needles were pulled out, I got a serious massage. I mean serious, because the lady worked me! I felt like a wet towel that was being wrung out!

After everything was done, the doctor was trying to communicate with me about something he found during my session, but communication was difficult. Apparently this session will cure some ailments I have had for a long time, and he kept on pointing to my arms. Hmmm, I don’t know what that means, but I am looking forward to feeling better.

Logbook for Aug 4th, Day 275
Start: Dali, China Time: N/A N: E:	Finish:Dali, China Time: N/A N: E:	Mileage:
Notes: Today we did our own thing. We've been working and shopping. Nancy took the Santa Cruz on a bike ride and got a flat six miles from home... Todd and Justin got acupuncture. We all prepared to leave early tomorrow to head to the border at Ruili. (N.O.)

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four Certified, Pre-Owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking HERE. One hundred percent of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research, and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.

Portrait of a Bai Market, Dali, China.

[Photos by Nancy Olson]

The "Hat Man" in Dali. He sells hats.

Old Bai woman.

A classic China bicycle, working hard, as usual.

Incense and such for sale in the Dali village Market.

A woman selling fish and eels in the Bai market.

Spices, raisins, etc., for sale at the Bai market.

The people here are beautiful. This woman is working hard.

Neil and Chanda in the midst of a shopping frenzy. These women are ruthless, and they simply do not take no for an answer...

Logbook for Aug 3rd, Day 274
Start: Dali, China Time: N/A N: E:	Finish:Dali, China Time: N/A N: E:	Mileage:
Notes: Today was an amazing day in Dali. It's beautiful here. The altitude is up around 6200 ft, so it's cool here, comparatively speaking. We visited a village on the outskirts of the old town today, where the Bai people live. They have a market there, and we had a great time exploring. The people are amazing, and it's quite a rich culture. The film crew is very pleased with the footage they shot today. Tonight, most of the crew had fun hanging out down town. (N.O.)

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four Certified, Pre-Owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking HERE. One hundred percent of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research, and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.

Chinese locals pass the convoy while it is pulled over on the bad road to Dali.

The convoy skirts along rice paddies butted up against the road to Dali.

Journal and photos by Neil Dana

Driving through China has been a very interesting experience, filled with great people, all who have unique style that’s depending on their location, endless mountains, rice fields, corn, soy, wild drivers, and intense new construction everywhere. The main highway that we take through the countryside is very modern and under construction half of the time. The road is very wide, and the tunnels and bridges are huge. One tunnel we passed through was over a kilometer in length. The countryside is so beautiful that the highway running through it doesn't really fit, as it contrasts with the landscape in a harsh way. For example, there are countless small villages with one or two rice fields and a few wooden homes nestled in the hillside amongst gorgeous trees and fauna, yet right in the middle of their field are a few 20-foot-wide-in-diameter bridge pilings that tower 100 feet into the sky up to an immense cement freeway overpass. It is sad to see this brand new and very large-scale construction ripping through these peaceful, secluded areas of countryside.

Such is life, especially when you live in a country that has 1/5 of the world's population. And being visitors in China, and especially since we are driving, we had the unique pleasure of going through their driving inspection today. Since we entered Latin America more than nine months ago and had to declare four drivers for our vehicles, we (the drivers) have been tied to those vehicles and endless paperwork at every border. In fact, in China, we are the only ones allowed to drive the vehicles, so I have been Adam and Colin's chauffeur for the entire China drive. It has been fun, and they keep making me coffee and tea on the road to help keep me awake. So today, Nick, Nancy, Justin and I, along with our guide, Ma, went over to the Chinese Driver's Inspection in New Dali.

The Land Rovers we are driving are part of their Certified, Pre-Owned, Land Rover program, which means every vehicle must pass a grueling 140-point inspection before they can be accepted into the program. Today we put our vehicles through the Chinese version. There are a few rules in the Chinese inspection that are unique to China, though. The one that I found the most interesting was that I could not wear my flip flops while I was driving! Luckily, I had a pair of shoes hanging out in the car and just slipped those on. They also told us that our vehicles were too heavy and we wouldn't be able to brake within their standards. We told them that we were fine and within the manufacturer's weight limits. They continued to run all kinds of tests on the vehicles. They tested our emissions by sticking a sensor up our tailpipes. We passed, no problemo. They stepped on the gas and then slammed on the brakes; they did that a few times. They all passed, except D2, which needs new brake pads. They flipped on the headlights and shined them on a board that senses brightness and aim, or something, and they passed that, too. It would have been a little scary having these Chinese inspectors give our vehicles the once-over, had it not been for our confidence in the 140-point Land Rover Certified inspection. I mean, what would happen if we failed? Would we go to prison? Would we be heavily fined? Would they turn us around and send us right back to Lao!? After a couple of hours, we received our results, and Ma insures us that the paperwork, all in Chinese, indicates that we passed. Whew! Thank you, Land Rover!

Neil

Logbook for August 2nd, Day 273
Start: Kunming, China Time: N/A N: E:	Finish:Dali, China Time: N/A N: E:	Mileage:
Notes: We left Kunming today after paying a visit to Land Rover here. They were really nice, and we got some good photos. The drive today was 90% bumpy dirt roads. The main road from Kunming to Dali is under heavy construction, and, whereas in the U.S. they would work on one lane at a time, they just do the whole shebang here. It's all dirt, and it is badly potholed. We had a ton of fun, though, because we love "offroading." It was a long day, and we arrived in beautiful Dali pretty late. The hotel is nice, we have secure parking, and tomorrow promises to be a wonderful day. (N.O.)

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four Certified, Pre-Owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking HERE. One hundred percent of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research, and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.

Justin practices his "coyness" at the Kunming Flower and Dog Market.

Journal and photos by Chanda Baggarly

Next time you are in Kunming, China, you simply have to go the Dog and Flower Market. And when you do go, you have to have coffee at the ultra-secret cafe in the middle of the market between the hat salesman and the bird shop. The ultra secret coffee shop provides the best coffee around for miles, in the whole province some would argue. It is only half surprising that it is owned and operated by an Italian man and his Chinese wife.

Our friends Yanni and Ma Xiaowei guided us to this coffee paradise. It's ultra secret mainly because it is so difficult to find---even most locals do not know of its existence. The owners infused Italian marble and decor into a traditional Chinese house. Beautiful.

View from the top balcony

The Flower and Dog Market not only has great coffee but also has loads of jade, antiques, and a strange selection of small animals---baby chicks in a rainbow of colors, baby turtles, dogs (of course!) and reptiles that would make Steve Irwin’s mouth water.

To show off our coyness, some of us bought traditional Chinese rice-paper fans.

Nancy squeezes the life out of a baby turtle---kidding, she's just holding it...

The day at the market shaped up well. We enjoyed the coffee, the traditional Chinese market shopping, and most of all the fine company. The whole team was there along with our two new friends, Yanni and Ma Xiaowei, and having all of us there made the day even better.

Until next time, safe journeys!

Chanda

Logbook for August 1st, Day 272
Start: Kunming Time: N/A N: E:	Finish:Kunming Time: N/A N: E:	Mileage:
Notes: We had an amazing day today, thanks to Ma Xaiowei and his girlfriend, Yani (pronounced like Jenny, with a "Y". Yenny). They live here in Kunming, so they were the best guides we could hope for for a day of sightseeing. We had lunch at a renevated old guesthouse-turned-restaurant, and then we went shopping at a really cool market. Several of the guys bought hand-carved stamps of their names in ancient Chinese characters. This city is beautiful, and it was fun dodging bicycles while navigating her busy streets. Tomorrow, we head north to Dali. (N.O.)

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four Certified, Pre-Owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking HERE. One hundred percent of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research, and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.

Continue reading "Flower and Dog Market in Kunming"

The view out D3 of the road to Kunming.

Photo by Todd Borgie

Logbook for July 31st, Day 271
Start: Jinghong, China Time: N/A N: E:	Finish:Kunming Time: N/A N: E:	Mileage:
Notes: We had to change dollars into Yuan (8 Y=1 USD), sand the bank opened at 8, so we left shortly thereafter. We drove down a really bad road for about 90 km before it turned into a smooth toll road, and it rained most of the day. We arrived in Kunming at around 9 p.m. It was a beautiful drive, and we all like China very much. (N.O.)

Sign at the Lao/China border.

Photo by Nancy Olson

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four Certified, Pre-Owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking HERE. One hundred percent of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research, and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.

Fish, but not THE fish.
[Photo by Nancy Olson]

Journal by Colin McAuliffe

My most disgusting blog ever. (Do not read if you have a sensitive stomach)

China is amazing, over a billion people, thousands of food dishes, cities that stretch as far as the eye can see, and rice patties that do the same. But in this blog I am not extolling upon the virtues of China (and there are so many), rather, in this particular entry I would like to discuss a little known fact about china. Here it is: China has the most disgusting bathrooms in the world. I’m serious. Dis-fargen-gusting. I mean, these are the kinds of places you wouldn’t even imagine existed. These commodes make up a land inhabited mostly by flies and maggots. In fact, judging by the amount of people I’ve seen urinating or defecating on the street, I think that Chinese people don’t use public toilets at all; they just put them there as a very cruel joke to westerners like myself.

Anyway, I avoid the aforementioned lavatories at all costs. Sometimes, going more than twenty-four hours in between clean toilets is a tough business, but luckily, the powers that be blessed me with an iron will and I was doing fine, I repeat, I WAS doing fine. That is, until I got a little loosey-goosey in my gut. So, a few days ago, I was forced to use a public toilet, and it was one of the most disturbing experiences of my life.

OK, this is when it gets really bad, so if you think you’re going to be grossed out, just quit here.

So there we are, at a restaurant off the highway on our way to Kunming, a major city in southern China, and I get the call of nature. Now, this is not one of those calls from a boss or telemarketer where you just look at the caller ID on your cell phone and decide to just let it ring. This, that’s right folks, this is one of those “I’m sorry, I really have to take this one” calls. Well, I picked up the proverbial phone and trudged off behind the restaurant towards what I was told was the bathroom. Ankle deep in mud, in the pouring rain, I trudged toward the shore of a big green pond. Situated upon said shore was a small shack. Knowing the Chinese symbol for men told me that this, unfortunately, was the toilet. I shuddered, I really did. It was dilapidated, almost about to collapse into the lake/pond. So, against my better judgement I entered my little private hell.

When I ducked into the building, I was actually pleasantly surprised; there was no human waste visible to the eye, and no fumes were burning my eyes. “Ok” I said to myself “This is a good sign.” Now, this commode functioned in a very unique and interesting way. I do not actually know if my readers are acquainted with the Asian “squatter” toilet, but let’s just say this is an interesting take on that basic idea. Basically, inside the small square room, at the back, on the lake side, was an eight –inch-wide slot that dropped straight into the pond. Now, I had seen similar toilets before, but the water was always six feet or so down; this water was about nine inches away.

OK, this is REALLY when this story gets graphic, so you can still back out now; however, those that stick around will be rewarded with a hilarious anecdote that won’t be easily forgotten.

So, I took my place over the modified squatter and began to do my business. Everything was going well, that is, until I looked down. I was disgusted. I was shocked. Startled, grossed out, yukked, appalled, revolted, dismayed, think of a bad adjective, and I was it. What I saw will never leave my mind’s eye. What I saw was a horde of catfish eating my poop. Ughhhhh. I finished up and vowed never to eat fish in China, never ever ever.

Ok, hold on to your chairs, this is the funny part.

I got back to the restaurant and announced to the group that I vowed never to eat fish in China. Of course I had to explain my reasons, and I did so in the most genteel manner possible; however, when my explanations were through I noticed that Todd was smirking. “Todd? What’s up?” “Oh nothing, it’s just a funny story” .

So, I asked what we were eating. Since in China, no one speaks English, we are forced to have a guide with us. His name is Ma, and he is a great guy. He orders our food, bargains for souvenirs, whatever we need, he’s there for us.

But I digress, I was getting to the meal, and as you’ve probably guessed by now, Ma told me that this particular restaurant was famous for its fish soup, and that was our main course. People, if you could only have seen the look on my face. I’m sure it was priceless. Everyone had a good laugh and all, and assured themselves that there was no way that they would be catching fish from the poop pond; they must get them somewhere else. I, however, was not reassured. I thanked God that Chinese meals consist of tons of courses and swore to myself I would not be taking part in the main course.

The meal arrived and I think most of the other people were avoiding it as best as they could too, but eventually Nancy and Nick gave in, telling themselves that it would be rude not to eat it. Adam eventually had some too. They all said it was yummy, but I was still not convinced. I had to ask Ma and know the truth. “Ma? What type of fish is this?” “Catfish” was his reply (not good). “And where, may I ask, do they catch these from?” “Oh, you know, from the pond out back.”

Lesson learned, no eating fish in China.

Logbook for July 30th, Day 270
Start: Lao/China border Time: N/A N: .590 E:	Finish:Check back tomorrow; I don't have my book Time: N/A N: E:	Mileage:
Notes: The border was a fairly quick one (4 hours). We met our guide, Ma Sha Wei (I forgot to ask him how to spell it, so that's almost certainly wrong), and he's great. He speaks perfect English, and he's just super helpful. We drove through amazin hills, had the best Chinese food we've ever had, and then checked arrived at our hotel. Tomorrow we'll drive to Kunming. (N.O.)

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four Certified, Pre-Owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking HERE. One hundred percent of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research, and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.