A Tribute to Some of The Ugliest Third World Architecture
Chiang Mai, Thailand; December 2016.
Chiang Mai, Thailand; December 2016.
The north-east and the north of Thailand. Along Mekong River and steep mountain ranges covered with thick jungle.
The story about the long way from Mae Sot in the west of Thailand to Nong Khai in the east.
Under the strong influence of Robbie Williams’ song and to a lesser extent the 1 of Kipling’s poem, usually everybody rather refers to the road to Mandalay. Whatever, we´re already in Mandalay, so it’s rather about the way back
80 years after George Orwell imagined these days in Burma and 35 years after our 1st visit we enter this country again. Not only its name has changed. Also everything else we expect to be different.
Out of China into Laos. A world completely different. Now we arrive at the Banana Pancake Trail which got its name from the countless backpackers trying to go native in South-East Asia.
No longer the highest road in the world, but 1 of the most remote. Until a few years ago closed to all foreigners and most Chinese – the Tibet Highway. 1650km to Yunnan.
Currently we’re relaxing on the veranda of a bamboo bungalow in Luang Namtha, Laos. Recovering from 6500km thru China, mostly on the high plateau of Tibet. Back to the post: The highest road in the world from West Tibet to Lhasa. 2500km over numerous passes over 5000m, on the plateau of 4500m, along turquois lakes…
Crossing the border from Kyrgyzstan to China’s Xinjiang Province on the way to Tibet. Quite some time waiting for things to be done, roads to open for traffic and a guide in Kashgar very much at his limit to be acceptable – probably it’s just the usual when crossing Tibet from west to east. Tash…
Kashgar, 8th September Day 1: At 10am we’re at the Kyrgyz border: some 15’ and off we are on the 6km long road thru the highly disputed area to the Chinese check post. No question whether we are allowed to cross this area. We arrive at the gate to China. It’s open; we only have…