Lavender Oil, oh, so sweet.

Leaving Hami, we did the now routine, Toll booth tango, and pushed further East.  Wasn't long before I came across this strange couple...

 
Well, two blokes actually !

They could not have dodged the toll gate barrier, so maybe with three wheels, they were classed as a car and allowed on. Chinese mentality, I suppose.   Then before long, another Police check....

The forced stop gives us a chance to chat with the strange couple.  They seemed quite normal, and were riding a Chinese made 400cc outfit, on a 3 week tour of China.  Yes, two decent bikers I thought, until they insisted on giving me a gift of Lavender Massage Oil.  Hmmmm.

With all these stops, the longer you stay, the more you attract attention... some unwanted..

and some more than welcome !

No idea where this chap came from, but it was the only other big bike I had seen in China since arriving, so it was worth a pic.

And back to mountains on the left, desert ... u got it yet  ?

Finally arriving at Jiayuguan, where we had our first rest day planned.

 ....so time for some laundry.

Then an evening meal while we were all still friends !

The background to the above comment is that inevitably in a group of 7, people take a few days to align themselves with others of similar abilities.  Myself, Jeremy & Big John, found that on the fast toll roads, we were constantly in the lead, riding at around 90-110 kmph  (60-65 mph).  The Swiss lads on the older BMW's and an Africa Twin, tended to fall to the back, happier at much slower speeds.  Alan, the older chap in the pic, sort of swapped positions on a random basis.

Meanwhile, Abdul our guide, was getting frustrated as he wanted to keep the group together as part of the Permit conditions.

The Swiss lads & Alan were also voicing concerns about the long straight roads, which were not what they signed up for, and emails started to fly to and from the UK with the tour organiser, Motoexplorers.

The 3 of us at the front accepted the route had to be changed because flooding in Tibet, had caused bridges to collapse and the Government to close roads.  We didn't blame anyone for changing the route.

However, the seeds of discontent had now been sown !

How hard can it be to get a GPS position correct.

The Turpan Hotel was a strange affair ... you approached it down this vine covered road, and which gave illusions of grandeur...

Even the lobby was magnificent ...

But then you look outside, and the hotel is partly derelict, with a couple of American cars just dumped and left to rot.

Ah well, we were leaving in 10 mins ... better get my skates on.

Filling up a few km down the road was another kettle job..

And back onto the toll road...

Big John

The Toll road authorities post a reminder about the need to drive safely.

Why so many power poles... there is nobody living for miles ?

Still can't shake that desert !

The lorries here are simply massive - must be 20 cars on this transporter...

... so you have to be quite careful when overtaking.

Cheery lot at the second fuel stop, and they filled the bikes directly, without using a kettle.

Entering Hami, heading for the wrong hotel !

We had co-ordinates on our itinerary, but they were taken from a map that was offset by 600 mts.  This may not sound a lot, but when you are tired, and with the impatient traffic drivers honking incessantly, it seemed to tarnish the end of every day.... and believe me, when you don't have a hotel name either, 600 mts off might as well be 600 miles !

But beers and food always put us in a good mood again.

Having a "Chinese" like never before.

Like a scene from Star Wars.

Heading out, there was a rumour we would go through some mountains ....

There they are.... straight ahead.

Finally, a break from the straight bits.

Stop to regroup before a Toll Booth, and this Chap screams to a halt behind us and wants to take pics,

Get to the mountain section....

...and the speed limit drops to 60 km/hr (37 mph).

We all look at each other, wondering who is going to break formation first, and I could take no more... head down, throttle open, and damn the consequences.

Went through a couple of cameras that flashed, and was lucky was when passing one cop, I was the other side of a lorry, so "sort of" didn't see him.  In China, it seems like they rely on numberplate recognition and automated devices ... never been so happy as to be on English plates.

Its even an offence here to have a dirty numberplate, so most of the bigger vehicles paint their registrations on the back in huge letters, in addition to their number plates ... guess it avoids a fine.

Stop for lunch, as ever, the tourists flock for photos by the bikes.

Wasn't sure what lunch involved, but crisps are always a safe bet.

But then with a little help from a Muslim waitress, she sorts me out...

... all for the price of a picture.

Entering Turpan.

We are booked into the Turpan Hotel ... was the best 5 star around ... in its heyday.

Find Johns (or was it Jacks) cafe, behind the hotel.

And get on with the business of making friends !

Abdul, or guide, offers to take us see the ancient Yar city.. but only 3 takers.

The city has basically been carved out of the earth.

Reminded me of that Star Wars scene !

Worth seeing ... once !

Followed by dinner in the night bazaar.

The other 4 didn't know what they were missing .....

or maybe they did !

Nice to see health & safety taken so seriously

Left about 9am, and as we exited the hotel car park, it seemed like the Pedestrian Police had brought in reinforcements overnight ...

Not sure what the perceived trouble was going to be  ... maybe a mass protest from the Mothercare shoppers over the price of nappies ! Who knows.

So, after the Toll Booth routine, we shot down the Highway.... straight into a Police Check...

But strangely enough, they had a word with the guide, looked at a few Passports, then waved us on..... not a mention was made of the fact we were all illegally on a Toll Road !
Ok, so we push on..

And then it was fuel time.  We thought that maybe out of the cities, the rules might be a bit more relaxed towards motorbikes.

So pulling into the only station for miles, we didn't see any signs banning bikes, but I suppose they didn't need any, given we should not have been there in the first place.

It was a nice modern station, and clearly Health & Safety had got involved in the risk assessments... we will make the staff wear all the right safety gear, and ensure they only fill authorised vehicles on the forecourt....

Then 7 Motorbikes turn up ... well there wasn't a procedure for that, so they improvised.  Grab an old kettle, make us park just off the forecourt, and ferry the fuel from pump to bike.



Well that's China .... work round the rules, but don't break them !



We carry on .... mountains on the left, desert on the right...

Until finally we reach the outskirts of Bayingol...

Checked in the Silver Star, and this seemed to be the room layout for the majority of the tour ... two single beds.

I had declined an upgrade to a single room, and with the Swiss lads totalling 3, it meant that one of them got the short straw each night.

Guess they worked out a rota in the end !