Civilisation at last! Lazy days in Nong khiaw, Laos and meeting a kindred spirit
“Oh yeah across the road”, she said.
Immediately I could tell from where she hailed and so…
“Spreek je Nederlands?”
“Ja, hoe weet je dat?”
IT'S A BLOG
Jamie Shannon
- Jan 17, 2017
- 11 min
Cycling up and down in Laos and meeting strange ladies of the night
I crossed into Laos and immediately set to work in finding somewhere to camp. It gets dark here by 18:00 and that doesn’t leave me with...
Jamie Shannon
- Dec 21, 2016
- 10 min
Guangxi. Leaving China behind and trying to exit through the wrong border
Greetings from Hanoi, Vietnam. Yes I really did finally make it out of China with my sanity intact. I do believe that is the longest I...
Jamie Shannon
- Dec 11, 2016
- 6 min
I can't afford a Hospital! Don't worry, our leader pays for you
I slept like a baby to be honest but I woke up rather early, half four to be exact which isn’t unusual given that I’m usually asleep by...
Jamie Shannon
- Oct 14, 2016
- 3 min
Khorog. Table tennis, cheap vodka, Afghan hash and lazy days
Arriving in Khorog, I felt like a broken man. I had just been through, what I believe to have been ten of the toughest, most brutal days...
Jamie Shannon
- Oct 1, 2016
- 10 min
Bukhara to Tajikistan. Otkuda, otkuda, otkuda!? Get me out of here!
From Bukhara, the first 20 km’s east were actually kind of fun. The road wasn’t too bad, the wind wasn’t hindering me much and the car...
Jamie Shannon
- Sep 21, 2016
- 11 min
Khiva to Bukhara. The government pay you? Otkuda, otkuda?!!
I left the hostel in Khiva at around 09:30 and no sooner had I left the inner city than the road once again tuned to absolute shit. It's...
Jamie Shannon
- Sep 16, 2016
- 4 min
Nurkus to Khiva. Hmm, I guess he’s sleeping here with me then leaving his wife inside...
It would have been nice to cycle together with the three guys I had met but alas we all had different plans. Jess and Tim wanted to make...
Jamie Shannon
- Sep 14, 2016
- 8 min
Through Uzbekistan to Nurkus. Mr policeman: Difficult in England to find woman?
No sooner had I stepped out the other side of the border than a horde of black market money changers raced over to me. Their eye’s must...
Jamie Shannon
- Aug 11, 2016
- 10 min
Georgia: See, is good, drink. Me: too dangerous. I get hit, I die. Big problem. End of trip
I left Batumi with my stove kind of fixed by a Georgian man whom didn’t release a smile in the entire forty minutes I was stood in his...
Jamie Shannon
- Jul 28, 2016
- 10 min
Still the Black Sea. Being gifted my own Galatasaray shirt and a free haircut - Turkish style
From Inebolu, I still had a fair way to go until Sinop was reached and with it, the start of a much more forgiving road. I was on my way...
Jamie Shannon
- Aug 16, 2015
- 8 min
Back in Croatia and towards Slovenia. The land of Robin Hood
Slovenia is liberally covered in forest but nothing, I can assure you, can prepare you for it. It’s really like the lost land of Robin Hood.
Jamie Shannon
- Aug 14, 2015
- 7 min
Cycle touring through a wonderful land named Bosnia. What a surprise you are!
Having spent the night receiving some much needed energy and rest for my weary stumps, I set off in the morning with hope that I was...
Jamie Shannon
- Aug 6, 2015
- 4 min
Leaving Italy to find myself in Croatia
After boarding the ferry, I joined the throngs of people at the café terrace at the rear of the ship to watch Italy slip away into the...
Jamie Shannon
- Jul 30, 2015
- 12 min
Reaching Italy. Genoa, the Apennines and onto Bologna. Someone give me a new tyre!
Two ladies, immaculately preened, wearing lots of jewellery and whom had hair that looked not too dissimilar to Bob Ross complemented me.
Jamie Shannon
- Jul 9, 2015
- 10 min
Entering my final Spanish province. Catalunya and Barcelona
As is becoming the norm, I only expected to be in Valencia for a couple of days but alas, I ended up staying four. It was becoming quite...
Jamie Shannon
- Jun 26, 2015
- 9 min
Seville to Granada. A long hard slog through the mountains
Having said goodbye to the staff and guests, I made my way south east through the city before finding a cycle path that took me through...
Jamie Shannon
- Jun 10, 2015
- 7 min
Salamanca to Portugal. Yet more tyres issues but help is on hand
Having spent four days enjoying my time as a backpacker in Salamanca and relinquishing from my bank account more euros than I care to...
Jamie Shannon
- May 26, 2015
- 9 min
Entering Spain. Religious communes and Basque Country
They invited me to their 'gathering’ in the morning in which they all got together in the hall, sang songs and praised the lord together.