Kunming To Luguhu Lake

Upon Ellens return it was time to burn some rubber and leave Kunming to head north- ish, first desto Yuamou, very very warm indeed but not sticky, Yuamou is the home of what is considered the oldest humans/man in East Asia, not as far back as Africa where claims are as far back as 7 million years, makes New Zealand pretty young in comparison.

View from the loout 

The Museum is a place I normally stay out of unless moto related (last Museum I was in was Italy Moto Guzzi factory), I am a cheap and shallow bloke who likes boob, bikes and booze but this place had my interest.

I have to admit I love geography and seismology, this does have an “ology” and not too far removed, the fascination of seeing where we have evolved from was cool, the displays and information here were first class and they even had English as well.

Like facebook but in reverse LOL

Museum experience ticked it was onward to Panzhihua, again it was hot and dry, very grateful for AC at night or it would have been impossible to sleep.

The road from Yamou right through to Panzhihua and slightly beyond was extremely twisty, so much so my shoulders were having a whinge, picture the Takaka hill but half the width and steeper, approx 4 x higher and over 400km long….it’s a full-blown workout.

Not sure if these guys pay road tax.

Never thought would say I wished for a straighter bit of road but I did, after wrestling the bike through tight corner after tight corner and the other drivers that use our side regularly meant it wasn’t a relaxing ride but more a full time test where your good result meant you lived.

Then…we came around one corner to find a truck had crapped out and was stopped just on the tight exit, a little bit of heavy braking and we stopped in time as another large truck was coming through from the opposite direction.

Dude needed an award for squeezing the truck through the gap without ripping anything off either vehicle, you couldn’t have fitted a fart in between them.

Our destination not too far at Luguhu Lake, and yes we had to pay 70 yuan each for the privilege of riding on a public road (not an expressway), we need to do that in Wanaka, charge all the terroruists to drive through our beautiful town.

As we were at 2700 metres it was a bit cooler and not sticky so very pleasant, we had be fanging it for 4 days so we took 2 nights here to travel around the area.

This is the highest mountain in this area at 3745 meters 

Luguhu Lake, very nice

The famous lovers trees

Next is Shangri La in the Sichuan Province through some serious mountainous roads which I am looking forward to.