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Dist: 72.41 km
Odo: 7592.5 km
Max: 40.5 km/h
Time: 5hrs 32 mins
Avg: 13 km/h

The sunlight in the morning gradually spilt across the small undulating hills, turning them a warm red colour, contrasting greatly to the colour of my toes. A brisk walk up a hill to greet the sun left them feeling a bit more perky.







Whilst I packed up Ditch chased Magpies fruitlessly from tree to tree. Magpies are often the only sign of life in this area and as it happens is one of my favourite birds. This English folk rhyme played over and over in my mind when ever I spotted one or five.... Using it as a way to divine what would happen next in the road.



One for sorrow,

Two for joy,

Three for a girl,

Four for a boy,

Five for silver,

Six for gold,

Seven for a secret

Never to be told.



The magpie is also a symbol of good fortune in Chinese culture.

The day slowly warmed up and I was in good spirits. Perhaps I can make it after all. I'm in Inner Mongolia and feel great.






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I cycled over a few hills to join the road.



Despite head winds we covered 72 km.

A young man rode alongside me on his motorbike. A wonderfully pure character. He was 17 and asked if he could call me big brother, pronounced, dar - ger. I suddenly felt old, yet full of energy. We exchanged the word for Magpie and parted ways. He blew me a kiss and waved as he turned his bike around. An uninhibited show of emotion, something that is quite common in China between friends. In England people are more restrained at showing such open affection or respect. Its almost frowned upon. Moments like these are some of the many things that I absorb as I travel, moments that help to uproot my fixed view of the world and help to keep it fluid. To experience different cultures is too open your eyes and heart to other possibilities, it also makes you appreciate where you come from, who you are and where you are going.

...............and where am I going ? A good question.

North is good enough for now.





Nipped off the road and cycled one and a half kilometres through fields to find a camping spot away from the road. Another great place.

A warm day today and an evening of only -1. Perfect.

I felt so happy to be out in the open. I kept the tent open and just laid back and gazed at the stars. Thoughts drifted in and out. The night sky full of stars reminded me as it has for countless people of how small we are. A constant reminded of how lucky we are to exist on a lump of rock floating through an infinite sea of light and darkness. Its beyond comprehension.

When I was six, I asked my father, "when does the universe stop?"

"It doesn't" he replied

"but it must" I countered

"if it has an end then what is after that?"

I remember his words blowing me away, and that thought still does even today.

I'm getting a bit sentimental but why the hell not....

Its a great lose to mankind to have cities belching out light, polluting a natural wonder that should always be visible.

We need more than ever to be constantly reminded of the amazing life we have on earth. Weve got something amazing here and we should take care of it. Its so fragile and so easily lost.

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