Your Mileage May Vary

Adventure Travel

Tag: China

Six months ago, 56-year old Su Min left her unhappy marriage and has been exploring China ever since, sleeping in a rooftop tent atop her Volkswagen Polo hatchback

2021.04.05 /

Min says she’s the happiest she’s been in many years.

Alex Myall, writing in Exploreweb »

She saved her $300 monthly pension and combined it with her savings to buy a white Volkswagen Polo hatchback. She researched everything she could about traveling on a budget — which apps are most helpful on the road, tips to save money — and when the twins started school, she fixed a rooftop tent to her car and hit the road.

Leaving Zhengzhou last September, she has covered more than 13,000km and has visited some of China’s most famous sites — historical Xi’an, mountainous Sichuan, the old town of Lijiang — and is currently on her way to Guilin, famous for its lumpy karst hills and cormorant fishermen. She’s been traveling for more than six months.

Her husband, who ridiculed her decision, has not seen her since she left, and while Su shudders at the thought of their eventual reunion, she is relishing her freedom.

More »

 

The best countries for long distance cycling

2021.03.29 /

150 travellers who completed epic cross-continental cycling journeys were surveyed.

Alee Denham at CyclingAbout.com writes » 

Each of the 150 cyclists got three votes to cast, and I simply tallied up the results. In the end, 80 different countries were favourited, which is pretty cool because that means most corners of the world have something, for somebody.

These are their top picks for the best countries for long-distance cycling »

10. 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan
9. 🇨🇱 Chile
8. 🇲🇽 Mexico
7. 🇦🇺 Australian
6. 🇮🇷 Iran
5. 🇮🇳 India
4. 🇨🇳 China
3. 🇹🇯 Tajikistan
2. 🇺🇸 USA
1. 🇹🇷 Turkey

Video » Why Mount Everest’s height keeps changing

2021.03.18 /

VOX via YouTube »

In December of 2020, China and Nepal made a joint announcement about a new measurement for Mount Everest: 8,849 meters. This is just the latest of several different surveys of Everest since the first measurement was taken in 1855. The reasons why the height has fluctuated have to do with surveying methodology, challenges in determining sea level, and the people who have historically been able to measure Everest.

While Everest is the peak’s English name, the Nepalese have long called it Sagarmatha, and Tibetans call it Chomolungma – “Mother Goddess of the World.”

More » The Story of the First Sherpa to Climb to the Top of Mt. Everest – by Christopher Rand, The New Yorker, May 28, 1954

More » Indian mathematician Radhanath Sikdar first to identify Everest as highest mountain peak – The Economic Times, Jun 01, 2015

The People’s Congress in Beijing formally announced it will construct the “Polar Silk Road” through the Arctic, despite not being an Arctic nation

2021.03.09 /

Heiner Kubny writing for the Polar Journal »

China has been steadily increasing its presence in the Arctic since it defined the far north as a “new strategic frontier” in 2015 and began promoting a “Polar Silk Road” three years later. Moreover, in 2018, Beijing declared itself a “Near Arctic State,” a move that primarily served to underscore the interests of its Arctic claim.

The government in Beijing has its eye on lucrative minerals and other raw materials in addition to the Arctic transport link. There is particular interest in interests in the Canadian Arctic and in mining rights in Greenland. This is because the Arctic is rich in natural resources such as fish, precious metals and fossil fuels.

Read the whole article at Polar Journal »

Related » China pushing it’s vision for ‘Polar Silk Road’ across the Arctic

China is pushing it’s vision for ‘Polar Silk Road’ across the Arctic

2021.01.27 /

Reuters is reporting that China has unveiled its ambitions to extend President Xi Jinping’s signature Belt and Road Initiative to the Arctic by developing shipping lanes opened up by global warming. The Chinese are calling it the Polar Silk Road.

“China hopes to work with all parties to build a ‘Polar Silk Road’ through developing the Arctic shipping routes,” the paper, issued by the State Council Information Office, said.

China, despite being a non-Arctic state, is increasingly active in the polar region and became an observer member of the Arctic Council in 2013.

Among its increasing interests in the region is its major stake in Russia’s Yamal liquefied natural gas project which is expected to supply China with four million tonnes of LNG a year, according to the state-run China Daily.

Shipping through the Northern Sea Route would shave almost 20 days off the regular time using the traditional route through the Suez Canal, the newspaper reported last month. COSCO Shipping has also previously sailed vessels through the Arctic’s northeast passage.

Read More »

Updated 2021.03.09

Related » The People’s Congress in Beijing formally announced it will construct the “Polar Silk Road” through the Arctic, despite not being an Arctic nation

Switzerland remains the best country in the world » Canada has moved up to the second spot » U.S. News 2020 Best Countries rankings

2020.01.15 /

For Switzerland, the 2020 ranking is the the fourth consecutive yearhas been judged No. 1 by residents of 36 countries. Canada was chosen second, overtaking Japan in the U.S. News’ fifth annual survey.

The Best Countries report, produced from an annual global survey of more than 20,000 people in 36 countries including the United States, reflects increasingly negative views of the world and within countries. Nearly half of survey respondents say conditions around the world have worsened in the past year. Likewise, an increased percentage of people say the gap between the rich and poor has grown and that nationalism is increasing.

According to the ranking, here are the Top 25 Countries in the World

  1. Switzerland
  2. Canada
  3. Japan
  4. Germany
  5. Australia
  6. United Kingdom
  7. United States
  8. Sweden
  9. Netherlands
  10. Norway
  11. New Zealand
  12. France
  13. Denmark
  14. Finland
  15. China
  16. Singapore
  17. Italy
  18. Austria
  19. Spain
  20. South Korea
  21. Luxembourg
  22. United Arab Emirates
  23. Russia
  24. Portugal
  25. India

The Bottom 5 of the U.S. News 2020 Best Countries rankings are

  • Lebanon
  • Serbia
  • Oman
  • Belarus
  • Tunisia

See the full report.

 

 

Uta Ibrahimi aims to climb all 14 Himalayan peaks

2018.01.24 /

There are 14 peaks above 8,000 metres (26,246 feet) in the world. All of them are in the Himalayas. Ibrahimi wants to climb them all by 2023. Through her adventures she hopes people to view life as possibility to reach peaks, no matter the challenge.

Die Morina, writing Balkan Insight:

The first part of her mission, entitled ‘14 Utalaya Himalaya’ is expected to start on April or May this year, and will see her climbing the 8,516-metre Mount Lhotse, located between Nepal and Tibet, the fourth highest mountain on earth.

Later this year, she plans to also climb the world’s second-highest mountain, K2, at the border between China and Pakistan.

“K2 is known as the most dangerous peak in world,” Ibrahimi said.

 

Please tread lightly, pack out your trash, and treat every person and location with respect.

Please do not bury waste or wipes – even those that are biodegradable. Always pack out bags, sanitary wipes, and feminine hygiene products to minimize impact on the environment and the spread of disease.

If you find any errors, have any tips, or see anything that might need improving, please let me know.

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