www.Aviawest.com
Cycling: the best speed to see the world
Jet travel allows the global tourist opportunities to see the world in a fashion not enjoyed by previous generations. In days of yore, only the idle rich could afford the Grand Tour, and it took them months of hard travel by boat, train and carriage to do so. However, supersonic speeds are not the best way to experience the world.
As I pedalled among the rice paddies and green fields of Guilan District of southern China, I realized that cycling is the perfect speed at which to see the world's intricacies, and, as a bonus, you work up a healthy appetite for lunch along the way.
Often tourist destinations turn out to be a disappointment, not because they aren’t as interesting as described in travel guides, but because they are indeed as good as touted so everybody else has already beaten you there.
The tourist destination of Guilin has certainly been discovered, by both foreigners and Chinese, and is prominently mentioned as part of the Asian backpacking trail in books like Lonely Planet and Rough Guide. The big attraction is the gorgeous countryside comprised of bizarre karst mountains, sylvan rice paddies, the long and undulating Li River, little farming villages, caves, and small streams crossed by little bridges.
But has the region been overwhelmed by tourism? No.
Poorly made Flying Pigeon bicycles are available for rent in tourist towns all over Guilin district; those who love to cycle may be well advised to bring their own bikes with them. But speed is not the way to see the scenic countryside of Guilin. So, puttering around the rice paddies along unpaved tiny trails on a Flying Pigeon bike is just fine for me, thank you, and the bikes always come with a basket where you can store your lunch.
Five minutes of slow pedalling out of any town in Guilin will transport you back to the past in a real hurry, where nothing much has changed in centuries. Water buffaloes wallow in ponds, folks still live in old-fashioned mud brick houses, and little teahouses dot those paths where foreign tourists may pedal by. Yes, you can always buy a Coke no matter where you travel in this world, and Chinese villagers will be happy to pack you a picnic lunch. If there is any electricity, chances are you can buy a cold beer, too.
Find a scenic spot to stop (they’re everywhere), lean your bike against a tree, sit down on the banks of a stream, and watch the world go by. Putter down lanes and trails wherever your heart desires. Cycling is the proper speed to see the world. There’s always a jet plane waiting to whisk you back to your reality, but when exploring ancient China, 5km/hr is the maximum velocity needed.
Text & Photo Michael McCarthy ©
