Petites coses que em motivan

For English speakers, jsut copy and paste it in Google Translator or use the translator on the blog!  http://translate.google.es/

És molt curiós les coses que passen pel meu cap mentre estic a la bici. És clar que intento estar molt present en el meu entorn i agafar-ho tot, però hi ha moltes hores al dia, i son moltes hores que tinc sobre la bici per a pensar i desconnectar. Penso en tot... la meva família, els meus nebots, i els meus amics a Barna. Intento imaginar que està fent la gent a la seva vida mentre jo estic a la carretera pedalejant. Penso en les alumnes que he tingut a BFIS, especialment quan m’arriba un e-mail d'elles.

A vegades penso on estaré d'aquí a un any, i en quina ciutat acabaré desprès del viatge I com serà la meva vida després d’acabar una gran experiència així. A vegades ric de mi mateixa quant penso en les coses que em passen a diari i les comparo amb les coses que estava fent fa un any a les mateixes dates. També penso en els llocs que encara m’agradaria veure sobre dues rodes. Tinc molt de temps per a pensar i a vegades passen els kilòmetres i ni et puc dir en què estava pensant! De tant en tant, faig un repàs del meu viatge. És divertit fer un petit test e intentar recordar dia per dia per on passava, amb qui quedava, llocs i gent destacada, i memòries que m’han impactat més durant el meu recorregut. Encara està tot molt present al meu cap i em fa somriure i em motiva per tirar endavant quan penso en totes les experiències que he tingut fins ara!

També em  motiven les petites coses que em fa arribar la gent a través d'e-mail, skype, i els comentaris a facebook. Per exemple, ara estic planificant la meva ruta cap a Vietnam i la meva visita a Hanoi. He vist que hi ha una cooperativa de bicicletes allà i desprès d'un cop d’ull a la seva pàgina  web, veig que són Catalans. Li escric un e-mail i em contesten això:

“Nena apreta que ja t'has guanyat un bon entrepà de pa amb tomàquet! T'esperem amb il·lusió, i cap problema per la bici. Dimarts perfecte (dilluns tanquem, però).”

-Guim

És curiós com poques  paraules d'uns desconeguts em fan somriure i això em dóna ànims, just el que necessitava per començar el dia! No imaginava mai que un bon entrapà seria capaç de motivar-me! Jeje!

Altres dies quan m'aixeco veig els missatges de video que m'ha deixat la meva germana des de casa, a Oregon. Com tenim tanta diferència horària, escolto els missatges el dia següent.

Pel meu aniversari, els meus nebots em van cantar “Happy Birthday” i ho vaig veure el matí següent. Em va donar moltes forces aquell dia per a arribar a la meva destinació.

                                                    Cliqueu aquí per veure el vídeo

Sempre em sorprèn quan m’arriba un e-mail d'un desconegut i des de lluny com aquest nen d'Angola que em convida a la seva escola. M'inspira a seguir més enllà amb aquesta idea de ser una professora sobre dues rodes i encara seguir amb la idea després d'acabar la ruta planificada d’aquest any.

Subject: Can you come to Angola?

Message:

Hi Melissa - My name is Simon and I am 6 years old. My mom showed me your website and I like it. I like the pictures and I like the photos. I also like your bike and I like to ride my bike. Can you visit me in Luanda Angola? Simon

Hi ha classes que estan utilitzant molt la meva pàgina web, molt més del que pensava, com  per exemple els alumnes de Sa Graduada Maó, a Menorca, on treballa la germana del meu amic, el famós “Vichenze”. M’han fet arribar un petit vídeo informant-me del seu projecte amb la meva ruta, i em va sorprendre. Sense conèixer-me personalment, i amb l’anglès com a barrera en alguns casos, m'estan seguint i fent un reportatge.

                                                    Cliqueu aquí per veure el vídeo

Sí que estic sola a la bici les 5, 6, o 7 hores que estic a la carretera, però quan arribo i em connecto veig que sigui on sigui, sempre hi ha algú que està contactant, seguint el meu blog, mirant les fotos que penjo, i donant-me un cop de ma. I això s’agredeix MOLT. Quan portes tota la teva vida sobre la bici, i tot t'hi cap dins d'un parell d’alforges, son els petits actes d'agraïment el que em fa somriure i em dóna ànims per encara anar pedalejant més contenta sobre la bici.

The Teaching Component of the Loong Way Home

One of my first school visits, Udine International School, Italy.

I’ve been to 15 different countries and visited just over that many schools along my route.  Before I left, I wasn’t exactly sure how these visits were going to work. With all the other logistics, I had really only contacted one school in Milan, where a former colleague of mine currently works.  The idea to create weekly or biweekly activities related to my cycling experience was an after thought and came to me while I was on the road.  Even though it adds a layer of complexity to my trip, for me, visiting schools and preparing weekly resources is a way to keep connected to the classroom, a place I love to be, even while pedaling on the road.

Lots of people have asked me how I go about contacting schools.  I’m open to visiting both local and international schools, but international schools are more feasible logistically.  Their contact information is readily available, their curriculum is flexible enough to make time for a visit, and language isn’t a barrier. When I arrive to New Zealand, Australia, The States, and Canada, I imagine that I will be visiting more public schools.  For now, I research schools that are on my route online, using the IB website as well as Googling international schools located in major cities.  I search for a contact person, usually a primary principal, school director, or curriculum coordinator, and send out a standard letter introducing myself, and The Loong Way Home.  I have to title the email creatively or else I’m sure it gets overlooked so I usually put “Teacher traveling on bike around the world visiting (name of city)” and that is enough to catch their attention. 

Put on your climbing face!

Unfortunately almost all the international schools are located in major cities.  Usually I would avoid these cities on my bike because it just isn’t easy to travel into an urban center, fully loaded, on two wheels!  I can look back and laugh now as I see myself navigating the streets of some of these cities.  After being in both Hong Kong and Istanbul, it makes maneuvering Genova and Tirana seem like a breeze! Traffic, hills, and a whole network of streets that I’m not familiar with make commuting on bike a challenge in any city.  In order to find the schools, I enter the address on my GPS and I try to follow the route as best I can. 

Sometimes the hardest part of a school visit is just getting there.....

I’ve had invitations from a handful of schools that aren’t on my route, which made me realize I could easily take twice as long to complete this journey and extend my route as far as Africa, Central Asia, and even South America! Stay tuned, I’m sure there will be a part 2 at some point in my life!

On a few occasions I’ve had to cancel a few visits due to the logistics.  For instance, in China, once I saw how crazy the streets were in Hong Kong, it seemed too overwhelming to maneuver my way around the Pearl river delta and the cities that lie within.  All the roads in this area are major highways with overpasses, bridges, and tolls.  Bikes are prohibited on these roads.  It is a real challenge not to end up on these roads and find the minor alternative routes that are safe.  Therefore, I decided to bypass both Dongguan and Gaungzhou and take a ferry over to the west side of the river delta.  In Istanbul, the schools were locate on the outskirts of the city, but that meant a good 30 to 40 kilometers away from the center on opposite sides of the Bosphorous river, which made commuting between them difficult.  Not to mention the stairs that await me at some schools makes riding 100 kilometers with 40 kg. seem like no big deal in comparison to carrying 40 kg.!

Nova International Schools, ES Assembly  "What do you love to do?"

When I arrive at the schools, I’m considered a motivational speaker, which is a new title for me.  That wasn’t my intended purpose, but I know teachers are naturally role models for children and this happens to be the role that I’ve fallen into.  I really wanted my interaction with students to go more in the direction of using the bike as a topic of conversation.  I’ve found a way to merge the two talking about my passion to be active, ride, and travel, and ask kids about their passion in life, talking about our dreams, both in the near future and far off in the future.  Presenting at a large assembly is usually how schools introduce me to the students.  When time permits or I have an all day visit, I make my way around to individual classrooms.  I would love to be able to tailor some activities to classroom units, but because of the nature of traveling on a bike it isn’t always possible.  However, I’m happy to have question and answer sessions or do a few more specific follow-up talks with kids at the teacher’s request. Kids never run out of questions to ask and are curious to get up close to my bike!  My favorite question so far was by a first grader in Italy, “Ms.Melissa, do you have any special buttons on your bike that you can push, so maybe you could fly?”  Sometimes I wish I did!  Other teachers are usually curious to know where I will end up after my loong trip, so am I!

Former BFIS students checking out my website back in Barcelona

Crazy enough I’ve had some job offers already come from my trip, and teachers contact me as far away as Angola, Namibia, and Bangladesh!  It wasn’t my intention to use this as a way to network professionally, but naturally it has happened!  More importantly there is a great network of teachers out there working overseas who have passed me contacts at the various schools I end up visiting.

I never really know which schools out there are following me and use my resources.  Therefore, when I get emails from former students or random students, I’m happy!  Yesterday morning I woke up to an email from the current teacher of my students last year and it made me so happy to know they had spent one of their homeroom periods catching up on my latest posts and watching the recent videos.  Other teachers at BFIS and the schools I’ve visited have also contacted to show me how excited their students are to be using my website.  I spend a lot of time on my own, but It’s neat to know that I’ve left my mark at different schools along the way!  I guess they really won’t forget that crazy teacher that came to school bike on her loong way home!

Grade 4, BFIS using a postcard I sent in their morning message

ILG Students in Kosovo with the poster on the wall they created to follow me on my trip

With the winter holidays approaching, I know it is going to be hard to continue with the visits during mid-December and January, but I will try my best to get to a few schools before they close.  It might also be an opportunity for me to go to some local schools that don’t have our western vacation schedule.  I guess we’ll just have to see how it works out!

Thank you to all the schools and kids out there following me!  I enjoy hearing from you and love the pictures!

A drawing my a 6th grade student at a school in Mahon, Menorca.  They use my blog in one of their classes.

China: The Deal of the Day

After four days of cycling in China, I’m still trying to make sense of this fascinating country.  If I had to sum up my impressions in a phrase, I’d say “What’s The Deal of the Day?”  There is so much stuff to buy, I can’t believe it.  The roads are filled with stores, factories, work shops, restaurants, and stands.  It’s manufacturing and consumer row for kilometers on end.  There might be a short break a field for growing fruits and vegetables, or rice patties, and then the commercial and industrial shops are back again.  China produces so much stuff and people are constantly buying, it gives new meaning to the phrase “Made in China”.

I say “deal of the day” because you can buy anything, any time of day, and anywhere.  Every town has all the shops you need for any sort of item and things are soooooo CHEAP!  There are no western restaurants to choose from, and even finding a more formal or proper restaurant is difficult, so I eat at the little food stands, or small restaurant stalls on the side of the road. Lunch is anywhere from 60 cents to 2 dollars, maybe 3 if I’m really hungry. I try to stick to things I can easily identify, but usually, I’m lucky if I can get a normal bowl of soup or some stir-fry veggies and rice. I’ve started to veer more towards being a vegetarian, just because it is the “safe” choice.  No use looking at menus, although I’m sure if I could actually read them, I’d be overwhelmed with all choices.  I just point to what I see people eating or what they have in the different pots. 

If I didn’t have to limit what I purchased due to the added weight, I might end up looking like some of the other bikes I find on the road!  There are some deals out there!  I see stores selling name brands everywhere, from Samsung, Calvin Klein, Nike, and Apple, you name it and you can find it for sale anywhere in China. Today, I got lost and wound up in a tiny little village that unfortunately did not have a hotel, but wouldn’t you know the mobile store I stopped at to ask direction was an authorized Apple reseller,….imagine that!  At first glance, you definitely don’t notice it is an imitation. 

Since they are a manufacturing country, I thought this would be a good place to get my biking sandals fixed.  After the first week on the road, I noticed the stitching in my Keene sandal had come out.  It was only a matter of time before the back strap would break.  Keene had offered to replace them, but they don’t have any stores over here (real stores that is) so I thought I’d find a seamstress to fix them for me, using an industrial sewing machine.  Sure enough the first night I arrived, I found a shoe repair and she charged me a total of 10 cents to fix my sandals!  Now they are just like new!  

The whole imitation and knock-off idea, leads me into the concept of trust in this country. I guess this is a huge problem amongst the Chinese.  For instance at hotels, you have to pay a room deposit.  When you go to check out the lady at the front counter uses a walkie-talkie and calls up to someone who I know very well goes through the room you just left to make sure that nothing has been damaged.  Also, the bikes and motor scooters that are everywhere are locked up.  It’s a shock to see this lack of trust after being in Hong Kong, where it was ever-present, along with respect. 

Last night I had first hand experience with the lack of trust and the locals.  On the start of my third day in China, I was excited to come across 3 other tour cyclists on the road pedaling in my direction.  They were the first tour cyclists I came across in Asia.  I obviously assumed they spoke English, but they didn’t and our conversation was simple and short.  I kept on pedaling and about an hour later, one on the guys caught up to find me to ride together.  I so desperately wanted to ask him questions about China and biking in this country, but instead, we rode one behind the other for about 40 kilometers in silence.  He finally made the eating signal with his hands and so we stopped at a restaurant and with the help of Google translator we figured out each other’s itinerary and realized that we were going in the same direction for a good 300 kilometers.

Of course when I finally find another tour cyclists riding in my direction, they don’t speak a lick of English. I’m such a verbal person, it killed me!  Jau ma, was my new friend’s name.  He had left his job and was off to explore the southern coast of China on bike for a month.  He was about 10 days into his trip and was doing a lot of wild camping, which I thought couldn’t be done in China.  He seemed nice enough so we continued cycling in the afternoon to a town where we decided to call it a day.  The other two guys were in a town behind and would catch up tomorrow.  It was a relief to see that he had a hard time finding a hotel as well.  I thought it was my language barrier, but I think the local working class in these cities just don’t travel or aren’t used to tourists, and so they don’t know about hotels.  We finally found one, washed up and went to explore the town.  It was neat to have a guide so that I could put my guard down and just let him handle things like ordering food and finding a few shops to stock up on some things I needed.  I tried to keep my questions and comments basic, or else his phone’s battery would die and there wouldn’t be any more Google Translator.  At dinner we figured out the route for tomorrow and had decided that we’d camp at the beach. I have my tent with me for my Asian route, but I thought I would only use it as a last resort. 

To make a long story short, let’s just say Jau ma was more forward than the horny Turkish driver who pulled over on the side of the road 5 times.  I had to use the Google Translator this morning to let him know that I was going to ride alone.  I know I’m a very trusting person, sometime too trusting, but I like to think that people the benefit of the doubt and think they are kind and respectful in return, especially tour cyclists.  Now I’ve got my guard up with these Chinese people, talk about trust!!  If this happens a third time, I’m entitled to a blog post to vent my anger about these types of men!

As you can see, after four days of cycling in China, I’m still trying to make sense of this fascinating country.  A kilometer doesn’t go by without something peculiar on the road that catches my attention.  First thing this morning I saw a bunch of pigs in cages on the back of a motor scooter.  The next motor scooter that passed had 3 dogs in different cages.  I really hope they were going to different places and weren’t going to end up in the same pot of stew!

The terrain isn’t difficult in this region of China.  In fact the kilometers go by quickly because it’s flat and until today, there wasn’t any wind.  I couldn’t figure out why I’m more tired than when I did all that climbing in Europe and had really long days.  I can only attribute it to the sensory overload from this country.  There is so much going on around me, it’s mentally exhausting, more so than physical fatigue.

From the time I wake up, there is constant noise and commotion.  I start pedaling, and I have to drowned out the relentless honking to stay focused on the street signs, roads, cars, motor scooters, buses, bikes, and animals loose, moving every which way, all sharing the same road.  The roads are lined with densely populated cities, one after the other, for kilometers on end.  When I stop for food, it’s a chore to communicate what I really want and finding a hotel is still tough!  Up until now, my “down time” on this trip when I can disconnect and day dream has been on my bike, but in China, that is virtually impossible!  At the end of the day, I take refuge in my hotel early and call it a day to have some peace of mind.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m still enjoying cycling through China, and now the fun is about to begin! I’ve caught up with the typhoon that is off the coast of Vietnam and China, but hopefully it will be a tail wind and not a head wind.

China: First Impressions

So it’s definitely not love at first sight, but my first two days in China have made quite an impression.  First of all, I should mention that I can’t get on Facebook to post a daily photo, sorry, the government has it blocked, as well as Blogger, so my friend  “Vichenze” is helping me out and doing the logistical part back in socialist Spain!  Thank you!

I’m not one to get nervous trying new things. In fact, I usually throw myself into new situations without thinking twice.  I do admit, though, I was anxious for my China travels.  I fell in love with Hong Kong even tough it was such a densely populated area, however, I didn’t attempt to bike more than a kilometer on the islands.  My warm shower host in Hong Kong gave me some good advice to bypass the Hong Kong mainland border crossing and the Pearl River Delta. You see, the Pearl River Delta (PRD) isn’t like other deltas.  In Catalonia we have the Delta d’Ebre, which is filled with wildlife sanctuaries, paella restaurants, and rice patties.  Perhaps the latter sight is the only commonality between the two river deltas.  China’s PRD is one of the most densely urbanized areas in the world and China’s main hub of economic growth.  There is a dense network of highways with all sorts of tunnels, bridges, and toll sections making it a cyclist’s worst nightmare.  I could only imagine what this area looked like until I actually arrived.

Pearl River Delta

The plan was to take the ferry that would strategically place me the furthest west of the delta as possible.  Of course, I managed to hop on the wrong ferry, and I sailed to heart of the western PRD!  As I started cycling, all I could think about was avoiding the major highways.  For the first 50 kilometers, I must have actually progressed east to west a good 10 kilometers, but my bike computer showed 50.  I kept going in circles trying to find what I thought was a less main road, and ended up in a maze of huge roads in a dense urban area.  Tiny faint gray lines in google maps, that would be dirt roads in European countries, are actually four lane highways in China.  It wasn’t until 200 kilometers into my riding here that I finally found some “country roads”.  Today I did the majority of my riding on roads that were so small, a car would pass maybe every 500 meters, where as 500 cars would pass every 100 meters on the other roads.

Needless to say there is smoggy air and the trash everywhere in this region of China. After riding for about 20 minutes, I noticed I had a bunch of grit in my teeth, like I had eaten something sandy.  My mouth was closed but all the pollution was coming in through my nose.  That same evening I purchased a facemask to use, like I saw the majority of the natives using on the roads. The facemask actually serves two purposes for me; it keeps me from breathing the polluted air, but I can laugh all I want underneath it and no one will think I’m crazy or disrespectful.  You have to laugh here in China, be flexible, and take everything with a grain of salt.

 

My company on the road

I’m definitely not alone on these Chinese roads, there are handfuls and handfuls of cyclists.  Bicycles come in all shapes and sizes.  People ride tricycles with heavy loads on the backs, moms and dads cycle with kids on the back of their bikes, and I’ve also seen husbands with their wives in a little cart off the back.  Some bikes have mini motors, there are public bike rentals (like Bicing in Barcelona), and there are bikes converted into mini stands selling foods, bikes carrying cages of chickens and ducks,….you name it and you’ll find it on a bike here in China.  In fact, I feel a little foolish on my proper touring bike with panniers and all, because there are people carrying a lot heavier loads with bikes that have wobbly tires that look like they might break down at any moment.  It reminds me of hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro with my high quality gear carrying a light day pack.  In front of me, my porters were carrying three or four times that load without any technical gear wearing sandals and didn’t even use a backpack.  To tell you the truth, since everyone is riding a bike, I blend in and don’t get stared at as often. 

The honking continues, however, and even more so than in any other country.  Cars, motor scooters, trucks, every single one of them that passes honks to let me know they are coming.  I appreciate them watching out for me, but it gets old fast and sounds like a symphony of honks out on the highway.  I thought that I wouldn’t get any of those “horny honks” from men, and I expected the Chinese culture to be pretty reserve, but it took a total of 1 day to get hit on pedaling.  Today a man on a motor scooter slowed down to pass me, smiling, and making some sort of hand gesture I couldn’t understand. I passed him, and then he drove up to my side again.  This time he was babbling in Chinese and using his hands frantically to gesture picking up the bike and putting it on his motor scooter.  I couldn’t help but just laugh at him and I kept saying “no, no” with a big smile on my face.  For a moment, I remembered the man in Turkey, but luckily he left after babbling back to me a bit more.

I call Chinese babbling, because I really don’t understand anything people say.  The funny thing is they talk to me and repeat themselves in Chinese like I am going to understand them after the third or fourth time of hearing them say the same thing.  I answer back in English telling them I’m clueless and then they repeat themselves again.  The conversation goes nowhere but it is quite amusing.  Yesterday I resorted to drawing pictures and writing numbers to try to maintain a 5 minute conversation at dinner.  Communicating is a challenge.  The word hotel for instance doesn’t even ring a bell with them, so I have tilt my head with my hands together under it, and make snoring sounds.  I wish someone could videotape this interaction; it’s quite the sight.  You’d think the snoring sound would give it away, but they still look at me like I’m crazy.  Maybe snoring makes a different sound in Chinese. 

Road signs don’t really help that much

While English was written everywhere in Hong Kong, in China it is no where to be found.  Yesterday, there was no way to identify the building as a hotel, I got really lucky and went exactly to where someone pointed after making my gestures.  Today, I rolled up to a massage parlor first, thinking it was a hotel, and then found a travel agent. They were able to call a hotel and give me directions, which basically said go straight then turn right- very specific directions in a city of 100,000+ people.  I got on my bike and pedaled straight and found streets off to the right every 20 meters. As you can imagine, I abandoned that mission and kept cycling through the city.  Enping is enormous city even though it hardly shows up on Google maps. Eventually someone was able to gesture to another hotel close by and a car honked and pointed when I was in front of it. 

Industrial sightseeing on the road

crops squeezed in between all the buildings

The scenery continues to blow me away.  China gives new meaning to the word “dense”.  Every piece of land had been developed and is in use.  Rice patties, crops, and fish farms are squeezed in between buildings and towering skyscrapers.  The streets are lined with stores, factories, restaurants and markets.  I thought the Italian Riviera was built up because the towns blended together for kilometers on end. Without realizing it, you went from one to the other and passed your destination without even noticing.  Here in China, it is the same, but instead of going from town to town, you are passing from one major city to the next.  A tiny little speck of a city on Google maps turns out to be a city with half a million people.  Getting in, out, or around is quite a task, and I have my GPS out every 5 minutes to make sure I’ve taken the correct road.  The name of the city on Google maps isn’t the same as the names on the Chinese road signs, and that is if they actually write them in our western alphabet. At least the bike symbol is universal and China’s cycle paths are on the side of any major road are well labeled.  But the bike paths are total free-for-all, shared by cyclists, motor scooters, and cars that want to make an upcoming turn.  Cars drive on the right, but I can’t figure out if bikes are different because they pass me on all sides both from behind and straight on, it is total chaos! 

Despite the chaos on the streets, the people I’ve interacted with are nice.  They are just as curious as I am.  Have you ever seen the way monkeys inspect one another at the zoo looking for lice?  I sort of feel like one of those monkeys.  As soon as I sit down out side a shop or restaurant, people immediately begin to hover.  There is no respect of personal space here.  Last night I sat down outside the restaurant to eat my dinner and do some journal writing.  I couldn’t believe the amount of people who approached me.  They started touching my journal and flipped through the pages.  When I stop on my bike to get a drink or some fruit, the same thing happens.  People of all ages come over and start looking at my bike, touching the panniers, curious to see what I’m all about.  Of course, trying to explain what I am doing is useless, we just don’t understand each other.

Today I stopped for some fruit.  There wasn’t really a “peaceful” place to eat it, so I sat down on the little stool at the store.  The family who ran the shop started to hover around and watch me devour the mandarins and so they offered me more, and then invited me to lunch right there on my little stool.  Luckily it was a noodle soup and easy to identify the ingredients.  Today, when I arrived at the hotel, I couldn’t figure out why the lady was telling me one price, but trying to take double that.  Behind me came a family, who luckily spoke English, and could translate for me the fact that hotels ask for a room deposit.  It turns out they were the owners of the hotel who had just arrived from Hong Kong and were coming to see how things were running.  I ended up getting the red carpet treatment and was invited to a delicious dinner and breakfast the following morning.

Kieran, Me, Peggy, and Johnson

I can’t figure it out, but I always have the best of luck wherever I go, that or I look so bad and desperate that people can’t help but lend me a hand!  I’ve got another week in China, each day filled with a million tales to tell!

Pampered by Natura Bisse

One of the most frequently asked questions is whether or not I have sponsors.  For my day-to-day expenses, I didn’t want help, but for my gear and some critical services out on the road, I did seek out the help of some local businesses and companies based in Barcelona.  My sponsors have been there for me to support me at crucial times on my trip, pampering me some little privileges that makes my trip more comfortable.

Upon arriving in Hong Kong, I visited the Natura Bisse Asia flagship store to replenish my supply of sunscreen.  I’ve taught both Veronica and Patricia Fisa’s children for the past 5 years while working at The Benjamin Franklin International School and they were more than happy to support me with their sunscreen products for my loong bike trip.  Natura Bisse has really top-notch cosmetic and beauty products and they frequent gift teachers with their products.  Teacher are always raving about the products they’ve been given and enjoy trying them out, from lip repair to face cream, eye contour cream, and honey scrubs, and body lotion and sunscreen. 

Although I use their products, I didn’t know a lot about Natura Bisse and the science behind their products. However, my visit at their one-and-only Asian flagship store in the beauty section of Pacific Place in Hong Kong educated me well about their line of products.

May Lou, the store manager, greeted me as I entered their modern beauty studio when I arrived.   I was a bit underdressed as you can imagine with my 3 outfits, but the ladies working didn’t seem to mind at all.  On the wall, mounted was a screen playing a video to promote their “Diamond Experience” a line of creams that rejuvenates your skin.  It was refreshing to see to see Patricia Fisas in the video, a familiar face all the way over in Hong Kong.

May Lou, Natura Bisse Hong Kong

I am a very low maintenance and simple young lady when it comes to cosmetics and beauty products but that doesn’t mean that I can’t be spoiled every once in awhile.  On my first visit, I did a consultation with May Lou to test out some of the different skin products for my hands, arms, and face.  Natura Bisse has several different lines of products depending on your skin type and the desired results.  May Lou found the appropriate line for my skin type, knowing that it is constantly being exposed to the sun and pollution.

Two days later, I went back for my second visit.  May Lou had me do the “Diamond Experience” which is a treatment that uses magnetic particles in a cream and a magnet to remove old and dead cells and rejuvenate your skin.  It was quite an interesting process to watch, but also very relaxing and soothing because it isn’t often that someone massages and rubs my arms and shoulders with all different sorts of creams.  Not to mention, I also had a arm, shoulder, and neck massage, which was quite delightful. 

The Diamond Experience

I wish that weight weren’t such an issue on my bike because I would have taken with me a couple of bag of their products to take really good care of my skin.  But since I can’t do that, I have my essentials which are the diamond experience face cream UPF 50, their body sun cream UPF 30, and a few sachets of body lotion when I’m not out in the sun.  Their creams are such good quality that my skin feels hydrated even after a shower and the cream has been rinsed off, so I can get away with just using Natura Bisse’s sun protection products. 

The different lines of products, too many to choose from!

It’s virtually impossible to avoid getting some sort of color while riding my bike under the sun for 5 to 7 hours every day, day after day.  In fact, I overlooked putting sunscreen on my feet at the start of the trip and after a few days, a sandal tan line appeared and the markings have become more of a permanent tattoo.  With my fair skin and constant exposure to the sun, I have to be really careful.  I usually put on sunscreen first thing in the morning or 2 hours into my trip and then reapply 2 or 3 hours later.  Those two applications usually are enough to avoid any major burns and keep my tan lines to a minimum.  I have yet to put on my bikini but know that when I do, it will be quite the sight to see with my brown and white stripes!

My favorite, Diamond

Thank you Natura Bisse for keeping me protected from the sun and pampering me every now and again with your products!

Hong Kong: Love at First Sight

Hong Kong skyline from Kowloon

Sometimes no matter how hard you try to plan things and prepare, life throws you a curve ball and you have surrender. I had tried to prepare my Hong Kong arrival as much as possible knowing that having a bike in this city was going to be a challenging, if not impossible.  I was incredibly apprehensive about biking around Hong Kong on my bike.  From the research I had done, biking wasn’t a convenient means of transportation and I was starting to regret choosing Hong Kong for my Asian city of arrival.  However, upon landing, my luggage was missing.  I could have gotten frustrated but since I try to see the positive side of things, for me it meant a little shopping spree for a new outfit (or two) courtesy the airlines and not having to worry about carting my bike around Hong Kong fully laden with my gear.  Funny enough, it was a relief that my luggage didn’t come on time.

Hong Kong.  Wow!  Where to begin?  The best way to describe it is love at first sight.  While it feels chaotic and out-of-control, there is something about this city that draws you in, I can’t quite put my finger on it, but you’re intrigued and excited to experience more despite the simultaneous overwhelming sensation. On my bus ride into the city, I couldn’t stop looking around at all the fascinating views.  Tiny, unpopulated islands scattered across the sea seem so serene next to giant skyscrapers towering over a bustling metropolis.  Highways wind in and out of the tall buildings with overpasses and tunnels every 200 meters.  Hong Kong has developed every last inch possible in the city. Even storefront show signs of making the most of the space they have to display the goods their selling. I’ve seen Southern Thailand through the eyes of a cyclist, so jungles weren’t a new sight, but when a dense metropolis area juxtaposes the jungle, it’s an unbelievable sight.

Mong Kok district

Once on foot, I aimlessly wandered the streets stopping to observe, stare, and smile with amusement and disbelief. The maze of streets is lined with markets, stores, and restaurants.  Every nook and cranny is filled.  Bustling and busy, jammed packed with swarms of people regardless of the time of day.  Everyone seems to have a purpose, their normal daily routine and know exactly where they are going and how to get there. Yet, I’m baffled as to how to read the map and orient myself.  Everything looks the same, restaurants on the corners, narrow deep stores covered wall-to-wall in merchandise, and millions of street signs hanging from above.  Just when I think I know where I am, and perhaps recognize a street name, all of a sudden I’m completely lost and can’t situate north from south and the water from the mountains.  Getting my bearings proved to be my biggest challenge exploring the streets of Hong Kong.  People walk, but for any distance over a few blocks and they hop on the underground, bus or tram, because their public transportation is incredibly reliable, cheap, and fast.

One of Hong Kong's "Wet Markets"

You could call this a hardware store, specializing in electrical items?!?!

There is a peculiar mix of western and Cantonese culture in Hong Kong.  Some restaurants are completely western and familiar looking, while others don’t have a menu in English, and the only recognizable words are the prices.  The supermarkets to my surprise have a lot of foreign brands and if you didn’t know any better you would think you were in a grocery store in North America, until you walk out the front door.  While English is the official language, most signs and publicity are in both English and Cantonese.  English speakers and ex-pats are plentiful in Hong Kong, but the people still manages to preserve their native culture and traditions. You definitely feel as though you are in Asia, but with English widespread, you are never too far out of your comfort zone.

Sensory overload is probably the best way to express one’s first impression of Hong Kong. I usually shut down when I take in too much stimulation, yet in Hong Kong, it’s the exact opposite.  It’s as if the city and people invite you to interact and participate in the ongoing chaos, which is really only on the surface.  Underneath, there is an underlying feeling of order and respect that I find peaceful.  My favorite sites in this city isn’t the skyline at night or the street markets selling unidentifiable food but the street signs.  All throughout the city there are posters and signs reminding me of the profound amount of respect the people have for one another.  What kinds of signs?  There are signs communicating in detail who, when, and how the public restrooms are cleaned. There are posters above elevator buttons that let you know they’ve been sterilized frequently.  There are also signs by the water fountains asking you not to spit, and others in the metro that ask that you kindly wear a mask if you are feeling sick, and yet others that remind you to cover your mouth with your hands when you cough. 

Thanks, that is good to know!

You might think, okay, just because there are signs attempting to maintain civil order, doesn’t mean that the people actually follow these norms.  After living in Barcelona for ten years, unfortunately I have become immune to the acts of vandalism, civil disorder, and the general disrespect that exists between people and their urban environment.  That is the norm for me, what is not normal is for people to want to take really good care of their city.  The people are also extremely pleasant. In fact, they go out of their way to help and take care of you. 

For instance, almost every public area has someone there just to guide people, answer questions, and assist.  In the underground, there are people who show you to the correct train platform, and if there is construction, they help you with the detour.  In the shopping malls, there are elevator attendants who push the button for you, and in public restrooms (yes there are loads and they are free) the cleaning staff greets you as you enter and are constantly cleaning the facilities, without receiving a tip.  I stopped and asked my fair share of people for directions on the street and they all seem to go out of their way to make sure I find where I am going.  I was blown away by the hospitality and respect people have for one another, not to mention you have to search high and low to find a piece of rubbish on the ground.

One of Hong Kong's many temples in the heart of hte city

I’m not a “big city” person by any means.  I protested my Barcelona assignment from The Rotary Club 10 years ago, requesting a small town that seemed more manageable.  But after a few months of living in the Catalan capital, I realized, there are “enormous engulfing” big cities, and “small and friendly” big cities.  Barcelona and Hong Kong fall under the category of small, friendly, and livable big cities.  Believe it or not, people do cycle in Hong Kong.  You won’t find hard-core cyclists on the main roads on Hong Kong Island or Kowloon, but if you head out to one of their many country parks and trails, there are cyclists.  Nature and outdoor activities are easily accessible in this city.  I have felt so comfortable during my week visit in Hong Kong that I could easily stay longer, I love this place.  Tomorrow I take the ferry west to cross the Chinese border and avoid a few of the larger industrial cities east of the Pearl River delta.  I’m terrified but curious, or perhaps you could say naïve.  Whatever I encounter on the other side, it is sure to be the start of another fascinating adventure as I being to explore the Asian continent.

Living it up at The Istanbul Marriott Asia Hotel

It’s nice to be spoiled every once in awhile and that is how I felt when I entered the Istanbul Marriott Asia.  The Marriott Hotel is one of my sponsors who help out with the logistics when I travel by plane.  As you know, my accommodations during the first two months of my trip have gone back and forth between camping, basic hotels, and being hosted.  I find that alternating my accommodations like this gives me a good balance on my trip of time to myself mixed with interaction with locals and ex-pats.  I’ve stayed in some nice hotels on The Thomson Bike Tour trips, but I must admit, the Istanbul Marriot Asia Hotel is by far the most luxurious hotel I’ve stayed in yet.  Thanks to Peter Reischl, the General Manager, and his accommodating staff, I was well taken care of for the night prior to my departure. 

They helped me transport my bike not only all packed up from the bike store to the hotel, but from the hotel to the airport, which was a good hour and a half away.  Erman, my driver was extremely entertaining and brought me on all sorts of side street “short-cuts” to avoid the traffic in Istanbul, which seems unbearable at any time of the day! Observing the roads on the outskirts of Istanbul, I was relieved that I had not attempted to come in to the city directly on the road.  The ferry was a smart and safe choice to enter Istanbul.

I probably stood out with my attire and luggage as I entered the hotel lobby, but the staff didn’t stare (nor honk) as others do when they see such an unusual sight.  All my belongings fit snuggly on a luggage cart and my bike even came up with me to my hotel room! 

I had a king size suite to myself, which was actually bigger than my old apartment in Barcelona. For the first 10 minutes in my room I oohed and awed at the sophistication of my room and the gestures of appreciation the staff at the Marriott had prepared for my visit.  I know they must treat all their guests the same, but the exceptional customer service of the hotel staff at the Istanbul Marriott Asia made me feel as though I was royalty!   There was a note waiting for me besides some of the sweet treats they had left me with some juice.   There were all sorts of small little toiletries, slippers, and a robe, at my disposal, including wonderful smelling lotion and conditioner.  I had access to the Turkish bath until 11 pm at night for free, and a complimentary dinner and breakfast at the hotel that night and the next morning. I’m usually quite happy with just the basics, but I have to admit, it’s fascinating to be spoiled every once in a while and experience luxurious treatment, especially after cycling almost 6,000 kilometers!

Dinner kebab plate

Dinner consisted of a variety of uniquely flavored sauces on bread, an enormous salad with fresh vegetables, and a special meat platter, a selection of the chef, accompanied by a roasted vegetables and a peanut sauce.  I hadn’t even cycled that day, but I had an incredible appetite and it all tasted delicious.  For desert I tried a warm semolina dough mixed with nuts and spices accompanied by ice cream. 

I probably should have gone to bed directly after dinner due to my to accumulated exhaustion, but my mind was consumed by the logistics I had yet to iron out for the Asian portion of my trip.  The next morning, I prepared all my luggage before heading down to breakfast.  Breakfast at the Marriott was similar in experience to wandering the aisles of the spice market and the Grand Bazaar.  There were so many different plates and trays full of interesting types of food prepared in such an elegant fashion, I didn’t know where to start nor what to try!  I probably should have had a small breakfast as I wasn’t cycling and would be sitting on a plane for the next 12 hours, but I fancied trying as much as I couple to say good-bye to the Turkish cuisine!  Honey is one of my favorite Turkish breakfast foods, and there were 4 different types of honey alone set out for guests.  I sampled some of the different cheeses, decorated a waffle, and had an assortment of dried fruit on top of my yogurt.  I was in heaven.  And although I’m sure the tea was amazing, I was happy with my coffee and milk, something I have missed while traveling throughout Turkey.

General Manager Peter Rieschl

Erman, my driver, he said he was too lazy to ride his bike :)

My stay at the Marriott ended with my airport limousine service with my bike box and all, again taking the scenic route through several different neighborhoods and over The Bosphorus Bridge (in a car, thankfully rather than on a bike, which is of course prohibited).  Although my stay at the Marriott was short, it was a much appreciated gesture of support by my sponsors and key in helping simplify traveling with a bicycle in an enormous city.  It’s fun to experience a luxurious night, being spoiled after two months on the road without many “extra” amenities.

Thank you Ronny Maier and Peter Rieschl for organizing my stay at The Istanbul Marriott Asia and supporting me as I cycle the loong way home!