Day 775 – CHINA (HENAN): From Luoshan to Huangchuang


Today’s distance / ???????: 44.2 miles / 71.1km
Average speed / ????: 9.1mph / 14.7km/h
Time on skateboard / ????: 4h 51m
Total skateboarding distance to date / ????????????: 6688mi plus 386mi (?) / 10,763km plus 622km (?)
Ascent / ??: 100m
Descent / ??: 90m
End-of-day GPS coordinates: N32°08′30.1″, E114°14′06.3″

So a few days ago I decided to commit to an extension to this journey. I’ll be going to South America in February next year and skating with longboarding legend Adam Colton. I’m excited about this opportunity. It is a part of the world that I have begun to be more and more interested in as a place to travel. Of course issues such as money will have to be sorted out. The fact is that when I arrive home in Christchurch in mid November, I will have no money. In fact, I will have no money, and I will still have my student loan.

I have this crazy tension between wanting to continue this lifestyle and not wanting to settle down, but knowing the reality that this lifestyle does not pay well. Do I sell my story? Become a free-lance motivational speaker, riding on my status as a ‘world record breaker’? Somehow that also creates a tension; wanting to inspire people and tell them about my journey without having to put a price tag on my speaking, but then realising that if I don’t get paid for it, it won’t happen.

Mmmm. So these and other random thoughts plagued my mind for most of last night and as a result I did not sleep well.

The day was a wonderful one though, despite feeling tired. Starting with a wodnerful hazy morning. The pollution in eastern China is good for something, it seems.

Early morning in Luoshan, Henan Province, China

As I headed out of town, I spied a truck that was piled high with what looked like firecrackers. Upon closer inspection, they were something with only slightly less kick: peppers.

Hot stuff! (Peppers for sale in Luoshan, Henan Province, China

Hot stuff! (Peppers for sale in Luoshan, Henan Province, China

I have never seen so many peppers in one place before. You could smell the hotness of them. When I eat something with this kind of peppers in it, I start hiccuping. Really, I do. When I smelled this truck…I started hiccuping.

Hot stuff! (Peppers for sale in Luoshan, Henan Province, China

Onwards and out of the city…into a headwind of course.

Water buffallos are now on my list of favourite animals, by the way. Along with dogs, ducks, donkeys. Water buffallos are massive mammals, but so awesomely chilled out. This one let me get fairly close before deciding that the tasty morsels of grass were more to its liking. I must say though…a stick through the snoz mustn’t be too comfy.

Water buffallo with stick in nose near Luoshan, Henan Province, China

The afternoon met me with a most surreal experience. On both sides of the road here, locals were drying their freshly harvested rice.

Drying rice on roadside near Huangchuang, Henan Province, China Drying rice on roadside near Huangchuang, Henan Province, China

Drying rice on roadside near Huangchuang, Henan Province, China

Skating next to drying rice on roadside near Huangchuang, Henan Province, China Drying rice on roadside near Huangchuang, Henan Province, China

In a comment on one of these photos, someone asked “So does this mean that the rice I am eating that came from China might have been run over?!” Yes it does.

All that skating past rice made me hungry. The below plate of noodles was polished off with ease.

A mountain of noodles for lunch in Huangchuang, Henan Province, China


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One thought on “Day 775 – CHINA (HENAN): From Luoshan to Huangchuang

  • mike1727

    Yes. Write a book, join the lifestyle- look at Josie Dew's books for an example. You have the writing style, curiousity and good photography skill to make it work.

    To be honest, I didn't think you weren't goign to write one.

    I'll buy one..