Member Since: 05 Mar 2011
Location: chengdu
Posts: 1542
China road trip two..the big one
so after the little trek to the north of Vietnam I had the cars serviced 20k kms all filters,oil etc 450 quid I headed as far south as you can drive to an island called Hainan (lit. sea south island) were we stayed at our newly completed winter break property.
total distance was 5300kms. the first leg down from our main home is 2500kms it is national holiday time now but we left two days before the holiday began to beat the jams. and it worked great. so we covered this distance in only 21 hours avg speed 95kmh. at a shown 9.3l/100kms
the trip unlike the last was mostly on highways so no quaint towns to show but we did pass through Guilin famous for its mountains and some other interesting things before taking a ferry to get to Hainan our destination then a blast down to the south side reaching the furthest part of China south that you can drive to.
so here we go
worst part was just outside of Chendgu a beer lorry had flipped. this cost one hour..curses lots of happy local farmers gathered to help with the clean up
Click image to enlarge
on the way we passed a smelly sulphur mine here is its conveyor
then through Guiling and its famous mountains
this mountain has a handy lifting eye
I did a bit of this
but cant let it run too low as one stretch did not see a station for 500kms
lots of car transporters some are double both rows carrying 24 cars in total eddie stobart eat your heart out
Click image to enlarge
past a concentration camp for the opposition to MaoziDong (those that failed to flee to Taiwan)
approaching ferry passed this KFC rip off
squeeze onto the ferry only takes an hour and a half to cross to island
but the boats are just lined up against each other and bump and bash noisily
this translates as peace axe..see an axe can bring peace
and arrived in Haikou we also have a place getting built in this city but didn't visit just passed through
a truck of bananas getting smoked. two stroke diesels are the order of the day
here is a close up of the common trucks 4x4 freewheel hubs low range and a two stroke diesel engine looks very ww2
so the south china sea all looks good but on close inspection its ruined millions cigarette butts squeeze between your toes and lots of plastic waste (much worse than 6years ago I last came)
there is a tourist trap area in Sanya which is printed on the back of the 2 rmb note
and here is me there
this marks the sothern most point of chinese territories according to the ming dynasty period
a familly member needed a run to the local hospital which is really a cover I have experienced this before generals and high officials get free health care and are provided with a very nice private room, meals, laundry shopping mall etc. so many when they retire spend six months in hospital (on the tropical island) then return to their hometown after for the summer so here is the hotel er i mean hospital they stay in
a local food that is quite popular is this paste..do you want one lump or two
also saw this store it sells cheap imported american products
in our complex grounds lots of wildlife including this cute guy
now at this point I would show you monkey island (dont go its boring) and the drive home via a different route but my phone passed away in its sleep (bought a new galaxy SIII on return)so no phots taken. but I can tell you
the drive home was longer and slower as traffic had increased but due to traffic jams outside of Beijing with people stuck at toll booth queues for 7 hours all toll booths were free going home saving 100quid in total. avg speed return was only 70kmh but fuel showed 8.7l/100kms.
new upgraded satnav switched to Korean a few times then froze....back to dealers soon then as car is almost due a service again (every 6000kms) they can sort it all out at the same time. so the trip service cost outweighed the diesel fuel cost. It is better to have and not need it then need and not have it.
7th Oct 2012 4:53 am
NickJ
Member Since: 11 Oct 2010
Location: there's no f in point
Posts: 2137
Really interesting photos, keep on sharing
7th Oct 2012 5:35 am
dangerdave
Member Since: 23 Nov 2010
Location: <>
Posts: 4495
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7th Oct 2012 6:01 am
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26770
Interesting trip!
6000 kms is a very short service interval, is the diesel very poor over there?
7th Oct 2012 7:25 am
amazing
Member Since: 05 Mar 2011
Location: chengdu
Posts: 1542
Diesel outside beijing 3rd ring road limited to 2000ppm sulphur!!
the best is 500ppm
Diesel fuel filters changed every 20k kms.
yes its bad
But its cheap 60 quid to fillIt is better to have and not need it then need and not have it.
7th Oct 2012 7:49 am
Hairy Dan
Member Since: 19 Jan 2011
Location: Co. Durham
Posts: 12319
Another great travelogue Cheers Ian
--------------------
Club N.E.R.D.S
Kielder 4x4 Safari
Discoless
7th Oct 2012 7:57 am
mjcp
Member Since: 02 Sep 2012
Location: Old Windsor
Posts: 403
Thanks for sharing something that very few of us will ever get a chance to see or do (either never go or it will be gone by the time we get brave enough!)
£60 to fill up doesn't sound that cheap, roughly half what we pay here... (though ours is lower sulphur!) and a £450 service is much the same!
How long until China ceases to be competitive because everything has inflated to catch-up with the west...
keep sharing please!
mjcp03/2007 D3 HSE
98 Audi A4 Avant 2.5 TDi Quattro
Gone but not forgotten
03/2003 330Ci Convertible
93 Corrado 2.0l 16V
98 M3 Evo Cab
7th Oct 2012 8:00 am
dadof7kids
Member Since: 23 Aug 2011
Location: sunny Doncaster
Posts: 1303
love your trips keep it up..java Black D3 gone : (
Club Lux : ) GONE : (
7th Oct 2012 8:48 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73066
Absatidellingtootlie. Good to see we're following the Chinese in adding 2 stroke oil to diesel. Their EGRs must be very clean!!
7th Oct 2012 9:18 am
DerbyshireDisco
Member Since: 12 Mar 2012
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 1397
Excellent more of the same please.Displaced Yorkshireman.
=^:^=
SDV6 Auto obviously, Loire blue/Ebony, ugly kid glass, RLD wheel protector, private plate and maybe side steps.
7th Oct 2012 9:53 am
marco 110
Member Since: 15 Nov 2009
Location: SALLES 33
Posts: 1014
Great trip !
Having fun to read, well written!! Marco.
-D4 sdv6 HSE 2012 , high beam assist , surround cam, tv , and a lot of nice stuff..
Member Since: 20 Oct 2009
Location: London, UK
Posts: 1318
Thanks for sharing, Amazing!! The banana truck did it have green bananas on? Because then it must be early on in the delivery run, the etileen in diesel gas is used to ripen bananas! No diesel flift trucks allowrd in banana storage depot! ......Now you now!A few mods... and keeping it all running...Faultmate MSV2
MY09EGR's blanked Thanks Bellautos, BAS
7th Oct 2012 5:35 pm
Russell
Member Since: 23 Aug 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 10564
Love the write up and love the car transported.MY17 D5 1st Edition Namib Orange
MY15 D4 HSE Kaikoura Stone
MY12 D4 HSE Nara Bronze Sold and gone
MY11 D4 HSE Stornaway Grey Sold and gone
D3 S spec Silver Sold and gone
Tow bar, full length roof bars, side steps, tow bar storage unit, surround camers.
D4 camera club
7th Oct 2012 6:03 pm
Mohsen
Member Since: 09 Oct 2012
Location: Riyadh
Posts: 14
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