ROUTE
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The route for Run From The Sun has undergone numerous changes over the last year.
The initial plan involved a directly westerly route through Northern China, into Kazakhstan then through Russia and into Europe.
When SOS became involved, the route was changed to incorperate South East Asia and the Indian sub-continent, where SOS are highly active. The first draft of this route went up the Karakoram highway from Pakistan back into China, travelling through "the Stans" to the Caspian Sea, then a ferry to Azerbaijan and onward to Europe. This idea was abandoned due to the route being too northerly for that time of year.
The Final Proposed Route now passes from Pakistan into Iran, passing through Turkey en route to the Balkans and Europe!
**STOP PRESS** A slightly later than planned shipping date + worries about clearing customs in Beijing has led to the bikes now being shipped to Hong Kong. All being well this should allow us to make our SOS village visits as planned. Chris
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The Plan...... Leg 1 - Beijing to Kuala Lumpur
China
The Run From The Sun really gets underway on the 18th August 2005, when Chris and Rory rendesvous in Beijing. Rory has been on expedition in Mongolia with a group from World Challenge and arrives in Beijing on the 14th. Plan A involved getting the bikes here and riding down to the first SOS visit, scheduled for the 30th August in Chengdu. The first visit may well be made by alternative transport! The bikes are due in Hong Kong on the 21st August. Visiting Chengdu without the bikes leaves only the short loop to Vietnam through Guangdong province and southern China.
Vietnam
The plan is to cross the border around the 5 th September, then head for Hanoi.
Following the coastline south as far as Ho Chi Minh City the route passes through the former 'de-militarised zone', with camping spots by the numerous hot-springs and waterfalls. From Ho Chi Minh the route turns inland along the Mekong river to the border with........
Cambodia
First stop Phnom Penh! From there heading up along the edge of the monsoon swelled Tonle Sap, an enormous freshwater lake which is one of UNESCO's world heritage sites due to its importance for wildlife and ecology.
Next stop, Angkor the 'city of temples', former capital of the ancient Khmer empire and site of another SOS Children's Village.
The route turns west about the 17 th September heading over the hills to the border with........
Thailand
If all goes to schedule a rendezvous with the Northern Ballet Theatre(Chris' employers) is possible, with the team staying with friends in Bangkok . Leaving Bangkok to head south down the coast recently devastated by the tsunami could lead to mixed emotions. Travelling via Ranong and Trang through the Khao Nan Khang National Park leads to another children's village at Hatyai. This ends the ride through Thailand, next crossing the border into.............
Malaysia
Picking up the motorway should allow rapid transit through Malaysia, arriving in Kuala Lumpur in time for the 10 th round of the MotoGP world championships at Sepang on the 25 th September.
After the weekend the bikes get packed into crates at Port Klang and sent on their way to Chennai for the start of the Indian adventure.
Distance so far approx 5000miles
Leg 2 - Chennai to Gilgit
India
After a few restful days on the boat, the next leg commences with arrival in Chennai(formerly Madras) for World Orphan Week, which starts on Monday 3 rd October.
India is one of the world's most poverty striken nations and the 35 SOS childrens villages there reflect this.
The route heads west to visit Bangalore's village later in the week, then to the west coast and north into Goa, continuing to Mumbai. Next turning inland and North for the long ride to Agra, for a visit to the Taj Mahal.
Onwards to Delhi, then to Amritsar for the border crossing to
Pakistan
First stop in Pakistan is Lahore, with the old capital Rawalpindi being the next major stop before hitting Islamabad at the start of the incredible Karakoram Highway. This miraculous feat of engineering winds through the 7000m+ mountains on its way to Gilgit.
The original plan was to go back into China and then through Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, but due to the time of year the Karakoram highway may become blocked. Instead the route will now head back south into Pakistan, crossing into Iran for passage to Turkey and then Europe
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