Here I am in XI&#8217;AN and it feels like déjà vu. Exactly 10 years ago I was already here with my family. Then as a tourist, now as a bike traveler and completely focused on an adventure with CREDO (my touring bike) to take the Silk Route under the wheels.  The former capital of China impresses with its city wall, which is a little over 3 kilometers long in each direction. The wall, 12 meters high and 15 meters wide, is located in the center of the city and forms a rectangular ring around the old town. Because this path on the top of the wall can also be covered by bicycle, it was already clear to me in advance that I wanted to launch the starting shot of my long journey with CREDO and full equipment high up on the city wall with a magnificent view over the many quarters.
To my horror, this is not supposed to be possible?  Although I do see some cyclists on the city wall. Only the Chinese didn&#8217;t want to let me up. Well, why not&#8230;. I showed my passport, my visa and everything. Then it took a few minutes and the wait was over. I didn&#8217;t understand a word, but I realised that only registered bicycles are allowed on the city wall, not my CREDO. So you have to rent a bike on site and are only allowed to pedal with these bikes on the wall.
Those who know me know that I can be quite stubborn. So NO means YES for once?!?  Yes, maybe&#8230; BUT definitely and guaranteed not in CHINA!!!
Here in the Middle Kingdom, different laws prevail. It doesn&#8217;t help if you are charming and talk enthusiastically about the Silk Route, which for me is supposed to start here on the ancient and historic city wall of Xian and end in an estimated 15000 KM in Switzerland, in the Canton of Bern, in the Seeland, in Biel, in Bellmund.  It doesn&#8217;t matter whether I speak English, French, German, Swiss German or Bern German&#8230; simply no one understands me anyway. Well, that&#8217;s it. Next chapter&#8230; To prepare myself for the first nights in the tent, I want to fill my camping bottle with unleaded petrol. So I drive to the petrol station and want to take the tank handle. Whew, that&#8217;s not so easy. There doesn&#8217;t seem to be any self-service here. &#8222;OK, I would like to have petrol filled into the bottle&#8220;. But the petrol pump attendant refuses.  No CHANCE. Here, too, I had to realise that I am probably travelling in an authoritarian to totalitarian state. Resignation is often the best option.
Even worse at the next petrol station and the one after that, I was even advised to go to the police. But I was definitely not in the mood for that. And after all, with an empty petrol bottle I don&#8217;t have to carry as much. I also heard that foreigners in China are not officially allowed to sleep in their own tent in most districts. You should always ask the local police for permission to avoid any trouble.  Well, I don&#8217;t really want to believe that now, after all I bought really good pegs suitable for the desert a few days ago and have already pitched my Hilleberg tent in the garden at home&#8230; But if there is no opportunity in the tent, there will be another opportunity to spend the night under a roof. Admittedly, after a hard day&#8217;s hike I also like to sleep in hotels or in a guesthouse. And if all else fails, it is also possible to drive through the night. Such experiences are always very special and remain in my memory for a long time. But anyway&#8230; tonight I eat and sleep again in XI&#8217;AN, in a hotel bed.

Here I am in XI'AN and it feels like déjà vu. Exactly 10 years ago I was already here with my family.

Xi’an

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