The title of our poorly updated blog is at long last obsolete. Present continuous is now past, after ten weeks of cycling. Through the high and dry desert, under the Great Wall, over hills, across flooded streets and atop towering mountains, we crossed three thousand miles of the Middle Kingdom. We feel pretty proud of ourselves. Many have done far longer and far more challenging trips. We’ve met a few such adventurers on our way. But having watched arid desert become cool temperate hills become alpine forest become warm Southeast Asian jungle, and having seen the gradual ethnic shift from stocky mongols to fair Han to amber Dai, I feel like we still get an adventurer badge.

We are now in a small Laotian village on the way to Luang Prabang.