Denied entry to Myanmar

Chengdu, Kunming, Dali, Ruili

Mid November 2009

MediumFormatPatrikWallner_Xian_WaitingLOWQAll pumped to skate and get footage in Xi’an, but the rain had to kill it… It was on to Chengdu… 17 hours train

35mmPatrikWallner_ToChengdu_TresuresLOWQA toothbrush and paste can be considered as treasures in China!

35mmPatrikWallner_Chengdu_NotGoodLOWQFirst thing I witnessed in Chengdu was a car accident…

35mmPatrikWallner_Chengdu_FixingCarLOWQ

35mmPatrikWallner_Chengdu_PandasEverywhereLOWQChengdu is known for its Pandas!

35mmPatrikWallner_Chengdu_TempColdLOWQand it was cold again…

35mmPatrikWallner_Chengdu_SidewayChillingLOWQwent around the block…

35mmPatrikWallner_Chengdu_PandaOnWallLOWQ

35mmPatrikWallner_Chengdu_KennySickAgainLOWQKenny somehow got some gnarly food poisoning again, which left him in bed and close to the W.C for a day or so…

35mmPatrikWallner_Chengdu_GotSandLOWQ

MediumFormatPatrikWallner_Xian_NoLostAnymoreLOWQI am hyped, I am not really lost anymore…

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35mmPatrikWallner_Chengdu_ChickenInCageLOWQ

35mmPatrikWallner_Chengdu_TheLocalsLOWQThe friendly locals of Chengdu showed us around a little! Thanks guys!

35mmPatrikWallner_Chengdu_KennyInPandaHandsLOWQPanda clawing, Kenny was ready to see the Pandas!

35mmPatrikWallner_Chengdu_PandaStillEatingLOWQChengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center is one of the few centers and places left to save the Giant Pandas from dying out. There are less than 1,000 pandas left on this planet and 80% of them are in or around Chengdu.

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MediumFormatPatrikWallner_Chengdu_PandasOnTreeLOWQMore cute panda footage in the “10,000 Kilometers” Documentary. This trip I did with Kenny will be featured in the Bonus part of the DVD! Be sure to check that out!

35mmPatrikWallner_ToKumning_LastToEatLOWQAfter giving the Pandas a visit, it was off to Kunming. This 19 hour train ride felt like the shortest train ride I ever took in my life, and I am not kidding.

35mmPatrikWallner_ToKumning_10HourCardsLOWQWe literally played 9-10 hours Rummy… and it was fun, time flew by!

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35mmPatrikWallner_ToKumning_KennyThePhotogLOWQ

MediumFormatPatrikWallner_Kunming_HostelViewLOWQKunming was awesome. We actually found some good spots, so I pretty much forgot about taking photos. This is the only photo I have from Kunming… Hostel view.

MediumFormatPatrikWallner_Dali_ThreePagodasLOWQAfter two days of trying to gather footage in Kunming, we had to start heading to Myanmar. On the way to the border city known as Ruili, we had to pass through and change buses in a beautiful city called Dali. It is known as the hippie city of China.

MediumFormatPatrikWallner_Dali_KennyAndPagodasLOWQWe only had five or six hours to check out this diverse city. On the very top of my list was to visit the famously known Three Pegodas, I was so stoked that we made it over there.

35mmPatrikWallner_Dali_StreetWarnLOWQOur friend in Kunming gave us a phone number of one of his friends to call in Dali, who would show us around. We called the number and from there on we were hooked up, they showed us around town and one really good spot!

35mmPatrikWallner_Dali_TheSpotLOWQI think the photo speaks for itself…

35mmPatrikWallner_Dali_Call119LOWQChina is on the other side of the World, so I am not surpised to see that when a fire breaks out you call 119 instead of 911… but to be honest I think in Germany its 119 as well.

35mmPatrikWallner_Ruili_DisapointmentGoingHomeLOWQAfter checking out Dali, we had to catch a ten hour bus ride to the Myanmar border city called Ruili. The bus ride over there was probably the worst bus experience I ever had. More about that ride will be featured in a short documentary of this trip with Kenny, which will be viewable in the Bonus section of “10,000 Kilometers” DVD…

MediumFormatPatrikWallner_Ruili_MyanmarBorderClosebyLOWQAfter checking out Dali, we had to catch a ten hour bus ride to the Myanmar border city called Ruili. The bus ride over there was probably the worst bus experience I ever had. More about that ride will be featured in a short documentary of this trip with Kenny, which will be viewable in the Bonus section of “10,000 Kilometers” DVD…

MediumFormatPatrikWallner_Ruili_TasteOfMyanmarLOWQThis Myanmar girl was selling bananas at the border. After an hour of phone calls, we realized that we will not be able to enter Myanmar on this trip. So we ate a Burmese banana and it tasted like a banana from Heaven. We had a taste for Myanmar and we loved it. I need to go back soon for sure!

MediumFormatPatrikWallner_Luxi_AirportLOWQWe had no choice… We took a two hour taxi to the closest Airport, and had to fly back to Kunming since we were not up for the 16 hour bus ride back again…

MediumFormatPatrikWallner_Luxi_Airport2LOWQEven the Airport looked amazing. Such a bummer being so close to a country you really want to explore and you just get denied.

MediumFormatPatrikWallner_Vientiane_TiredFlightOverLOWQHad to fly back to Kunming, figure out a new plan…

MediumFormatPatrikWallner_Airport_GettingOnPlaneLOWQAfter a day of resting and getting our minds set on our next destination, we figured out a plan, and the plan was called Laos! Propeller flights here we go!