6th May 2024 Arataki
Maurice O’Reilly introduced his claim to fame as his book “A Series of small explosions”. It was the winner of the Autobiography Category – NZ Book Month in 2011. He co-founded the Bay Off roaders and is a Life Member of the Tauranga Mount Motorsport Club. In his heart he is still a ‘Boy Racer’ with his principal love being ‘things mechanical’. Maurice has flown fixed wing aircraft and helicopters, raced jet boats, been a Search & Rescue skipper and is active in 4WD – but most of all, raced cars.
He has visited many countries in the world with his wife being the instigator and motivator. Today he talked us through some of his 4 month 22,000km trip from Hong Kong to London, specifically crossing China. Route planning required the agreement of the Chinese Embassy Travel Bureau in NZ before they could set foot in China. Despite this, many aspects could not be finalised until they had landed with their vehicles restricted to travel on trucks. It took 6 weeks for Chinese registration, insurance and, WOF’s (including failing Co2 emissions first time around!). Annoying as the smog encountered in the cities was awful! Obtaining Chinese Driver’s licenses included a test. They sat facing away from a Chinese speaking official with a long stick! The stick was raised and then placed carefully either side of each person – just to check everyone’s peripheral vision! This test, now passed, proved to be very necessary when driving in China – he who hesitates or wanders out of lane does NOT win!
Finally, with 2 lifelong friends as companions and two vehicles with ‘grunt’ and the facility to cover many types of terrain (including deserts), they set off with their Guides. Each Chinese province required a pre-ordained guide previously from tour companies. Whilst reticent at first, thinking that the group were government spies’ reporting on what was said, they eventually chatted about their lives, families and aspirations. As tour guides they mainly faced their audiences which meant not facing the road and following a route. This created problems when following the route. At intersections, it was often the next vehicle who was asked to help with navigation. Tricky!
The road travel gave the most amazing sights and laughs!
Traffic lights occurred in ‘bunches’ up to 4/5 per intersection and usually completely ignored. The sheer volume of traffic in cities was overwhelming: nose to tail congestion, 11 lane roads and spaghetti-like, 3 tier highway intersections. Traffic negotiation & no looking right or left was the name of game especially at roundabouts! Driving seemed to be a lifelong Chinese game!
The many vehicles encountered, apart from cars, seemed to be based on small motor cycle engines often no more than 250cc. always pumping out fumes. Scooters carried the whole family including children and the shopping. Specialised umbrellas gave overhead protection as they extended over the length of the whole vehicle giving shade to people, livestock, chattels, produce, household goods and waste. Specially decorated motorcycles were easily recognised as owned only by the Tong gang. Three axle buses, with extended chassis and an additional raised back set of wheels were common. When the bus became heavily occupied, the weight on the chassis naturally lowered the extra wheels to the ground, providing stability!
In city outskirts and rural areas self made UTE’s, from single cylinder engines and accompanying fly wheels, or modified tractors, were attached to trailers and used for everyday heavy transport.
Securing these loads was very minimal. Used washing line was a great favourite, alongside a sprawling helper on top. Minimum securing of loads was even to be seen on 2 tier trucks transporting 14/16 cars. Such loading, securing and treatment of trucks and home made vehicles for transport, created many roadside casualties.
Travel in between cities was on a mix of highways, 2 lane roads and tracks beside roads that were being built. As these new roads were often built on tracks used for centuries, all ‘UTE’s and tractor/trailers occupied the ‘fast lane’. Hair-raising overtaking speeds of +120km/hr were witnessed, but then on smaller roads travel was slow as heavily laden trucks filled the road and could not be overtaken. Weird technology advances were witnessed too when large white satellite dishes (actually solar panels) cruised by dwarfing the driver and vehicle.
Fuel was cheap but could only be had on the black market. Locating Black marketers was not a problem even friendly policeman happily gave directions sellers of both currency and fuel. In Kazakhstan, converted notes were carried in a plastic supermarket bag‘s by everyone. Useful when an ice cream cost 7,000,000soms at the time of travel.
All of this sounds stressful but many of the visual road signs provided laughs along the way. Here are some examples, often ‘lost in translation’:
- Cyclists are fair game – incorporating cars, lying bodies with injuries and fallen cycles
- Beware of Safety; Slip carefully; Beware of missing foot
- Smog warning – Smoky car land!
- No drunken driving, Do drunken drive – including cars with bottles/glasses/split liquid
- Over speeding prohibited
- Do not drive tiredly- depicting a yawning driver
- Waste discard prohibited – items being thrown out of car
- Rear end collision – keep space partake in game!
- No bugle playing and Racist Park
- Toilet humour included :
- You can enjoy fresh air after finishing a civilised urination,
- Free toilet paper please treasure use
- Warm tips – urinate in style
Humour was much needed when facing the diabolical conditions of the very public toilets – communal stalls with holes in the ground and no privacy.
As in all travel it is contact with people that create fascinating memories. On the whole Chinese people were polite, helpful and very curious; especially in smaller towns.
Outside the cities food was found to be fresh, wholesome and edible without consequences. Whilst breakfast was in hotels and lunch bought on the run, dinner was taken in small local restaurants. Some delights such as Chicken beaks, gizzards & feet were avoided.
In small towns European people were a novelty. Once, in a rural restaurant, within an hour the number of diners swelled to almost 100 people. All crowding in to watch the group eating their dinner and finding their chop stick eating habits funny and amazing. After a while, locals frustrated with their lack of skills, took the chop sticks and fed them individually with great care! A local Mayor even offered to take the group home for the night; clearly enjoying their ‘odd’ habits and increasing his own prestige.
In general the group felt safe and only encountered difficulties when faced with officialdom. When ‘difficulties’ arose the ‘little brown bag’ appeared and things were smoothed over. In Kyrgyzstan they were stopped by a policeman jumping out of a shelter with a red painted paddle asking them to stop and accused them of ‘hitting’ another car, despite no other cars being around. Demanding all Driving licence and passports were taken and $US300 bribe required. Eventually, the equivalent of NZ $50 was paid under the cover of the dash board of his car and out of sight of his official escort!
Another occasion had consequences. When driving on a high way between cities a police road block appeared. Accused of ‘speeding’, even though there were no cars or police cameras to be seen, they were fined. Although after hours of negotiation the fine was eventually withdrawn. Tracked down through their passports, which were kept in local police safe, this incident was bought to the attention of the police in Beijing. A call from Chinese Travel Bureau in NZ resulted citing this infringement, stating it was to be their last otherwise they all would be deported!
All in all, the entire trip was loved. All the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and experiences provided wonderful memories that added to their treasure trove of travelling fun.
The conclusion to this wonderful talk was expressed in the sign seen when leaving every Chinese city: THANKYOU FOR YOUR WELCOME, BON VOYAGE TO YOU!
U3A Beachside - Papamoa, Mount Maunganui, Te Puke 