the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

This short film chronicles the last big motorbike trip that my wife and I did in China before leaving for the second time. The journey took us to some of the most remote areas of the country into the mountainous region straddling the border between Guangxi and Guizhou provinces, an unexplored land of diverse cultures, geography and wildlife.

Unfortunately the video and audio quality isn't that great, as it was shot with my wife's I-Phone 7, but the best camera is always the one that you have with you! I also wish that I would have filmed more of these, especially the most epic ones with my good mate Robert, but due to YouTube being blocked in China and a lack of funds my focus was on photography, some of which can be found here: https://maartensfs.wixsite.com/shanzhaimen/china

There is also a short martial arts cameo in there for you guys. God, I miss China. I often wish I hadn't come back and dream of returning there. Anyways, enjoy the show and stay tuned for a new swordsmanship instructional video coming soon!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOCo-rfSs-s&t=2s

One of my grandfathers was from Guizhou - super cool to see a little of it as you ride through!

Well, you need to get over there ASAP and check it out before it's gone!

very nicely done.

good production

very much like the end shot of the water crossing....the locals might have seen what happens to those
who didn't make it across ...

cool bike....what kind, cc ect?
really liked your old bike



https://maartensfs.wixsite.com/shanzhaimen

that was a cool ride

and so our life came to an end in china,,,for now

Very beautiful, hard but nice life style.

kudos to your wife, seems she has an adventurous spirit

Yes, my wife is a trooper.. =P

I have a much more luxurious lifestyle now - and hate it. I long to return there. Nothing keeping me here...

The bike was a cheap 150cc Chinese Yamaha. Did the job! That sidecar motorbike wasn't mine. I was an adventure tour guide for a year and rode those.

That water crossing - one of many - was waaay more dangerous than it looks...

Enjoyed it very much, Maarten, including the narration.

Those are some of the few remaining wild parts of China. Good for you and your wife that you got to see them for a few days.

I had a 125cc Honda for a couple of years. One day I tired to go far, took like three hours to get out of the city to where you could escape a little of the traffic and the cops. Was too late in the China timeline for me as they were already cracking down on motorbikes all around where I lived. Eventually just gave it away to someone who traded it for a folding bicycle. I think both of those guys were very happy with their new two-wheelers.

Although you at times must have felt down and troubled here in China, your journey is something special, something that most will never experience. All in all you must feel you have had quite a good time......Sometimes I wish(dream) I was adventurous, but I ain’t got that spirit being perhaps too comfortable. Reading and watching others adventures is exiting enough for me ......Really enjoyed your China story, Thanks for sharing it here.

Fantastic video Maarten, showing a side of China that I would venture even most Chinese people never get to see Kudos to you and your wife for having the adventurous spirit to brave those crappy mountain roads!

Tom wrote:Really engaging and interesting video and photos, Maarten. Thanks. "Easy Rider," China edition (born to be wild . . . ).

Haha, the ride was far from easy! Glad you enjoyed it.

Michael wrote:Enjoyed it very much, Maarten, including the narration.

Those are some of the few remaining wild parts of China. Good for you and your wife that you got to see them for a few days.

I had a 125cc Honda for a couple of years. One day I tired to go far, took like three hours to get out of the city to where you could escape a little of the traffic and the cops. Was too late in the China timeline for me as they were already cracking down on motorbikes all around where I lived. Eventually just gave it away to someone who traded it for a folding bicycle. I think both of those guys were very happy with their new two-wheelers.

That's a shame, Michael, but you aren't too late yet. It's just that you will need to travel further to see the really amazing places. Even in northern Guangdong there are still really beautiful places to ride. If you don't go soon, though, you will be too late!

Trick wrote:Although you at times must have felt down and troubled here in China, your journey is something special, something that most will never experience. All in all you must feel you have had quite a good time......Sometimes I wish(dream) I was adventurous, but I ain’t got that spirit being perhaps too comfortable. Reading and watching others adventures is exiting enough for me ......Really enjoyed your China story, Thanks for sharing it here.

It's my pleasure to share it. Most people don't even know that China has these types of things on offer. I reckon that any foreigner that spends a lot of time in China is adventurous in their own way, wouldn't you agree?

I do feel like I had a good time, despite some terrible things happening in my life, but being in the States now my life feels meaningless and directionless and there isn't much interest in martial arts...

nicklinjm wrote:Fantastic video Maarten, showing a side of China that I would venture even most Chinese people never get to see Kudos to you and your wife for having the adventurous spirit to brave those crappy mountain roads!

My excuse is that I've gone off the deep end. I don't have enough fingers to count my near-death experiences on. My wife, deciding to sit behind me is a madness of another order of magnitude!

The only other person that explored like me that I know and that would ride with me through the depths of Hell - and have a good time and that would have my back when things got hairy (and they sometimes did) - is my good mate Robert, of Scotland. I'm hoping to do one last epic trip with him next summer and film a proper documentary with action cameras!

A couple of popular Western motorcyclists in China with big youtube channels have made two documentaries about their rides. Full-on production value with these.

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/conqueringnorthernchina

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/conqueringsouthernchina

Thanks Marteen, interesting. Nice pictures.

But you are wrong about that you cannot do canoeing in China. There are still clear lakes and rivers you can swim in. Even drink the water. If you come back I can take you there.

And Thanks Michael for the other documentaries, I will have a look at them.

Michael wrote:A couple of popular Western motorcyclists in China with big youtube channels have made two documentaries about their rides. Full-on production value with these.

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/conqueringnorthernchina

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/conqueringsouthernchina

I've seen those. I think that they could have chosen more remote routes, honestly. Still, they have a great dynamic. I wish that my good mate Robert and I would have done a documentary.. Possibly in the near future...