Why Beijing and Taiwan?

The Film team records all our routes around the world. We now have more than 800 routes, but it is always difficult to decide where the next trip will be. Ideally, we would film every corner of the world. So Asia cannot be missing from our collection. We already have routes in Japan, China, Hong Kong and South Korea, but Beijing and Taiwan were still missing. Perfect for cyclists who have been there on holiday or who have never visited and want to discover these places, but also ideal for our Bike Labyrinth users in Asia – because you can find Bike Labyrinth in care facilities there as well.

Once the next filming trip is decided, it is Timothy’s job to plan it. “First I look up all the tourist highlights of these places, then I decide how long we will stay where,” Timothy explains. With a detailed plan they flew to Beijing, where their 2.5 week journey began.

Arrival on the other side of the world

When you think of China you probably picture chopsticks, red lanterns and busy streets. That is at least what Job expected. “Beijing is enormous, as I imagined, but still very different.” In the taxi from the airport to the hotel they were wide-eyed, and when they arrived they had their first real moment of standing in the city. A moment Job will never forget. “I thought it would take me a long time to get used to, but after one minute I realized it is just like any other city: everyone is busy and minding their own business, no one notices a tall Dutch guy.” In the end the biggest shock was not the culture but the fact that the hotel had no cutlery or pans at all – so much for breakfast with homemade sandwiches.

Filming between chaos and culture

Filming routes in cities like Beijing and Taipei is quite a challenge. The routes are carefully planned in advance, including decision points, to make the filming somewhat easier. To get used to the city (and the heat) Job and Timothy first filmed a few walking routes. Apparently that worked well, because soon they dared to tackle the most challenging route: the Forbidden City.

Chinese authorities limit the number of non-Chinese visitors to protect the cultural site and keep it accessible primarily for Chinese. That made entering a bit of a challenge. With the help of a tour guide and a price six times higher, they managed to get in after waiting an hour and a half. Once inside, the tickets turned out not to be the real challenge but filming among the crowds. “The Forbidden City was really crowded. I must admit I had to push a bit, and because of my height I unintentionally threw in some elbows,” Job says. “Luckily I am tall, so I could film above the people.” Timothy: “We filmed the Forbidden City several times. At the end of the day all the tourists headed to the northern exit, leaving us almost alone in the south. That gave us amazing footage. A fantastic highlight to visit and film.”

Even outside the Forbidden City cycling was sometimes a challenge, especially because of the heat. “The big cities are incredibly busy, cycling in Amsterdam is nothing compared to that.” “In Taiwan you sometimes wait at a red light surrounded by thirty scooters,” Timothy says. “In the blazing sun you inhale exhaust fumes, and after 200 meters the whole cycle repeats, because the next traffic lights are already there.” Still, cycling made both China and Taiwan feel a little bit like home. Job: “I am so used to cycling every day, I loved it. Especially in the evening after dinner riding back to the hotel. It is the ideal means of transport and the best way to discover a new place.”

To be continued…

Besides cycling adventures there is much more to tell about the challenges, such as eating with chopsticks, filming in all weather and driving nervously through the mountains. You can read all about that in part two of this article. Read more here.