📅 20th September 2025 📍Jinghong, China

Encounters, Service Stations and the Southbound Shift to Jinghong

We awoke to a wonderful surprise—a dedicated fan waiting outside our hotel, having journeyed several hundred kilometres with his family just to see us and take a photo together. The loyalty and passion for Volkswagen runs strong in China; meeting such enthusiasts reminds us that our journey is part of a larger story.

On the road, we appreciated the familiar presence of motorway service stations, not unlike those in Germany. It’s a relief to find well-equipped rest stops along China’s expansive highways—one of those small comforts that makes travelling by car truly enjoyable.

As dusk fell, we pressed on towards Jinghong. Arriving, we found the city’s appearance and atmosphere strikingly different: Jinghong radiates a distinctly Thai character, reflected in both its colourful, ornate roofs and the graceful elephant statues scattered throughout the town. The influence of Southeast Asia grows stronger as we draw nearer to the Laos border. Even the local population changes—Han Chinese become less prominent, and the city’s rhythm grows softer, more tropical and open.

Jinghong offers a tantalising preview of what lies ahead, its markets and tree-lined streets preparing us for the next stage of our cross-border adventure.

Next stop: Mohan