China

Because we are all keen on roughing it rather than stopping at posh hotels, Green sorted out a lovely homestay place where we could camp in the yard and use … Read more

We got up too late for the 10.00 am guided tour of the Labrang monastery so booked for the 3 pm one. OAPs are free! Green took us up a … Read more

A herd of cows visited us in the morning accompanied by some men in Chairman Mao outfits. They were members of the Tu minority ethnic group who are Tibetan Buddhists. … Read more

The first two hours of the day consisted of driving painfully slowly through Zhangye, a huge industrial city which is growing very rapidly and high-rise blocks are springing up in … Read more

We got up early in the morning and drove to a fruit and vege market in Jiayuguan city to stock up with food. We then drove to the first watch … Read more

A drive of 240 miles to Jiayuguan, the western end of the Great Wall, passed through arid desert with frequent oases, some of which like Guishanan, were very large and … Read more

The Mogao Grottoes were simply stunning. The first cave was cut in 366 AD by a monk to meditate in and subsequent travellers cut more caves painted with the most … Read more

There isn’t really much to say about deserts. I’m fascinated by them because they are basically nothing. I spy with my little eye something beginning with S. Sand? Sky? As … Read more

Day 100, September 4th Hami The morning was spent at the excellent Turpan museum. It had artifacts dating from 6000 BC including textiles, shoes, clothing and paper with administrative records, … Read more

Day 99 September 3rd Turpan The road from Korla to Turpan runs through semi-desert similar to the Ust Yurt Plateau in Uzbekistan but without the nomads and their huge herds … Read more