Not Approved by LP

Back here after many hours camped out on buses. Despite temperatures starting to drop still like the place with its easy going atmosphere, good food and even better fruit. But winter definitely on its way, the fountains being emptied and fenced of and went to the Emin mosque only to be the only one there and the sign said one of the nations major tourist spots.

After room neighbours making a racket until 6am and then a dodgy breakfast decided to take the VIP bus direct to Hotan from Kashgar. Not that I felt like a vip with the kid in the seat in front promptly throwing up and seemingly managed to continue in that vain for the next 9 hours and with sealed windows he made best use of the floor – and my feet !. Surprise the drivers don’t do a sideline selling travel sickness tablets as certainly a common complaint. The nomads seemed to have it down to fine art, who despite living in such harsh conditions, eating food that would leave me wanting to throw up and used to riding horses, only had to get on a bus and their stomachs would desert them. Given the hygiene standards in that part of the world probably didn’t make difference, thankfully something that couldn’t be said for this area and its muslim population.

The journey to Hotan passed thru some nice Uighur towns and villages, lots of donkey and carts and the odd camel. Didn’t stay long in Hotan, despite an ancient silk road town the place didn’t seem to have a lot going for it unless interested in buying jade.

So then it was another marathon trip across the desert, I think something like Turkeman desert, the second largest shifting sand desert in the world but writing from memory. In the background there was high snow covered mountains, in the foreground endless desert. Sadly as we went into the best part, the sweeping sand tunes which we all like to imagine deserts to look like the sun faded and we continued on thru the night. Eventually after 23 hours the driver summoned me to get off and it was a quick drive to here.

Tonight another long bus journey to Dunhugan

After a 28 hour bus journey thru desert to here Kashgar, Jingle Bells was not the music I was expecting to here blasting out in the square but a nice touch anyway.

Anyway to backdate. Took the 10am sleeper bus from Jiayuguan to Turpan. Dull journey thru desert, a few windfarms and a nice sunset with the snow capped mountains in the far distance was about as good as it got. At 3am dumped onto the streets of Turpan as the bus continued on its way. Never a good time to arrive and left in the hands of dodgy taxi drivers but ended up ok.

First thing that struck me next morning was despite leaving the hotel at 10.30am it was early morning still, I had come that far west. As it turned out the local time 2 hours behind. Took a taxi to the Jiaohe Ruins, one of the ancient desert cities of the old silk road. Despite being destroyed by the Mongols in the 14 century still visible ruins and worth the effort. Then wandered back to Turpan.

Having not so long ago been travelling up 5000m into the clouds of Chola mountains, according to lp the highest pass east of Lhasa, now it was down to 154m below sea level to the second lowest depression in the world after the dead sea. Turpan is a pleasant city, easy going with a mix between Uighur and Chinese. The centre a modern city with nice parks and water/light displays to music. As you walk away from the center its more traditional, ancient Uighur houses, donkey and cart and a plentiful supply of grape vines everywhere for which its famed for. Being muslim plenty of minarets and the arabic script and local uighur language widely used and in the bazaar more like the world of Ali Baber and the 40 thieves which had been shown on the bus vcr
– and there have plenty of taxi drivers in the north who could have played the part of the 40 thieves !!.

robably should have stayed longer but having spent a whole wandering aroung the streets and sights felt leg weary and so took the 1pm sleeper bus to here Kashgar.