China Old Silk Road part one

Day 6 - Took a bicycle trip to a commune farm along the backstreets of rural China. Visited a typical rural house and a very basic hospital. A highly recommended do.

Day 7 - A long 41 hours train ride to Linyuan then bus to Danhuang, Gansu District.

Day 8 - Nearby is the famous Mogao caves, with 1,000 Buddha caves, with beautiful painted murals and temples. There were hundreds of Japanese tourist as well.

Day 9 - Did the desert dunes and walkabout Danhuang town. Grouped up with some Taiwanese to hire a van to take us to Turpan.

Day 10 - The journey took 16 hours. Visited the Buddha caves in Bezeklik, Gaochang Ruins and the flaming mountains.

Day 11 - Turpan is known as the City of Grapes with streets lined with pretty grape vines. Consumed lots of raisins which are very cheap. Toured Grape valley and the Emin Minaret. Walkabout the interesting Turpan town and market and enjoyed Uzbekis barbequed mutton and hostpitality.

Day 12 - Onwards to Urumqi, only 5 hours away. Walkabout this very typical Chinese town. Had a sumptous Chinese meal and at a popular but expensive restaurant.

Day 13 - Headed towards Tianchi, the Switzerland of China, beautiful area. Stayed in a Mongolian tent called a yurt for two nights. Walkabout the area.

Day 14 - A half day of horse riding to the snow line. Very pretty country side of forests, streams and waterfalls. Lepaked the rest of the day beside this Lake of Heaven.

Day 15 - Bussed back to Urumqi and more town walkabouts.

Tianchi - China's Switzerland / Poplar trees lined Kashgar

Day 16 - Early morning departure to mystical Kashgar, the central meeting place of the old silk route. This is a 36 hours ride on 16 persons bus with beds allowing to have a proper sleeping position.

Day 17 - Stops at some small rural towns for food etc. Arrived in Kashgar in the evening.

Day 18 - Walkabout this very interesting town and market. Most of the streets are lined with tall straight poplar trees with normally a small stream on the sides.

Day 19 - Had a whole day browsing the world famour Kashgar Sunday Market where you could buy practically anything from camels to 'chilies'. This market is centuries old and was the site where all the traders of Europe and Asia met.

Chillies sold in Kashgar / Yurt on the Karakoram Highway

Day 20 - Boarded the bus for a 14 hours bus ride to Tashkurgan, a Chinese border town The bus passed through mostly small towns and farms.

Day 21 - The scenery to Sust in Pakistan took the whole day but we passed some of the most beautiful country that we have ever seen, from snow capped mountains, alpine lakes, highland farms, massive mountain sides of the Khunjerab Pass via the world famous KKH or Karakoram Highway. Arrived late because of engine trouble.