Aug 14, 2009 - Dunhuang

Pretty good nights sleep under the willow trees no insects a few barking dogs but apart from that OK. Our next leg takes us to where I am now sitting - Dunhuang. ... Arrived in Dunhuang about 3. ... 30 and I think their showers worked overtime for the next hour or so.Pretty good nights sleep under the willow trees no insects a few barking dogs but apart from that OK. Our next leg takes us to where I am now sitting - Dunhuang. ... Arrived in Dunhuang about 3. ... 30 and I think their showers worked overtime for the next hour or so....

Aug 14, 2009 - the North West "WALL"

Felt much better and we didn't set out until around 9. Our lunch at a roadside stop consisted of boiled fresh corn Aden baked potatoes really good! More magnificent scenery today as we headed to Jiayuguan - the mountain to our west are the Qilian and are snow capped all year round had a bush lunch of fresh salad sandwiches considering where we are and how we are travelling the food on the rad has been exceptional so far. ... The landscape could be in the mid north flat desolate dry but then you look up and there are the mountains.Felt much better and we didn't set out until around 9. Our lunch at a roadside stop consisted of boiled fresh corn Aden baked potatoes really good! More magnificent scenery today as we headed to Jiayuguan - the mountain to our west are the Qilian and are snow capped all year round had a bush lunch of fresh salad sandwiches considering where we are and how we are travelling the food on the rad has been exceptional so far. ... The landscape could be in the mid north flat desolate dry but then you look up and there are the mountains....

Aug 9, 2009 - Xiahe

Went to the monastery again this time for a guided tour of 8 of the temples all very interesting and the number of monks is astounding - 3000 all up with many of them having to live in town as there is not enough room for all at the monastery.Went to the monastery again this time for a guided tour of 8 of the temples all very interesting and the number of monks is astounding - 3000 all up with many of them having to live in town as there is not enough room for all at the monastery....

Aug 8, 2009 - Scenery extrordinare - Xiahe

Left Linjiaxia at about 8 am expecting to be in the truck for at least 8 hours I think they say that so when we get in early it's a bonus but the time was allowed because of the roads - we headed west across the river by ferry and up and up hit 2500m before lunch and the scenery is just getting better and better this ws picture post card stuff - high mountains and deep valleys all terraced and crops of everything imaginable from corn to fruit trees to peas and everything in between that Will grow quickly in the summer months or that the cold winters will not kill.Left Linjiaxia at about 8 am expecting to be in the truck for at least 8 hours I think they say that so when we get in early it's a bonus but the time was allowed because of the roads - we headed west across the river by ferry and up and up hit 2500m before lunch and the scenery is just getting better and better this ws picture post card stuff - high mountains and deep valleys all terraced and crops of everything imaginable from corn to fruit trees to peas and everything in between that Will grow quickly in the summer months or that the cold winters will not kill....

Aug 7, 2009 - Xiahe - the people

Day two in Xiahe. ... Went on a tour of the Monastery led by one of the monks with pretty good English - We visited the 8 temples that are considered worthwhile.Day two in Xiahe. ... Went on a tour of the Monastery led by one of the monks with pretty good English - We visited the 8 temples that are considered worthwhile....

Aug 6, 2009 - Lanshou, mountains and yellow river

Well that was fun - I wrote a blog this morning and when nearly finished and of course I didn't save the power went off for the whole town - so I'll try again! It's raining so a good opportunity. Pingliang to Lanzhou was an OK trip - good scenery and getting better the further west be go and the higher up - Lanzhow itself was much better than expected - blue sky and a clean nice city. ... Had a really long walk around the town looking for a river park which we didn't find because we walked too far and missed it but are going to be back there on Sunday so we know where we went wrong and will find it next time.Well that was fun - I wrote a blog this morning and when nearly finished and of course I didn't save the power went off for the whole town - so I'll try again! It's raining so a good opportunity. Pingliang to Lanzhou was an OK trip - good scenery and getting better the further west be go and the higher up - Lanzhow itself was much better than expected - blue sky and a clean nice city. ... Had a really long walk around the town looking for a river park which we didn't find because we walked too far and missed it but are going to be back there on Sunday so we know where we went wrong and will find it next time....

Aug 3, 2009 - Pingliang

Well had no intention of updating so soon, but it has rained all day so instead of aa bush camp we are in the best hotel (maybe) in Pingliang. ... Left Xian at 8.Well had no intention of updating so soon, but it has rained all day so instead of aa bush camp we are in the best hotel (maybe) in Pingliang. ... Left Xian at 8....

Jul 12, 2008 - Dunhuang, China

We pulled into the beautiful, brand new Dunhuang train station at 6:30am. ... In Dunhuang, we visited the two popular sites, the Mogao Caves and the sand dunes at the edge of the Gobi desert. ... Please go to our Picasa website to view Dunhuang photos: http://picasaweb. ...

Jul 10, 2008 - Lanzhou, China

We arrived in Lanzhou at 6:20am and caught a taxi to the bus station across town to buy our ticket for onward travel to Xiahe (6 hours southwest). ... So, we got on the next bus back to Lanzhou. ... " Our Chicago friends confirmed that they had encountered these hotels in Lanzhou and after several inquiries at different establishments, they were instructed to stay at the "Friendship Hotel. ... " When we got back to Lanzhou, we mad a bee-line for the Friendship Hotel. ... What a way to end a rather crazy day! Go to link below for Lanzhou photos: http://picasaweb. ...

Jul 4, 2008 - Staying One Step Ahead of the Relay in Dunhuang

The highway between Jiaguyuan and Dunhuang was twinned, newly paved, and in excellent condition. ... There was very little traffic on the road, and despite having to stop for the occasional tollbooth, the bus made very good time and we pulled into the Dunhuang bus station earlier than expected. ... My first impression of Dunhuang was that it resembles a Canadian prairie town. ... The area around Dunhuang is literally an oasis of fruit tree orchards and crop fields surrounded by massive sand dunes and rocky deserts. ... Dunhuang is famous for the Mogao grottoes and Buddhist cave art, painted and sculpted over a period of a thousand years. ...

Jul 2, 2008 - Jiayuguan (We don't know how to pronounce it either)

The train from Xi’an to Jiayuguan was excruciatingly long. ... Our first task upon boarding the train at 11 in the morning was to figure out what time the train stopped in Jiayuguan. ... Jiayuguan is a tiny city by Chinese standards (approximately only 150,000 inhabitants) and is not considered a major stop. ... She was able to tell us that the train would stop in Jiayuguan at 4:50 am. ... We arrived in Jiayuguan as scheduled at 4:50 am and quickly moved through the small train station. ...

May 16, 2008 - Gobi Desert (Dunhuang)

The train arrived in Dunhuang bang on time at 8 a. ... Dunhuang is an oasis in the desert - there are massive sand dunes just 5 kms away which I shall go and look at later when it cools down a bit. ... Tomorrow I hope to get out to the Mogao Caves, one of the greatest repositories of Buddhist art, dating from the 4th century onwards, when Dunhuang was at its peak as a Silk Road trading centre. ...