After travelling around the Taklaman desert we were finally forced to return to Urumqi. There is not enough time to visit the northern parts so save that for another trip. Instead we took a day to rest and buy some more spices and souvenirs.

Using wikitravel.com I read about a place not mentioned in lonely planet, the southern mountains (??) and the chrysantemum terraces (???). It was easy to get there with local bus (8 rmb, 33 km), but road was bad so it took more than two hours. Arriving at a small town we had to take a private car 15 kilometers up into the mountains. We arrived at a truly picturesque place. Mountains, trees, horses, yort etc. It was just a perfect postcard view. In the valley there were a few hundred yort spread out and sheeps, horses and cows walked freely around on the hill sides.

After our driver first tried to trick is into choosing a yort for 300 rmb per night, with the argumentation that there were no other, we found one 50 meters away for 100 rmb per night. It was run by a guy, 29 years old and of the kazakh minority. He had another 5 yorts, 50 sheeps, and 50 horses and cows. We had apparently come just of season when they were about to move away to huses further down the mountains. The high season is from June to July, when all 300 yorts in the village are rented out and the village’s 400 horses are not enough. The tourists are all Chinese and comes to enjoy the scenery when the hills and mountains are covered with flowers, and especially in mid June when there is a competition of carrying sheeps and racing horses among others.

We rented a horse each and went up in the mountains for three hours. The horse owner joined but instead of leading the horse he sat behind and I was in charge of my own horse. It was a great thing to do and even if there were no flowers it was still an amazing nature experience and I am happy that we went off season when there are no tourists.

During the night the temperature dropped dramatically and in the morning it was four degrees inside the yort. Located on 2500 meters altitude up in the mountains and far away fom any city, the night sky was the most stunning I have ever seen. Standing in the chilly dark, staring up at the sky, the amount of stars I saw was just overwhelming. It was like looking at a 3D picture and all across the sky was the milky way galaxy clearly visible.

The day after we hiked another hill in the morning, by foot this time. We climbed some 300 altitude meters, and I felt that I was far from my ideal fitness level. Heading back we decided to walk the 15 kilometers to the village from where the bus left. It was a walk that took us down some other 700 meters in altitude, but it was done in sunshine with a blue sky and a cold wind that told the winter was coming.

Notes:
- car from the bus station, reasonable price is 60 rmb
- accommodation, 300 rmb per yort during season, 100 off seaso– From 2011 there will be a new road making it a more convenient to access

Leaving Ruoqiang for Korla at 10.00 this morning, the final plan was to find a way to reach Bayinbolak. After six hours through the desert we reached Korla and was recommended to continue to Hejing another 86 km north where they should have a bus.

In Hejing we bought ticket for departure 0700 the following day. Satisfied we went to find a hotel. This showed to be the hard part. After almost an hour and three hotels we ended up at the police station. Apparently was foreigners not allowed to stay in the city, nor travel in the district at all. Even Bayinbolak was restricted. One explanation why no one stopped us earlier could be that I speak Chinese and they don’t, strange enough, believe I am a foreigner before I hand over my passport. Then they realise they can’t host me. There are a lot of non typical Chinese looking here in xinjiang as it is close to central Asia and Russia.

Disappointed we had to return our tickets and get new ones, this time to urumqi on a sleeper which is just about to leave and arrive tomorrow morning, unless delayed due to the bad weather…

Update: the bus just rammed a hoard of sheep. They covered the road and sleeping on the first row I had a clear view of how the bus tried to stop but slowly slowly went straight into them and you could here “bonk” after “bonk” as the sheeps when down like bowling pins. Amazingly enough they all survived thanks to the slow speed and space underneath.

Arriving in Ruoqiang we have reached the most eastern town on the southern silk road in Xinjiang. From here the road continues either north to Korla or south via Qinghai to either Dunhuang, Golmud or Lhasa.

Ruoqiang is a clean and pleasant oasis town. The areas all around the city is full of ancient and interesting sites but still the city mainly serves as a transportation hub for travellers.  There are several famous ancient cities such sa Loulan and Miran, tombs such as Xiaohe, wild camel reserves, mountain parks etc in the area but all except the two cities are forbidden to access and the two ancient cities too expensive for foreigners to make it worth it (quoted 10,000 and 1000). The mountain nature reserve also seemed to not be accessible when inquiring about it.

Asking for info in the hotel we were introduced to a guy responsible for ruoqiang’s museum. We got a private tour of the small collection of things they had in a room on the third floor of a governmental building. Especially famous is the ancient city if Loulan, discovered by Sven Hedin, a Swedish(!) explorer, in the very early 1900.

A bit tired after long bus rides recently we took it easy and enjoyed the clean hotel room and english speaking movie channels such as hallmark.

There are several sights of interest outside Qiemo, such as a jade mine in the mountains (2 day trip), rock carvings (180 km), and a wild animal park high up in the mountains (3 day trip). What complicated matters for us was,according to a guy at Qiemo tourist bureau: 1) the jade mine is involved in a conflict with some other operator close by on the rights for finds not making tours possible; 2) the wild animal park is on an average altitude of 5000 meters making it very cold and we didn’t bring any warm clothes; 3) the area has been badly hit by flooding and roads are just starting to be repaired.

So, as an alternative we managed by the kind assistant of Mr Xie, head if the local governments  tourism office, to arrange a motorcycle for a day. Mr Xie was by the way very helpful. On our arrival in Qiemo we called him and 15 minutes later he came to our hotel to introduce what is recommended.

With a motorcycle we travelled about 150 kilometer around the city. Going north to a small village by the rand of the desert; west to where the protective green of the oasis ended and the desert began and factories for bricks are located, east and south tracing the river first through green fields and then into the desert. This was the most challenging part with roads in bad condition, shifting between gravel, mud and sand. The fine sand was most difficult and it was a struggle to keep the bike up. On some parts the road was gone and on others covered in water. Back after the adventure and before returning it we had it cleaned up by three people(!). Clean and nice the motorcycle refused to start so there was a period of struggle to get it working again.

Dinner spent at one of the best restaurants we found in Xinjiang. A good tip is to look for the slightly larger ones with lot of activity outside with many different pots on fire cooking food. Then you just look around to see what delicious food they have prepared. In my case I found a pot that had been cooking some bone with meat and had it served on top of a naan bread. Digging in with my bare hands the meat fell of the bones and the bread was soft after laying on top of the meat while being prepared. Another four sticks of kebab also came in and the higher price of 3 rmb was a proof of its better quality. A part from the food, the second best thing is the tea, if not the most enjoyable part of eating in Xinjiang. Large as well as small hole in the wall restaurants, they all serve their own homemade tea. Eating and drinking tea at all kinds of restaurants and even in a family’s yort on 3600 meters altitude, we have not once got sick. Instead we have in each city stocked up on the kind of tea that seems typical for just that area.

Qiemo is a pleasant oasis located south of the taklamakan desert and was a stop on Marco Polo’s travel to Mongolia. Just next to a river it is green and along the roads there are both flowers and trees. The vegetation around the city also protects against sand and wind. Just a few minutes outside the center it immediately becomes more windy and sandy. A few kilometers in any direction takes you into desert.

Convenient located from the center are two attractions, the Toghraklek Manor Muses and Zaghunlug Ancient Mummy Tomb. In order to visit these you must first go to the Museum located next to the airfield and opposite a governmental building. There you can look around and read about the history. There are not many artifacts and all information is in either Arabic or Chinese. A visit is though required in order to buy tickets both to Toghraklek and Zaghunlug. It is recommended to arrange a car before going to the museum so they can drive you to the other two as well. Should cost between 30 to 50 rmb. Toghraklek is about 100 years old and built in aristocrat kashgar style. There are several rooms to look at but they are all only decorated with carpets and nothing else. After the house you go to the ancient tomb some five kilometers away. Another man is living there managing a gate to the area. Getting through the gate you leave the green vegetation behind and are suddenly on a road in the desert. The tomb is quietly located all alone with desert around, not far is the very edge of the oasis visible. It is a small building with a grave holding several mummies inside. It is a strange feeling looking at them in their grave as they were initially put there to be in peace and away from people. Now they are an attraction. Worth a visit. 

Just west of the airfield on the other side of an apartment complex is a large uighur area pleasant to walk around in. There I started to chat with an old man and greeting him in uighur he happily came up and grabbed my hand as common in greetings. There are many beautiful door gates and inside there are grape plants providing shadow from the strong sun.

In the evening we strolled around in the bazaar, bought tea prepared by a mix of different herbs, and had too much Chinese food for dinner. Was a good change to have some tofu instead of lamb every day.

After spending a day in minfeng we realised it was not much more to do. We managed to visit the museum in the evening and the director even told us to go to next city. So of to bus station we went to buy a ticket to cherchen / qiemo the following day. Well, it was quite not that simple. Apparently there are no buses starting in minfeng so only option is to wait for a bus passing through and that they have seats. Slightly discouraged by the news and lack of willingness to help from the people in the mutation we instead statred they next day trying to hitch-hike. Only issues was that our destination was 300 kilometers east with barely any towns in between. Cars heading that direction was therefore few if any.

After lunch we went back to the bus station and did a new try with the very impolite lady that just started to ignore us after first question and pretended we were not there. By being persistent we learned the following: Only two buses a day, one from hotan and one from yutian, passes through and seats cannot be reserved in advance. After bugging the lady for a few hours (and her boss) they seemed determined to get rid of us. They finally called the bus driver and arranged two seats for 80 rmb. After waiting two more hours we had a bus, although only one seat, so I had to sit next to the driver on a carpet for 4.5 hours. Not too pleasant to be aware that if any thing happens, engine starts to burn (I sat on top of it) or bus hits something, I am the first one to notice it.

With a sore butt and pain in my lower back I still had a good trip where i tried to either chat with my neighbours or go through unanswered emails.

Arriving in cherchen we had a good dinner and did a walk around the city center.

Niya / Minfeng was far smaller then expected. An old guide from central Asia traveller with a lot of information (in contrast to lonely planet which skipped it) gave many good tips. Only problem is that things seem to have changed. The advertised bus to the shrine of Mazar Imam Jafar Sadiq did no longer exist. We spent almost an hour trying to find transportation to there. A guy at the bus station, could have been a taxi, offered to take us there for rmb 200 but a lot of people was unaware how to get there. Even some local authority, whose tourist brochure we found in hotan, claimed when we called them there were buses to the shrine from the bus station. In the end we found a helpful Chinese guy ay zhejiang hotel who arranged a car, still for 200 though but felt more trustworthy than the first one.

The 90 km trip to the shrine took an hour through beautiful desert, with sand dunes all around where strong wind made the sand behave as ghost-like spirits moving from dune to dune and crawling over the road, disappearing just when the car reach them. The highway continues across the desert, a challenge as the desert keeps moving, and along the road are rows of trees and bushes in an effort to hinder the desert from coming in over the road.

Upon reaching the small village of Kapakaskan, the desert once again changed form and green vegetation emerged with the help of niya river oasis. At the end of the village was a checkpoint, and we had to search for someone to allow us to continue the last 5 kilometers to the shrine. As a very holy place we not only had to pay 50 rmb per person, but also leave cameras with the man and have our passport details recorded. Arriving at the shrine there were about ten people resting in the shadows and we were told to wait for the man responsible so he could show us around. Sleeping just a few meters from us a lady finally took the initiative to wake him up. We first went to the mosque, a simple looking building with area for prays, and then wandered around among  old buildings behind it. A bit further away below a sand dune was some ancient buildings 700 years old where dining areas was still well preserved. Outside the building was an area were animal  sacrifices were either done it preferred. At least was there remains laying on the ground. Scattered around the area were also graves with interesting decorations in the form if branches and trees. Above the building on top of the sand dune was the holy shrine and end destination for pilgrimages. Unfortunately, our visit came around 15.00 during Ramadan and we was explained that they could not go up there before they have had food which they would in the evening, and we were not allowed to venture up alone. With a slightly stressed driver and many hours to wait we went back to the city instead.

Back in town we tried to post some stuff to shanghai but neither honey nor knives were allowed to be sent in a package. Being told in the airport that knives are not even allowed in check-in luggage I make the conclusion that knives are not supposed to be carried at all and we will see if my handmade knives from yingisar will be confiscated later on or not.

Dinner was spent with a Chinese guy we ran into on the street trying to find transportation to our next destination.

Happy with hotan we continued east with bus another 300 kilometres to Niya (Minfeng). A nice newly made road where some parts had been destroyed by either sand or flooding.

Reading the travels of Marco polo I found out he also took the same route in Xinjiang before going into Mongolia.

Bus was the smallest so far with far from enough leg space. There was an option of private car but for the double price of 80 rmb I thought ut was not worth it. I might have been wrong. Still, after two hours in the road the neighbours started to chat and ended up having dinner with one of them. He also helped us find a hotel and we bought some fresh fruit on the street.

Hotan’s Sunday bazaar rivals the one in kashgar, but the best part is the lack if tourists. It was a pleasant chaos that stretched over a large area and even out in the streets where motorcycles and horse or donkey carriages where transporting everything from people to wood. It is organised into different areas for different products such as carpets, hats, scarf etc etc

Close to the bazaar is a small jade workshop, one part where they have eight stations making jade jewelry and an other with jade for sale. Hotan is full of street stands selling jade or at least jade looking stones. Not having a clue how to tell the difference we spent some time in the workshop looking at everything from small stones from qinghai mountains for one hundred rmb to white hotan river jade bracelets exceeding 80,000 rmb. As usual, after seeing really good jade you cannot but cheap ones so ended up buying a simple necklace of white hotan jade from the kunlun mountains for a somewhat higher price than planned….

After two weeks we have started do some souvenir shopping and after stocking up on home made jam and honey, next mission is to find a post office and send it all to shanghai.

Arranged through CITS we went on an overnight desert trip. Insisting on not having a guide with us they seemed to involve two more locals for safety reason so all in all we were a caravan of five people and seven camels.

Close to the area where we met up with the camel driver was the famous Rawak Stupa, an ancient Buddhist temple in the middle of the desert. Before only accessible by 4WD car + camel, today by newly made tarmac all the way as a side track of the new cross desert highway. We were informed by the travel agency a permit to visit was needed to the cost of RMB 500 per person. Considering it at first we then skipped it as to expensive. Upon reaching the camel caravan, one guy talked to our driver and translation went something like: if we want to visit the temple the guy can arrange a permit for RMB 200 per person. This as some bosses are away and you can avoid some costly bureaucracy. Wanting to visit it we gave it a try. We rode the camels for about an hour to the backside of the temple. There a sanddune had moved so it covered the fence surrounding the area…..all in all, although it was fascinating with the fact of an old Buddhist structure in the desert, it was not much more than a pile of mud resembling some kind of building. So it was a disappointment and not worthy that much money, especially not RMB 500. But of course it us of historical value.

The ride continued for another half hour to some larger sand dunes where we camped for the night. It was a few minutes of painful walk after spreading your legs over a camel back one and a half hour. Enjoying some water and naan bread on a blanket we spent the night enjoying the silence and looking at the clear sky and all its shiny stars. Surprisingly there was some small rain in the morning.

Location of our camp:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=loc:37.36393,80.16222(I+am+here+-+37+21.835+N+80+9.733+E)