Week 11 (Kyrgyzstan and China)

31/8

Woke up at 7, breakfast and a thorough clean up of the truck, that took 2 hours. Carlos and I did the inventory of the emergency stock. If we have emergencies for the rest of the trip, we wil still have more food then we can eat. I think Will is too careful about us, not having enough food. Far too much food, but ok.... we did it. On the road again now.

Long, bumpy drive. Arrived in Kochkor (again) at 3 for shopping and belated lunch (that i already had on the truck). So, small blog update. Laterz.

Bush camped 200 KM before the brder to China. Arrived late there (7.30 PM). Set up camp and ate in the dark. Slept at 10.It was cold, but it didn't bother me.


1/9

Rose at 4.40. Breakfast and packed in the dark. 5 AM on the road to the Chinese border. Have to get rid of bread, cheese, etc. Laterz.
It took all day to cross the border and the 80 KM's (!!!) of nomans land. Lugage check, pasport check, another paasport check, another lugage check and finally... (after 8 herds of sheep (see picture)) arrived in Kashgar, in the west of China, at 9.30 local time (7.30).

Tired, but satisfied. The hotel is very modern and very luxurious. Nice after all those bush camps.
Then bad news: we probably will not be able to enter Tibet, which means that we can't go further to Nepal, India and Myanmar either. So, crisis. Don't know how this will end.
Anyway, Kashgar is a very western, neon lighted city, but Tony and I found a nice little local original chinese food place, where we ate deliciously for almost nothing. A little stroll to the local carnival and now... a long, long sleep (after a 20h day). Laterz.


2/9

Slept untill 8.30 or so. Great breakfast at the hotels food room. Long chats with friends on the hotels wifi. Strolled through Kashgar.

Lots and lots of clothing shops and food shops. Supermarkets, the size of 4 football fields. But actually... not that spectacular. The old part of town (the "Islam part") had a lot more history and the bread is cheaper and better.
Anyway, went back to the hotel, to finish off some administration. 2nd stroll, diner with Matt (AUS) and Tony. Drank a beer with Matt in the lobby of the hotel and now... shower, shave and sleep.


3/9

Long night sleep. Woke up 8.30 (Probably still in Kyrgyzstan time mode). About to have one of the big breakfasts of this hotel.
Took an hour to check out of the hotel (Carlos and I were accused of stealing a flaslight (at the cost of 15 Juan)); we didn't agree (obviously) and got the 15 back, lol), said goodbye to Tony (he does come with us, since we had to change the route) and so... on the way to Hetian (another hotel, so still no cooking for Tim and me). The group is only 15 persons now.

Long drive, with a very nice lunchbreak in a small city (Yeching) (lovely and very cheap food, icecream and softdrinks and a lot of very curious people around the truck). Arrived in Hetian late (21.00h). Took a quick stroll to the family square (every city in China has one) where there was music, dancing, enlightened parks, etc. Very nice, but.... lots of police (actually they're heavily armed soldiers) everywhere. Mellinda (our chinese tourguide (it's mandatory to have one)) told me that in a city about 100KM from here lots of tormoil had taken place beginning of Juli, so... lots of army presence. Anyhow, gonna drink a beer now and watch a star trek episode (TNG). Tomorrow Tim and I have to cook, so.. 10.30 (that late!) shopping and leave at 12.00. Laterz.


4/9

9.15 Rose, breakfast (only chinese food), cookgroup shopping with Tim (couldn't find a supermarket, but Tim's scene at the normal market (we finally found) was priceless). Came back, just in time for the truck to leave. Bush camping again tonight. As said, Tim and i cook. Laterz.

16.30 The chinese desert highway is incredibly ... boring!

Almost glad we got the so manieth police check. Store your passport; get your passport; store it; get it... aaarrgghhh. China is a police state!

Arrived at bush camp location (after a long search) at 20.00h (luckily the sun sets late here, since we use Bejing time) so no cooking in the dark. Eating and doing dishes in the dark though.
Cooking went really fast since (almost) everybody gave a hand.
Had a beer, a wodka and a good conversation with Greg as a nightcap. Slept wonderfully.


5/9

7.45 prepared breakfast for the group. 9.30 on the road again. Long drive through the chinese desert ahead. Luckily it's clouded and a bit rainy.
Tibet still worries me. Don't know what to do if we can't go in. Catch a flight to either Lhasa or Katmandu and continue from there on my own (and join the group again in Lao later)? Ok, fingers crossed that we are allowed to enter Tibet. Laterz.

12.15 And the desert goes on and on and on and on....

After lunch we heard some hopefull news. The application for Tibet has passed 2 of the 4 offices. so.... very hopefull and bit of optimistic, what's strange for me.

Rest of the afternoon we drove on, got some beers for the 5 men (Dave, Dennis, Greg, Matt & me), finally found a bush camp lot in a quarry. Geez, hard to put up your tent in there. Spoiled half of my pegs. Dinner was late (also dus to malfunctioning of the gas system). Played guitar with James. Went to bed late (almost 12).


6/9

Slept in again till 8. Normal morning routine (get dressed, packed daily backpack, breakfast, find a "toilet", pack tent, brush teeth and on the road).
Long drive again, through the chinese desert up north (to pass the time  we need to get our permit for Tibet (fingers crossed)). Found a great supermarket when we had to get gas. Spend an hour there, getting lots of necessities i wanted for a long time (after shave for example.. have been using Dennis' for far too long already, though he doesn't mind). The girls on the men's hygiene department wanted to get a pictures with me. Felt like a rock star. So.. good lunch, with lots of fresh fruits and local spicey stuff as well. Everybody seemed happy.
On we went, ending up (very (too) late again) at a plce where we got see an very old cave-like city (next day). The bush camp there was nice. It's incredibly hot, since we went down to below sea level. Allison and Dave made a great meal and i did my thing on my guitar. The sleep was great. Perhaps the beers helped as well... ;-) . I also found out that my porn-name would be: "Blackfoot Little Bank". Well now you know (it's a silly british game (combination of your first pets name and the street you were born in)).