City Hotel Urumqi

... Next on the list was drinking slushies and beer in the park, then KTV. We figured an hour of KTV would probably do the trick, but ended up yowling away for about 3 instead. Finally, after noodles and beer we parted company. I was extremely happy to have met Ma Jun and sad to see him go. The next day, LX and his uncle took me to the airport. I was already out of sorts in the morning. I had had a fantastic time in Xinjiang. I had met so many lovely people ...

... Chinese people show their affection through food. She was pretty keen on me and wouldn't take no for an answer. After I got back, LX and his friend Ma Jun (who is Hui) took me to a Hui market area selling traditional foods. The food was good but we got harassed continuously by two wasps that were pretty keen on sharing our meal with us. Plus I got stared at a lot again. After being mistaken for being Kazak or Russian (?!) for the past few days, I was not particularly phased, but I ...

... family. There was much muttering outside the temple from travelers who complained that the whole thing was a capitalist venture poorly disguised under a cloak of religion. Whatever, even Daoist monks need to make a living, I guess. However, feeling scandalized by the cost of incense did not stop us from making a donation so that we could beat the **** out of a huge bell overlooking the lake. It was supposed to be lucky. And let's face it, hitting noisy stuff is fun. On the way back we ...

... us went off to play pool. I was plagued by dizziness the whole day. I had had this once before in Jinan, but never so serious. Dizziness, blurred vision and a blocked ear. LX was worried it was because I had knocked my head and nose on the bars in the taxi the night before, but I thought otherwise. I've had lowish blood pressure for the past five years or so. I've fainted a few times and get dizzy if I stand up too quick. Since I ...

... As someone who was a journalist or a spy trying, in their eyes, to twist a tragedy in order to attack China. Not sympathetic and not a friend. This feeling stayed with me until I got my bags and went to a bookshop to wait for LX. The shop keeper treated me normally. LX was his usual self. The taxi driver was friendly and made efforts to calm my nerves by telling me not to worry about all the police and road blocks. I told him I wasn't the slightest bit worried about road blocks ...

... with us for most of our 30 or so day's travels. And the thought of food - or even alcohol - was nauseating.

The Hoi Tak Hotel puts on a great evening Smorgasbord, with special treats such as Russian smoked salmon and caviar, lavish seafood (despite Urumqi being known as the city furtherest away from a coastline in the world) a great variety of meat and poultry dishes and a wonderful display of both Asian and European foods.

Neither of us could face such a ...

... Momo for three nights. She showed me all of the best places in town, and I kept pushing back my departure date. On Friday I packed up the bike and was ready to go, but I just couldn't leave. It was cold and rainy and all I wanted to do was go to another good restaurant and drink hot coffee. I figured I could drive all day Saturday to reach the border, then cross on the last day of my visa. Whatever problems it would cause, it was worth it.

... elle est ecrit depuis 1983 en Arabe utilise phonetiquement. De 1969 a 1983, l alphabet utilise etait le meme que le notre, ainsi les gens peuvent prononcer les mots de mon guide de voyage ou meme ecrire quelque chose que je comprends. Le lendemain, journee pluvieuse, on en profite pour visiter le musee de la region autonome de Xinjiang. Il est renove depuis peu et est tres agreable et complet. Un peu trop meme, il est difficile de rester concentrer jusqu a la fin. Entre autres ...

... were first in (still working on Beijing time we were more keen than women queueing outside Next on Boxing Day) which was brilliant as we just got to wander amongst the 2000 year old ruins without the constant stream of tour-group flags. The place is massive and a lot of it is very well preserved - particulary given the fact it's made of clay! After Turpan, it was a short bus journey to the provincial capital, Urumqi. Here we mainly battled with the ...

... as the Kashgar for Y120, but it is A/C, and has a good bathroom with mixer taps, an intact WC, and hot water, plus breakfast thrown in. From our 12th floor we get a good view down onto the colourful street and centre divider, and an interesting view down on the decrepit rooftops and communist-era apartment buildings. Urumqi, population 2,800,000, is the furthest place in the world from an ocean (2,250 kms), and is basically a transport ...