Hami -Turpan
Trip Start
Mar 29, 2009
1
42
76
Trip End
Ongoing
Turpan,
Xinjiang Uygur,
China
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Dave is having a well earned rest, having had to put up with me not being able to speak today. I have lost my voice and can only whisper!
A day of many contrasts, weather, scenery and people. The further West we travel, the later the sunsets. Last night 10pm. The lateness makes for lovely long relaxing evenings, warm ones too. Mostly we wander around in 30 deg with sunglasses and sun hats on at 8pm. Yesterday, it was 37 degrees.
This morning we set off at 9am, through poorer villages on the outskirts of the Hami. These villages appear to be geared up for the trucking industry - 98 percent of the vehicles on the road are heavy, mostly overladen trucks.
Deity Sculpture...Entering Dunhuang
Half and hour into our journey we were pulled over for speeding and fined, on the spot 100 yuan (NZD20) Apparently, we had been travelling 10kph over the 60kph speed limit for 10 percent of the road!. And apparently, we should know that when there are trees lining the side of the road the speed limit is 60kph. We didn't even spot a speed limit sign. An unusual start to the day and we have been advised to expect more of this the further west we go!Soon we entered the sandy Gobi desert (it seems to change every few hours), gusty winds creating sand waves on the road and low visibility. Quite eerie. The temperature was a nice warm 22 degrees and at long last the humidity which has been 18% for the last week or so went to a more comfortable 40%. Petro chemical plants are scattered over the gravelly grey landscape. It was bleak and desolate. At 11am it started to rain and we watched the temperature gauge plummet from 22 to 8 degrees in half an hour and the terrain transformed to rolling hills and snow covered mountains. It was such a WOW experience we didn't mind it being too cold to stop and boil the billy! Gradually it became warmer, the desert became rocky and we spent hours driving through thick smog.
Eventually we stopped - at The Ancient City of Gaochang. Amazing, it was, just to walk around the remnants, knowing how many centuries old it is.. Actually, we didn't really walk that far, we took a donkey cart and walked around the best bits.
As we approached Turpan we saw acres and acres of oil wells and then, surprisingly, huge plantings of grapes. Turpan, Grape Valley. Mmmmm, perhaps another night here.....
Pictures not possible today but watch for a huge upload in the next couple of days.
