The Lost Land of HuaTuGou

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Hi All,

This was the journey we were a little worried about. Our guide didn't really explain if there was a bus from Charklik to Huatugou, but the guy at the bus station assured there was a bus at 10 o'clock in the morning. Well he was half right. There is a mini-bus that leaves when there are enough people aboard.

On the minibus we met a fellow traveller, Andre' from Switzerland. He had been travelling up the southern silk road at the same time as us but this was the first time we'd met.

The trip was 6 1/2 hours and uncomfortable and cramped. The bus was full of people, luggage and supplies for the village where we were going. Today's trip was amazing. After leaving the desert we followed a gorge through the mountains and then finally climbed up over the mountains onto the plateau. Apart from the electric pylons we saw nothing, no vegetation, no people, no animals really nothing. The mini-bus dropped us off in this mining community where we caught another mini-bus we took us to Huatugou.

This place is in the middle of nowhere. Apart from the open mines and oil fields there is nothing. We stayed in the hotel attached to the bus station which was cheap but as you can see from the photos not the cleanest and most modern. Not that it really matters we're only staying here the night and we move on to Golmud tomorrow

Enjoy the photos

Jah Bless

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