I say for a couple of nights in a town called Liujaxia, where they obviously don't see many Westerners from the looks I got, and caught a boat up the Huang He (Yellow River) from the huge Dam, 60km to the Bingling Si Buddha caves. An enormous seated Buddha has been carved from the cliff face. At 27m high and 1600 years old, it's an amazing thing to behold (though not the biggest in China by a long way) and some of the other carvings there are both old and beautiful, a bit like me. I took a half hour walk up the valley to visit a small working Buddhist temple and had tea and biscuits with a very lonely monk call Putojansu. It was a surreal experience. On the speed-boat on the way back to ... read more

After crossing the Taklamakan desert (lit. go in, don't come out) and visiting the world's second LOWEST late (near Turpan, 175m below sea level) I cross into Gansu province and head for Jiayuguan to visit the fort at the very Western end of the Great Wall. Building work on the wall began in abou 220BC by the Qin (pronounced Chin) dynasty, and the remaining parts of these sections are made from mud-bricks. The stone parts of the wall that we're used to seeing pictures of were mainly built during the Ming dynasty 1500 years later, in an attempt to keep the Mongols, and later the Manchu, out of China. It proved ineffective on both occasions. The fort was impressive, with huge fortifications with pagoda-like roof structures, and an excellent museum, but it was difficult to tell ... read more

Kyrgyzstan is the most beautiful country I've ever seen. It's known as the mountain kindgdom and for good reason. I have no stories to tell, I spent two weeks bush-camping the most glorious countryside, taking hikes through the mountains up to waterfalls and glaciers, watching herds of wild horses run through the camp-sites, and then a couple of days in the capital, Bishkek, before heading into the world's most populous country. China.... read more

On to Bukhara - another ancient and historic city - famous for it's huge prison. The weather really begins to heat up in Central Uzbekistan and my farmer's tan comes on quite nicely. (For some reason, city tours always happen in the heat of the day). Bukhara had the feel and charm of Khiva, but it was much bigger and more touristy. The city walls were huge and imposing and the central square, with it's large pond and surrounding shashlyk (kebab) restaurants, was stunning. One evening, I went to what was alledgedly a cultural evening at a restaurant in the courtyard of an old madrassa, but it bizarrely turned into a kind of Uzbek fashion show... That night I went to a nightclub in the basement of a large hotel - one thing you can say ... read more

Straight to Ashgabat, the capital, and probably the strangest place on earth. Some interesting facts; Ashgabat has more hotel rooms that the average number of tourists for the whole country, ANUALLY. Petrol costs less than 4p a gallon. There are 17 gold-plated statues or former president (and local madman) Niazov Turkmenbashi in town. There are no taxis in Ashgabat, you just flag down a car going in the right direction. I wander the streets, amazed by the brand new and empty ofccie and residential buildings, but am unable to take any photos for fear of arrest. I can't wait to leave. The currency of Turkmenistan, the Manat, has been devalued so many times now that their smallest note is 10000 manat. I shared a bar-bill with two others on the first night. It came to 1.6 ... read more