Blogs from Gansu, China, Asia - page 20

Writing this a day late, while I'm in Jiayuguan, but will do my best to remember what went on. Beijng: Woke up really early, as in 4:45, and was amazed how light it was out that early, quickly packed up my things, had breakfast, and embarresingly left a bag of milky-cornflakes on the table. I know, it sounds weird, but I had a bowl of cereal, didn't finish it (probably had to do with the fact that I was nervous about leaving) and decided to just put the leftover 'flakes in a bag, then pitch it on my way out the door. Now, I know, "Why didn't you just throw it in the trashcan in the kitchen??!", well, my friend, you have obviously not lived with a Chinese family, where wasting (langfei) is the 8th deadly ... read more

The last of Dunhuang Photos have been uploaded but no labels have been given to them as this stupid Russian keyboard won't let me, its complicated, but at least you can see them! I have been all over the place in the last few days! My last day in Dunhuang was pretty low-key while also intense. I woke quite early and packed my bag ready to cehck-out and catch my train later that night, but first I had to make sure I could extend my visa. I headed to the PSB and to the 'Aliens' section and explained that I wanted to extend my visa but I wanted it done in one day, I was given an approving nod and a visa extension form to fill out. I filled it out but had forgotten to bring ... read more

Mogao Caves and Crescent Moon Lake Unfortunately, whilst typing this blog, and getting halfway through it, I somehow managed to drop my LP on to the keyboard and in the process it deleted everything that I had written, and I hadn't saved it. So, even though I am frustrated beyond all measure I will try and re-create the masterpiece that it was. Yesterday, I managed to hire a taxi driver to take me to the Mogao Cvaes and the Crescent Moon Lake at Mighsha Shan (Singing Sands Mountain) so I woke up early after getting a good night's sleep to find that there was no hot water for a shower, it wasn't that it was cold, its just that when you turned the hot tap on there was nothing, not even a dribble. This was after ... read more

Its cold in Jiayuguan, especially when riding a bicycle So I arrived in Jiayuguan early this morning, so early that most of the hostels or hotels were still closed. The two places that I did have a look at both said no when i asked about dorm rooms, so etiher they were both full (unlikely) or they didn't want me to pay the cheap rate, so I ended up forking out for a decent room with a fantastic shower - really, this thing is amazing, it reminds me of the whizz-bang toilets that the Japanese have: more buttons than you know what to do with. After programming the shower (which took 20minutes) and then having a shower (which took 20minutes) I rested for a little while in my nice warm room before rugging up and heading ... read more

frohe vorweihnachtstage euch allen! sitzen gerade in lanzhou, einer millionenstadt irgendwo in der noerdlichen mitte chinas. eine stadt die sich damit ruehmen kann in den neunziger jahren als region mit der hoechsten luftverschmutzung chinas gegolten zu haben. angesichts der nicht eben kleinen konkurrenz in diesem ranking eine zu beachtende leistung! heute soll alles besser sein. naja, die sonne scheint (vermutlich) taeglich, zumindest laesst sich am gelb-braunen himmel ein heller fleck ausmachen und gegen nachmittag kann man, wenn man ganz genau hinsieht, sogar die berge wahrnehmen die diese stadt umschliessen. also alles halb so wild. ich vermute, dass lanzhou den ersten platz der luftverschmutzer an peking abzugeben hatte. eine beunruhigende vorstellung fuer die jungend der welt! wir fuehlen uns trotzdem recht wohl in diesem mief und verbringen einige "ruhige" tage hier (leid... read more