This morning we left at 8am to beat the heat and drove towards Flaming Mountain. This is one of the hottest places in China and there is a story about how a spirit is captured there who was attacking local villages. Its not actually one mountain peak but a whole range of mountains and valleys stretching for many kms. Video : Driving thru Flaming Mountain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4XVS1AQ l7Y Along the way some fake tourist villages have been built which wer...

I didnt realize the hotel was a series of outbuildings and breakfast was in one of those. I came down at 7am, didnt see a dining area, so went back to my room. When I came back at 8am to meet my guide he showed me where it was, although it had ended now, and I only managed to have two samsas (bread roll filled with chopped onions).Video : Driving thru Turpanhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07Ie08jx qqsOur first stop was the Jiaohe Ancient City Ruins for 40Y ($6). T...

I didnt realize the hotel was a series of outbuildings and breakfast was in one of those. I came down at 7am, didnt see a dining area, so went back to my room. When I came back at 8am to meet my guide he showed me where it was, although it had ended now, and I only managed to have two samsas (bread roll filled with chopped onions). Video : Driving thru Turpanhttp://www.you tube.com/watch?v=07Ie08jxqqs Our first stop was the Jiaohe Ancient City Ruins for 40Y ($6)....

If you were to blindfold and airdrop me I would think I was in Iran. This is not the China of Bejing and The Great Wall. Breakfast was in the arabian style hotel again with lifesize aladdins lamps in the dining area. They were also making fresh noodles in the kitchen.There are two time zones in Xinjiang. Officially all of China is on Beijing Standard Time. However locals have adopted Xinjiang local time which is 2 hours back. You have to be careful as all officia...

If you were to blindfold and airdrop me I would think I was in Iran. This is not the China of Bejing and The Great Wall. Breakfast was in the arabian style hotel again with lifesize aladdins lamps in the dining area. They were also making fresh noodles in the kitchen. There are two time zones in Xinjiang. Officially all of China is on Beijing Standard Time. However locals have adopted Xinjiang local time which is 2 hours back. You have to be careful as all offici...