After Kuerle it was another long hot drive up the highway to Turpan. I am now sitting in the front seat next to L, it's a bit squashy sharing her seat and I often have a seatbelt across my face. My prime possy in the back has disappeared, its been taken over by bike tyres, 3, and assorted extra baggage, so if I don’t want to be a very squashed toy then I had best just put up with it.

Like previous days there were a great many trucks on the road so we are always passing another one. There were a few toll gates too, these tolls are mounting up at the rate of around AU$15 per day. This must prove quite expensive for the Chinese, it is for us, the bikes don’t pay, they can just ride round the gate on the bicycle track. Once when that wasn’t possible Richard didn’t get his timing right and the boom gate came done between him and his luggage behind. He had to wait for the next car to pay its toll and the gate lift again, he had chosen the wrong place to try and pass through, but they couldn’t just take a toll from him and lift the gate that would have been too simple, bikes just don’t pay tolls, that’s the rule, so be it. After lunch we came into mountains and climbed to a height of 1800m then dropped down into a wide valley below 50m before climbing up and over another mountain range to arrive in Turpan at around sea level.

Those mountains had been absolutely barren not a blade of grass between them, the wide valleys had a small stream and some patchy bits of agriculture. There are a lot of mines around here coal mainly, with new railway lines being constructed and cotton is grown under irrigation in places but we didn’t get to see any.

Our arrival in Turpan coincided with a dirt bike rally and most of the competitors and officials were staying at the same hotel as us. I didn’t get to sleep in the following morning because of the roar of the bikes as they prepared to make their way to the track. Bikes and riders were all looking spick and span as they headed off, they wouldn’t stay that was for long once they got amongst the dust.

Most of our bikers went along to watch but Lorraine and L had other plans, they were going to visit the local museum then found that it was closed on Mondays. In the late afternoon when the bikers had returned Lorraine, Richard, Nacho and L set off to see the ancient city of Jiaohe, currently under consideration for world Heritage listing.

This ancient mud brick city dates as far back as 300BC though most of what can be seen is far more recent from around the 13th cent AD when it was sacked by the Mongols under Genghis Khan. There are some well preserved large buildings, two Buddhist monasteries, a watch tower and a pagoda are among the best. It covers a large area along the top of a ridge. In the valley below is a rich oasis where poplar trees wave in the afternoon breeze and grape vines produce an abundant crop. The area is renowned for its grapes and even a local wine industry. The vivid green is a stark contrast to the red of the cliffs on either side and the mud brick city above.

Our next leg took us past Urumqi. We couldn’t go into this very large city; there was a very large trade fair underway and they were not letting any cars into the city that were not local. Seems a bit of a strange idea to us but that’s the Chinese for you. Even 100k’s from the city we had to get off the highway and travel on a narrow service road that paralleled the highway, it did get us a bit closer to nature and we could see the villages and crops at closer quarters, along with the dogs, chickens, bicycles, scooters, humans in all sizes, and other assorted meanderers onto the road.

We had all been wanting to camp and our guide Benny knew that some were getting upset because we hadn’t had one night camping, partly due to the fact the he didn’t really want to camp despite bringing a tent with him. Later in the day when we were about to look for a suitable place to camp, it would be our last opportunity on this leg, Benny suddenly suggests that we travel on to a spa resort where he has arranged that those who want to camp can do for free, while those who would rather have a room can do so. The latter included Richard and Neil who like their creature comforts and Benny who, as I said really didn’t want to camp. In this case L and D took a cheaper room because they were daunted by the idea of moving all that extra gear in the back to make room for their bed. The only person who actually indulged in the hot spa baths was Benny who no doubt had done a deal with the place and got to use it free. The rest of us made to with a hot shower.

Here the mornings were much cooler, we are now north of the Tien Shan mountains so the cold air from Siberia sweeps across here and as L and D know, come the beginning of September the morning cool off noticeably. Even I noticed it was a little chillier, perhaps I will need winter woollies soon., thermal underwear has been mentions, but then I’m a knitted toy and in my altogether – strewth! I’m naked.

It was at our fuel stop in the late morning that L received the news that her father had had a heart attack and she would have to return home to Aus. We returned to the closest village but no seats were available on the busses passing through here, it was decided that we should go on to our destination for the day, Qing he. This is near the Mongolian border.

This town sits in a very fertile valley and is another oasis of green surrounded by barren mountains. Quite a large river runs through the town and it must be tree watering day when we entered as all the sprinkler systems were on and the road too was awash with water. With wide tree lined streets it seems quite a pleasant place.

With a tear in my eye (metaphorically speaking) I said goodbye to L, gave her a hug too, she too had a tear or two, as she caught a small bus back to Umriqi 7 hours away. From there she would fly across China and on to Brisbane. D was charged with finding flights for her on the internet while she was travelling to Umriqi. As for me I was charged with keeping an eye on D, doing the navigating in Mongolia, helping with anything that might go wrong especially with those glo plugs not working well, and any number of other things. I did have to remind her that hey, I’m just a stuffed toy, try as I might no way is D going to hear me. GET REAL Woman!!!!!

So now L has gone, I never did get any applications from anyone to be my secretary, hey! What’s wrong with me do I smell bad? Who is going to do my writing now, hells bells, the situation is desperate! HELP!

© Lynette Regan 7th September 2012