Time for some photos, I think. Here’s a whirlwind look through my route so far – from Lanzhou to Khotan. Enjoy!
Checking for flaws, Khotan Carpet Factory
Don’t Look Down! Maijishan, Gansu
Cloudgazing, Qutan Monastery
Glamourous nomads, Gartse
Dust storm at dusk, Zagunluk Tombs, Cherchen
Taoists in the Mist, Mt Kongtong, Gansu
An elderly gentlemen takes a turn around Rongwo Monastery, Tongren
Carpet making/Gossip-while-you-weave, Khotan
A dusty heavenly king, Qutan Monastery
What’s left of Melikewat Ancient City, with the Kunlun Mountains as a backdrop
Wutun Thangka Painting Monastery, Tongren
A ginormous thangka, Tongren
My first (and very welcome) sight of Mt Kongtong, a holy taoist mountain in Gansu – lots of steps…
On the road to Sangke Grasslands (quite possibly, the only grasslands in the world where you can ride a horse and then do karaoke), Gansu
A laughing policeman, Maijishan, Gansu
Kunlun jade for sale in Golmud – with the dirt still on it…
Maybe time for a few more photos before the rain… Qinghai Lake
Storm clouds gathering near Bird Island, Qinghai Lake
Yellow River (of Rubbish), Lanzhou. This was taken from a pier where you can sit and drink beer (when it’s not raining) – the poor inhabitants of Lanzhou must be really stuck for drinking spots…
Spinning prayer wheels on the evening kora, Labrang Monastery, Xiahe, Gansu
Monks washing their trumpets in the Danxia River. They’d both been playing since their early teens and had calluses on their lips (!) from their practise
Caterpilar Fungus, anyone? Hezuo, Gansu
Bazaar 2, Khotan, Xinjiang
Brown-headed Gulls, looking for their next meal, Qinghai Lake
A Dharmapala Chapel, Qutan Monastery (the images are meant to scare you into being nice)
Run rabbit, run! Bird Island
Making silk in Khotan. Somehow, this lady made untangling this little lot took easy…
A rather stinky Cormorant Rock, Qinghai Lake
Snow on the lakeshore at dusk, Lake Qinghai – definitely what I would call ‘brisk weather’
Metalworks, Kumbum Monastery
Bazaar, Khotan, Xinjiang
A private prayer spot, Labrang Monastery, Xiahe, Gansu
And the storm breaks… Qinghai Lake
Ghetto Blaster in situ, Ma Bufang’s old house, Xining
Little Yak 
great photos…. enjoying your blog – Bill
Thanks, Bill! Did you and Ruth ever make it out to the far west? It’s totally worth a visit, if you can stand ultra-long car/bus journeys and dust 🙂
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