You may have already seen the photos from the first half of my trip across Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang – here’s the second batch, for your viewing pleasure. These latest shots were taken along my route from Khotan in Xinjiang back to Lanzhou, which was full of surprises and much more beautiful than I was expecting it to be.

A note of explanation is needed, however. The weather on the last week of my trip was horrible – grey, dirty and wet (there can be few things more depressing than a soggy desert). For completeness’ sake I’ve included some photos from a previous trip to the same region in 2011. I hope that you enjoy looking through them…

P.S. Now that I’ve completed the trip, I’ve taken down my progress map – if you find yourself wondering ‘Where the hell is Charklik?’, the map is still online here.

“Take a photo of us!” #2, Yarkand

Singing Sand Dunes, Dunhuang

Goldfish, Wuwei

Hay markey, Shufu near Kashgar

The Karakoram Highway

Kashgar Old Town

Naan baker, Yarkand

Smog over Shenzhen

Singing Sand Dunes, Dunhuang

Newborn Yak at Lake Karakul

Id Kah Mosque by night, Kashgar

Lake Karakul, Karakoram Highway

The Earth Pagoda, Zhangye

Tomb #2, Kashgar

The Hanging Wall, Jiayuguan

Big Buddha Temple, Zhangye

A fine bull, Kashgar Livestock Market

Blacksmith, Yarkand

“Take a photo of us!”, Yarkand

Grasslands, Tashkurgan

Daoist Temple Ceremony, Wuwei

The Ruins of Jiaohe, Turpan

Horse and Cart, Kashgar Livestock Market

Jiayuguan Fort

Camel and Mini-Camel, Kashgar Livestock Market

Tea-merchant’s wares, Kashgar

Tomb, Kashgar

Sunday afternoon in People’s Square, Kashgar

Donkey Park, Shufu Sunday Market

Tajik nomad, near Tashkurgan

Bridle-maker, Shufu Sunday Market

Dutar maker, Yarkand

Yurt, Lake Karakul

Donkey, Yarkand

Kashgar Old Town

Hats, Kashgar

Little girl with a shaven head, Yarkand

The Chairman, Kashgar

Tomb #3, Kashgar

Fat-Bottomed Sheep, Shufu Sunday Market

“Take a photo of us!” #3, Yarkand

A snake oil seller’s audience, Kashgar