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

Yurt, Lake Karakul

Big Buddha Temple, Zhangye

Hay markey, Shufu near Kashgar

Blacksmith, Yarkand

“Take a photo of us!”, Yarkand

Lake Karakul, Karakoram Highway

Jiayuguan Fort

Kashgar Old Town

Tajik nomad, near Tashkurgan

The Karakoram Highway

Camel and Mini-Camel, Kashgar Livestock Market

Little girl with a shaven head, Yarkand

Hats, Kashgar

Naan baker, Yarkand

The Hanging Wall, Jiayuguan

Daoist Temple Ceremony, Wuwei

The Earth Pagoda, Zhangye

Smog over Shenzhen

Sunday afternoon in People’s Square, Kashgar

Tomb, Kashgar

Tomb #3, Kashgar

Horse and Cart, Kashgar Livestock Market

Bridle-maker, Shufu Sunday Market

Fat-Bottomed Sheep, Shufu Sunday Market

Donkey, Yarkand

Singing Sand Dunes, Dunhuang

Tea-merchant’s wares, Kashgar

The Chairman, Kashgar

A snake oil seller’s audience, Kashgar

Newborn Yak at Lake Karakul

The Ruins of Jiaohe, Turpan

Kashgar Old Town

Singing Sand Dunes, Dunhuang

“Take a photo of us!” #3, Yarkand

Id Kah Mosque by night, Kashgar

Donkey Park, Shufu Sunday Market

Tomb #2, Kashgar

Dutar maker, Yarkand

Grasslands, Tashkurgan

A fine bull, Kashgar Livestock Market

Goldfish, Wuwei