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.

Fat-Bottomed Sheep, Shufu Sunday Market

The Chairman, Kashgar

Big Buddha Temple, Zhangye

The Hanging Wall, Jiayuguan

Tomb #3, Kashgar

Kashgar Old Town

Grasslands, Tashkurgan

Newborn Yak at Lake Karakul

Horse and Cart, Kashgar Livestock Market

Id Kah Mosque by night, Kashgar

Lake Karakul, Karakoram Highway

Tea-merchant’s wares, Kashgar

The Ruins of Jiaohe, Turpan

Hay markey, Shufu near Kashgar

“Take a photo of us!” #3, Yarkand

Kashgar Old Town

Bridle-maker, Shufu Sunday Market

Singing Sand Dunes, Dunhuang

A fine bull, Kashgar Livestock Market

A snake oil seller’s audience, Kashgar

Donkey Park, Shufu Sunday Market

Naan baker, Yarkand

“Take a photo of us!” #2, Yarkand

Yurt, Lake Karakul

Smog over Shenzhen

Camel and Mini-Camel, Kashgar Livestock Market

Sunday afternoon in People’s Square, Kashgar

Little girl with a shaven head, Yarkand

The Karakoram Highway

Dutar maker, Yarkand

Jiayuguan Fort

Tomb #2, Kashgar

Hats, Kashgar

The Earth Pagoda, Zhangye

Daoist Temple Ceremony, Wuwei

Tajik nomad, near Tashkurgan

“Take a photo of us!”, Yarkand

Goldfish, Wuwei

Blacksmith, Yarkand

Singing Sand Dunes, Dunhuang

Tomb, Kashgar

Donkey, Yarkand