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.

Tomb, Kashgar

Yurt, Lake Karakul

Fat-Bottomed Sheep, Shufu Sunday Market

Naan baker, Yarkand

Goldfish, Wuwei

Little girl with a shaven head, Yarkand

Kashgar Old Town

Hats, Kashgar

Donkey Park, Shufu Sunday Market

“Take a photo of us!” #2, Yarkand

Tomb #3, Kashgar

Grasslands, Tashkurgan

Jiayuguan Fort

A snake oil seller’s audience, Kashgar

Tea-merchant’s wares, Kashgar

A fine bull, Kashgar Livestock Market

Big Buddha Temple, Zhangye

Bridle-maker, Shufu Sunday Market

Hay markey, Shufu near Kashgar

Id Kah Mosque by night, Kashgar

Blacksmith, Yarkand

“Take a photo of us!” #3, Yarkand

Tajik nomad, near Tashkurgan

The Chairman, Kashgar

Lake Karakul, Karakoram Highway

Camel and Mini-Camel, Kashgar Livestock Market

Tomb #2, Kashgar

The Hanging Wall, Jiayuguan

Singing Sand Dunes, Dunhuang

Singing Sand Dunes, Dunhuang

Newborn Yak at Lake Karakul

The Earth Pagoda, Zhangye

The Ruins of Jiaohe, Turpan

The Karakoram Highway

Sunday afternoon in People’s Square, Kashgar

Daoist Temple Ceremony, Wuwei

“Take a photo of us!”, Yarkand

Dutar maker, Yarkand

Kashgar Old Town

Smog over Shenzhen

Donkey, Yarkand

Horse and Cart, Kashgar Livestock Market