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.

Newborn Yak at Lake Karakul

Tea-merchant’s wares, Kashgar

Naan baker, Yarkand

Hats, Kashgar

Blacksmith, Yarkand

“Take a photo of us!” #2, Yarkand

Hay markey, Shufu near Kashgar

Yurt, Lake Karakul

Lake Karakul, Karakoram Highway

Fat-Bottomed Sheep, Shufu Sunday Market

The Hanging Wall, Jiayuguan

Big Buddha Temple, Zhangye

Daoist Temple Ceremony, Wuwei

Camel and Mini-Camel, Kashgar Livestock Market

A snake oil seller’s audience, Kashgar

Horse and Cart, Kashgar Livestock Market

Goldfish, Wuwei

Singing Sand Dunes, Dunhuang

Smog over Shenzhen

Tomb, Kashgar

Tajik nomad, near Tashkurgan

“Take a photo of us!” #3, Yarkand

Sunday afternoon in People’s Square, Kashgar

The Chairman, Kashgar

Little girl with a shaven head, Yarkand

Dutar maker, Yarkand

Donkey Park, Shufu Sunday Market

Bridle-maker, Shufu Sunday Market

The Karakoram Highway

Kashgar Old Town

Tomb #2, Kashgar

Tomb #3, Kashgar

A fine bull, Kashgar Livestock Market

The Ruins of Jiaohe, Turpan

The Earth Pagoda, Zhangye

Grasslands, Tashkurgan

Donkey, Yarkand

Id Kah Mosque by night, Kashgar

Jiayuguan Fort

Singing Sand Dunes, Dunhuang

“Take a photo of us!”, Yarkand

Kashgar Old Town