Rainclouds and Snowstorms
First for the rainclouds… It’s been a wet afternoon here in Hong Kong. Earlier, as I squeezed my way through the forest of head-height umbrellas that lined a crowded section […]
Category Archives: China
5 Photos: From the Archives
Last week, as I sat in a hotel in Burgundy overlooking acres of vineyards and writing about the Karakoram Highway, I realised the strangeness of writing about China regardless of my […]
The Karakoram Highway
Earlier this year I went along the Karakoram Highway for the first time. Lacking both time and a Pakistani visa, I was unable to complete the whole route from Kashgar […]
5 Photos: Hong Kong and the Sea
Treasure for pirates, a bumper catch for fishermen, freedom for refugees and vitamin D for pasty tourists; Hong Kong’s coastline and the warm waters that surround it have long fulfilled […]
How to say ‘Hello’ in Uyghur
China ebbs away as you travel west through Xinjiang, until at some point you discover yourself on a dusty street in Kashgar, roast lamb scenting the air and the Muezzin’s […]
Great Markets of Northwest China 3: Muddy Jade
Deep within the Kunlun mountains (昆仑山 Kūnlún shān) lie enormous reserves of jade. Thick veins of nephrite – from opaque, milky-white stone to the more typical deep green type – […]
Great Markets of Northwest China 2: Fat-Bottomed Sheep
As she walks past, her bottom jiggling with each step, the men’s heads turn and their eyebrows rise appreciatively. A wolf whistle would not be out of place, although nobody […]
Great Markets of Northwest China 1: Caterpillar Fungus
Hui Muslim traders gather in small groups to make deals and haggle over prices. Tibetan ladies sit on low stools, vigorously brushing dirt off their wares with wire wool. Middlemen […]
Photographic Evidence, Days 19-40
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 […]
How to keep cool in Xinjiang
You’re 3,000 miles away from the nearest coast, it’s 10am and 38°C outside, and it’s a Muslim region so cold beer and short shorts are not an option. How on […]
The Accidental Tomb Raider
I arrived in Cherchen in the middle of a dust storm. It had been gathering since I left Golmud the previous morning, gradually erasing the mountains and blotting out the […]
The Road to Golmud
As I sat on Bird Island waiting for the bus, it was just as well I didn’t know what was coming up next en route to Golmud. The journey – […]
Photographic Evidence, Days 1-18
Time for some photos, I think. Here’s a whirlwind look through my route so far – from Lanzhou to Khotan. Enjoy!
To Bird Island
Other than staring out at the vast emptiness that comprises most of the province, the main ‘thing to do’ in Qinghai is to visit Qinghai Lake. More pleasingly known by […]
Getting Going in Gansu
I was prepared to dislike Tianshui when I arrived here a few hours ago. This was due to a few reasons, none of them very good (the bus broke down, […]
Little Yak 