Aksu to Kashgar, China June 2016

Dag 43. Aksu til Kashgar, 450 km

I dag kørte vi fra Aksu til Kashgar. Kashgar er vores endestation i Kina, inden vi i morgen kører til Kirgisistans grænse.

I dag kørte vi på næsten tomme motorveje, med ørken omkring os på hele turen. Flot men ret ensformigt.

The Desert - Ørkenen med mange farver

Fremme i Kashgar tjekkede vi ind på et flot hotel. Efter et lille hvil, tog vi med taxi til Basaren, nu ligner det helt meget, at vi er i Tyrkiet eller Iran, selv de fleste indbyggere ligner ikke kinesere mere. Vi købte stort ind af valnødder, pistacie nødder og pecan nødder, så nu kan vi nok klare os over grænsen i morgen.

The Kashgar Bazaar - Kashgar basaren

Russian hats - Russiske hatte

Sweets - Søde sager

Efterfølgende tog vi til en lokal restaurant, hvor vi kunne få lamme kebab, der mødtes vi med guiden som skal følge os til grænsen. Vi tog en (næsten) tårevædet afsked med Sophie, som har været vores guide de sidste 3 uger.

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27th June, distance 450 km, driving time 5 hours

Drove from Aksu to Kashgar, which is in the Western most corner of China.

Empty Highways - Tomme motorveje

Kashgar is physically closer, to Teheran and Delhi, than to Beijing.

But modernity, has swept through Kashgar, like a sandstorm. The saddest part is, that the Chinese government is bulldozing the old city, which has been here for thousands of years, in the name of economic progress. Kashgar, is our last stop before the border.

Went to the main Bazaar, and had to follow all my 5 senses, to get me through this market. There was a pungent smell of spices, the sight of different traders, the sound of jarring music, the taste of nuts and the feel of sheep skin caps, really made it an exciting experience. We bought a few caps, and a “shit load of nuts”, for our journey tomorrow.

The Bazaar in Kashgar - Basaren i Kashgar

Buying nuts - Vi køber nødder

Had dinner at a local restaurant, recommended by Lonely Planet. Here, we meet our guide, who was going to help us cross the border to Kyrgyzstan. Dinner was excellent, and we overate again, and of course Louis ordered soup, which came in a bowl as big as a bathtub. Great food, but arrogant waiters.

Mixed feelings, this evening, as we will be leaving China tomorrow.

China has been fascinating, tiring, exiting, dazzling all at once. So many memories, that I just can not contemplate which moments are the best. Regarding, the experiences I want to forget, are Chinese breakfast, toilets on highways, smell of Chinese spices and cigarette smoke in every hotel lobby, room and lift, and the language barrier. I will surly miss the Chinese kindness, and their curiosity, about foreigners, special attention given to our cars as they are right hand drive, and looks of shock, by the toll gate attendants ( Susanne driving without a steering wheel) and lastly the best roads in the world.