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‘What is huoche in English?’
‘Train.’ I answer.
I slam on the brakes. What is that symbol that I have seen everywhere that my Chinese app doesn’t recognize. ‘And,’ replied Achun.
Usually we speak in Chinese, and we get by. He is our spokesperson when we speak to others. We saw lots of people in the green, grape growing region. And then no-one – just cars zapping by as we passed the through rocky desolate plains.

The empty road

I got up early to see the desert sand dunes that Shanshan is famous for. Although they look good, I really don’t like arriving, passing the tourist gate, and then the sand buggies, the camels, and the sleds that can all be hired to traverse the dunes. Achun was asleep when I left for the dunes, and asleep when I returned.

The Shanshan dunes

Today was always going to be a long ride. We followed the road parallel to the freeway until it fizzled out. Then it was just eating the kilometres, climbing up to 1200m before descending again to below 1000m. We’re staying in a little room in a restaurant. I’m glad I know where all these places are – lots of helpful information from a Chinese cyclist I me in Turpan.

Me and Achun