The desert is vast, rocky and barren, but much has been tamed. For much of the time, the road continues through endless vineyards and agricultural land. Then, when the village and civilization ends, the desert starts abruptly. In a dry creek bed, under the stars we lie, gazing at the heavens.
The stars
Crossing the back-blocks of China takes time. The roads are good and the kilometres pass (quickly or slower depending on the wind). There are many many kilometres to pass, and I count them down. When I entered China there were over 4000km to the start of the freeway. Now there are under 3000. The road is not busy, and we have the wide emergency lane all to ourselves. We stop every 20-30km for the regular fill of ice-tea and bingjiling (ice-cream). Breakfast, lunch and dinner is the same in China, and so I eat it when we stop. I have accepted my craving for cereal in the morning will remain unfulfilled.
Today we had a picnic lunch on a tree-lined lane between the vineyards.
At our lunch spot
And dinner just before heading off into the desert to camp.
Dinner stop
The desert
Evening
My humble abode
