Southern Silk Road Part 04: GPS Coordinates for Filling Stations
Rouqiang is the last town in Xinjiang before heading into the Qinghai Province. Still feeling utterly terrible, I decide to drive the three or so hours from Qiemo and have […]
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Andy Smart
Andy Smart quit the UK ten years ago and now lives in Beijing. So far he has visited half of China’s provinces recording each journey in his own unique streetwise style. He has also been a teacher since 1991 developing his own successful TEFL package for spoken English in the PRC.
Southern Silk Road Part 03: Three Star Hotels
Morning. Only twenty more hours driving until I’m out of Xinjiang and into Qinghai. I’m not well at the moment and its hard concentrating on the road. Something I ate? […]
Southern Silk Road, Part 02: Diversions
Right. Monday morning! It’s still dark though the full moon illuminates the street as I load up the Land Cruiser. Things get going slowly in Xinjiang and there’s still no […]
Cross China Road Trip 11: Southern Silk Road, Part 01. High Anxiety.
Kashgar. So I’m lying on the bed at the Super 8 three star hotel when it suddenly dawns on me that it’s maybe a good idea to take a look […]
Cross China Road Trip 10: The Dazzling Colours of Old Town, Kashgar
I don’t remember too much of the modern part of the city. As a resident of China for over ten years you get used to its typical style of architecture […]
Cross China Road Trip 09: The South East Silk Road to Altai
To Visit or Not to Visit? That is the Question. From the beauty and hospitality of the Tibetan region of southern Lanzhou, via a two day trip across the Qilian […]
China’s Grim Air Quality: Testing Anti-Pollution Masks on YouTube
Hi there all. Hope you had a brilliant Christmas. Being that the air is as heavy as mustard gas this year I thought I’d treat myself to the latest anti-pollution […]
For the Love of Blog: WordPress Friends Never Leave You
I’ve had a number of revelations recently regarding blogging. After years of struggling to find what it’s all about and being blocked by the Great Firewall at every turn, things […]
Langmusi: The Tibetan Lady and the Pear
Third part of three: To understand the TWAF phenomenon please read Part 2 first >here< As the day moves on I proceed down the valley to Namo Gorge. Damn it! […]
Chinglish II: Forbidden to Wear a Life-Jacket on the Boat
click on the image and its much more readable ‘Chinglish’: the laughably bad Chinese > English translations you find all over China. There are also many examples in neighbouring countries […]
Langmusi: An Inspiring Spectacle but Shameful Behaviour
Second part of three. Please go >here< to go to Part 1 Blessed Relief. I slept well with no nightmares, visitations or illnesses occurring. Phew! Must have been down to […]
My Lovely Stats Counter Has Been Removed
Yesterday I woke up to see that my lovely stats counter had vanished. Not only that, but a big white square with the word ‘write’ had appeared and also a […]
Cross China Road Trip 08: Langmusi, Sky Burial Site
Langmusi: Part one of three. Please go >here< for Part 2 A few hours south of Xiahe you will find Langmusi. Though this is also a thoroughly Tibetan town there’s […]
Tibetan Monks Rescue Coal Truck
South of Lanzhou in the Gansu & Sichuan provinces, the area is largely populated by Tibetans. So I was out on a Sunday hike around the Kirti Gompa Monastery in […]
Cross China Road Trip 07: Gansu Province, Xiahe. Circumambulation via Prayer Wheels on the Kora Path
Updated with link to new video on YouTube: Max China. Find below and enjoy. Circumambulate: ‘To walk or go about or around, especially ceremoniously’ Xiahe is a Tibetan town in […]
Cross China Road Trip: YouTube Channel
Beijing to Kashgar along the Southern Silk Road and across the Qinghai Province Hi there all Along the way I’ve been filming as much of the trip as possible […]
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