Set off across the desert road
After crossing the Tianshan Mountains, we finally arrived at Kuqa County. The name of Duku Highway is also derived from the place names of Dushanzi and Kuqa. The beautiful scenery is definitely nostalgic, but the wheels still have to move forward. After arriving in Kuqa, I felt the atmosphere of city life again. Our favorite is the farmers’ market in the city, because there are all kinds of native agricultural and sideline products, which provide us with a wealth of choices for supplies on the way. I still like to buy delicious and durable grilled naan (the grilled naan in Kuqa costs 3 yuan each, and I bought 10 of them at once), while Xiaoyang was dazzled by the dazzling array of fruits. Taiwanese brother and another fellow rider Lu Hang also met us in Kuqa a little later.
Kuqa County belongs to the southern Xinjiang region. Taiwan compatriots must arrange accommodation in foreign-related hotels. The price of 888 a night is still the cheapest, which is not easy for Taiwanese people. All the major hotels were afraid to accept Taiwanese guys. In desperation, we had to let them take a shower in the hotel where we were staying. In the end, they found an abandoned house on the edge of the county town and continued to camp.
For the next trip, we have two options, go from Minfeng to Luntai, or go directly from Kuqa to Hotan. Since Taiwan’s schedule is relatively tight, we decided to go directly from Kuqa to Hotan.
It is definitely rare to see a desert in the treasure island of Taiwan. Taiwanese people have always wanted to see the endless undulating sand dunes that are only seen in movies. He only had 4 days left before his return trip, and these were our last few days together.
Coming out of Kuqa, we walked along the edge of the Tarim River in the direction of Alar. Although there is a river mark on the map, we did not see the river. Where water comes from, that is, the continuation of civilization, there are still many villages along the road. If you encounter a market again, it will definitely be a bit lively. From time to time, Xinjiang people will do small businesses selling special food here, and this is also the place where we are most willing to stop. Every household feels like they have ancestral skills, and the food they make tastes very good. My favorite food is grilled naan and grilled buns, and mutton is still a must-buy ingredient for us. Watermelon and cantaloupe are the most common fruits, which are great thirst quenchers on hot summer days.
After getting rid of the cold of Tianshan, we are back to summer again. After coming out of Kuqa, as we walked towards Alar, the number of villages gradually became fewer and fewer. The artificially planted trees also disappeared at the end of the village, and then what can be seen is the hay meadow that transitions between desert and woodland. We still didn't see the continuous sand dunes. Occasionally, we could see some small sandbags in places with little vegetation coverage.
Taiwanese in Xinjiang
Because I traveled with my Taiwanese brother, I also enjoyed very different treatment along the way. The checkpoints along the road always give him special attention. Detailed document inspections and inquiries from traveling companions are commonplace. The sky was getting dark gradually, and as night approached, we were exhausted from the hot weather. The surroundings were still thick with dry weeds, and we wanted to find a flat place to camp. Because it had just rained in the afternoon, the temperature dropped a lot, and some of the potholes were muddy, which made finding a campsite a lot more difficult for us.
I don't know if desert rain like this happens all the time. Maybe it's mostly to welcome visitors from afar. Even though we were soaked like a drowned rat, we were still grateful for the precious oily drizzle. The night was getting darker, and there was no light in the cloudy desert. We finally found a very flat sand dune 100 kilometers away from the S210 provincial road. Rushing is definitely not a good choice, and this will be our warm little nest tonight.
Because our plan is to take the entire Xinjiang-Tibet line, we have plenty of equipment along the way. Tent, sleeping bag, cooking stove, these are must-haves. Camping and cooking are also the most interesting parts of travel for me, so I am no longer just riding a bicycle like before, but more like this kind of daily life. The novelty of camping in different places for one day. Tonight, Xiaoyang was tired and went to bed early. And Taiwanese brother, Lu Hang and I continue to make today's delicious food. The mutton bought at the market is today's staple food, and it was specially bought by the Taiwanese brother to thank us for helping him solve the accommodation problem before and after Kuqa yesterday. The large pieces of mutton become tender and delicious after being cooked in the pressure cooker, and the mutton here does not have such a strong smell, but feels very fragrant.
After we had set up camp and had our meals ready, suddenly the phone rang. Seeing that the call was from Xinjiang, I thought it was the policeman who had just registered at the checkpoint asking about our situation. It's really a bit flattering to receive such preferential treatment. But this kind of treatment is actually only for Taiwanese brothers. The police asked about our camping location. Although I knew clearly that we were at the 100-kilometer sign, I did not tell the police. I don’t want them to have us regroup and be asked to go to their accommodation in the middle of the night. Maybe it’s because of the political situation, or maybe the leader repeatedly emphasized the policy of Taiwanese compatriots to the police uncle. They drove along this road with the police lights blaring all the way. Went there several times but didn't find us. The next morning, after they called again to confirm that we were safe, they didn't ask any more questions.
The characteristics of the desert are becoming more and more obvious. Both sides of the road are artificial grass fields made of straw and wheat straw to prevent wind and fix sand. These wheat straws are planted very neatly, and only here can you see this different highway style. Further away from the road, there are occasionally some dry tree trunks still standing there, but most of the tree trunks are not straight up and down like in the mainland, but in a twisted state, as if they are showing their teeth and claws like a devil. Xiaoyang said that this is Populus euphratica. It is said that it will not die for three thousand years, it will not fall for three thousand years after it is dead, and it will not rot for three thousand years if it falls. I instantly felt in awe of this tree.
The return journey is imminent and everyone goes their separate ways.
On the second day after leaving Kuqa, there were still no continuous sand dunes. The Taiwanese brother seemed a little regretful that we could only get to the outskirts of Alar City that night. The last night together is always inseparable. Tomorrow we will be separated from our Taiwanese brother. He will go east to Aksu and transfer to Urumqi to return to Taiwan, and we will continue to go. The only Sichuan restaurant on the side of the highway provided us with a very good meal tonight. The Taiwanese brother rushed to pay for it, saying that he would leave tomorrow. This was also the last time to have dinner with everyone.
Even though we didn’t see the desert landscape, the weather was exceptionally clear that night, and we also saw the long-lost desert starry sky. Even if it is not as clear as the starry sky on the plateau, the starry sky here is rare in the mainland. We still chose a slightly flat place to camp not far from the road, and there were so many mosquitoes in this place that we experienced the power of mosquitoes in the desert while we were shooting night scenes.
Generally, we eat the most convenient simple meal in the morning. Whole grain powder brewed with boiling water is what we always keep. This is not only convenient, but also frees up time to pack equipment in the morning. After all, Taiwanese brother still hasn’t seen the real desert. We separated at the fork in the road to Alar. Looking at his retreating back, I thought of all the wonderful things we had experienced together through Duku and here for so many days, and I was filled with emotion. thousand.
How to rehydrate in the desert
Taklimakan Desert is the largest desert in China. In addition to the highway that crosses the desert from Luntai through Tazhong to Minfeng, we took another one. Through the comparison described by cyclists, we found that the water supply along the route we took was less. At least for the one in the tower, it seems that Sinopec has specially built a water supply station, one every 5 kilometers, so water is more convenient than here. As for the route we took, we had to bring our own water supplies along the way. Much of the water in the desert is saline and alkaline and cannot be drank directly, and even if it has been treated, it is still very salty. When we were at one of the highway service areas, we wanted to replenish some domestic water, but we were told that this water can only be used for soaking noodles, and if you don't put the ingredients in it, it will be very salty. I was definitely skeptical, so I took a bite, and it was really salty. However, we still took 10L for washing dishes and toiletries. For the rest of the water we use, we buy boxes of mineral water, and mineral water in the desert is really cheap. 8 yuan for 16 bottles, even if it is made by a local manufacturer, it is a hundred times better than saline water. Occasionally when there is really no water, the passing drivers will generously give us some. A big thank you to the lovely people on the road.
There will also be wind and sand
In the scene in the movie, the endless sand dunes finally appeared after the Taiwanese brother left. The least thing to worry about here is finding a campsite. Lu Hang’s mobile phone and power bank were out of power that night, so he chose to stay in the service area to recharge, while Xiaoyang and I planned to walk another 15 kilometers. We found a smooth sand dune to camp. Taking off my shoes and walking on the soft sand dunes, I felt instantly relaxed after a hard day's riding. It is also very fun to find a big sandbag and go sandboarding, but I am also worried that if there is a hole below, it will be swallowed by quicksand, but it is still a bit scary.
Another cyclist, Zhe Xian, was the cyclist who accompanied us all the way from Urumqi. But he rides slowly, so most of the time we can only meet by chance on the road. The road conditions were relatively smooth today, so he came over after we were stationed there.
It is really comfortable when there is no wind and sand in the desert, like a gentle young man in a foreign land. The night was still clear and full of stars. This was the most comfortable night we had in the desert.
If the weather is like this the whole time, it must be perfect. The dust the next day seemed to make us realize another side of this gentle girl. If riding with a tailwind, it must be very rare. My original intention was for everyone to take advantage of the good wind and travel a little longer, but after riding for 150 kilometers, everyone was indeed tired. Still choosing a sand dune at random, we set up camp.
As soon as we set up camp, the wind became stronger and stronger. The howling wind is mixed with yellow sand, which can sting people's faces. If you don't wear glasses, you can't open your eyes at all. As the wind picked up, it became impossible to cook, and more importantly than food, we worried about whether the tent would hold up. The wind was getting stronger and stronger, and Lu Hang's tent had become twisted and deformed. He was also afraid that the tent would be blown away, so he hurriedly got in and used his body to resist the wind. Compared with Zhe Xian, he seems to be much calmer. His equipment is better, and his mentality is also good. This guy is clamoring to cook when the wind and sand are so strong. Is he going to eat sand mixed with rice? The wind showed no sign of letting up until the evening, and even though Lu Hang's tent was almost torn apart by the strong wind, we heard the sound of him snoring while he was asleep. I packed up outside the tent for a long time and used various equipment to strengthen the outside of the tent, while Xiaoyang was ballast inside the tent. At night, we didn’t even open our sleeping bags, we just spread out the moisture-proof mats and went to sleep. Fortunately, it wasn’t too cold in the summer desert night.
When we woke up in the morning, the tent was completely covered with dust. The foldable tent has skirts that block a lot of sand. And we seemed to have escaped from death, which reminded me again of that thundering and lightning night on the center line of Ali.
The wind still hadn't completely stopped, and it was no longer as clear as the clear skies of the previous two days, and the yellow sand in the sky made the sky dark. On the last day, we were only about 100 kilometers away from Hotan, and it was quite difficult for us to have headwinds from time to time. Finally at around 6pm, we returned to the city.
Everyone should have heard about Hotan. The famous Hotan jade comes from here. The thirst of the desert road can finally be relieved here. When we entered the county, there was a melon farmer from the mainland selling watermelons on the move. We bought a watermelon from him and ate it hungrily. I saw that there was also a fruit that was white and looked like watermelon, so I suggested trying it. I don’t know what that kind of melon is called, but it is definitely the most delicious fruit I have ever eaten in my life. It is sweeter than honey and has a very strong fragrance. It is soft and waxy in the mouth. You can even clearly feel the dopamine surge in your brain after eating it. The old farmer said this was a cantaloupe. This is also my most vivid memory of Hotan City. We can also take a rest here after crossing the Taklimakan Desert.
