London to Mumbai by Road 2016 – Revisited
Day 35 – 1 October 2016
From Urumqi to the Oasis of Turpan
The day began with yet another unexpected encounter, something that was becoming a regular feature of our journey.
After breakfast, we were approached by a gentleman named Eduardo, who had contacted us through Facebook after spotting Kontiki in the hotel car park. Intrigued by our unusual motorhome and the route map displayed on its side, he wanted to meet the people behind the adventure.
We were certainly glad he did.
Over the next couple of hours, we sat chatting and exchanging travel stories. Eduardo turned out to be one of the most fascinating travellers we had met so far. He had been travelling the world since the age of seventeen and had visited an astonishing number of countries. Even more impressive was his ability to speak seven languages, a skill that had undoubtedly helped him navigate the globe.
His passion for travel was infectious, and listening to his experiences reminded us that no matter how adventurous we thought our own journey was, there was always someone out there with another incredible story to tell.
Joining him were several of his Mexican friends, who were equally interested in hearing about our London-to-Mumbai expedition.
As always, it was wonderful to meet like-minded travellers from different parts of the world.
The remainder of the morning was spent on a more practical task.
We needed to obtain an international SIM card to improve our communications while travelling through China. What sounded like a straightforward job took much longer than expected, but eventually we managed to sort everything out.
By the time we returned to the hotel, it was already around 1:30 pm.
There was no time to waste.
Soon afterwards, Team Kontiki, Team USA, and Abby were back on the road heading towards Turpan, approximately 200 kilometres away.
The drive took us through increasingly arid landscapes as we ventured deeper into one of the driest regions of China. Yet hidden within this desert environment was one of the most remarkable engineering achievements in Chinese history.
Before reaching Turpan, we stopped to visit the famous Karez irrigation system.
This extraordinary underground water network dates back more than a thousand years and is considered one of the greatest irrigation systems ever built. The system channels precious water from the distant mountains through underground tunnels, bringing life to an otherwise harsh desert landscape.
Without it, Turpan would simply not exist.
Thanks to the Karez system, the surrounding region has been transformed into a fertile oasis where grapes, melons, almonds, walnuts, and numerous other crops flourish.
Everywhere we looked, vineyards stretched across the landscape.
Turpan is particularly famous for its grapes and raisins, and dried grapes seemed to be on sale at almost every roadside stall and market. The contrast between the green agricultural land and the surrounding desert was truly remarkable.
After exploring the irrigation system and learning about its history, we continued to our overnight stop in Turpan.
This evening’s accommodation was a hostel.
Team USA booked rooms inside the hostel itself, paying approximately £9 per person for air-conditioned en-suite accommodation. Team Kontiki, meanwhile, remained loyal to our faithful motorhome.
For around £7, we secured parking for Kontiki and settled in for the night.
As evening arrived, Chef Ramesh once again took command of the kitchen.
Before long, the delicious aroma of a freshly cooked chicken curry filled the air. Accompanied by hot rotis and rice, it was another excellent meal enjoyed by everyone after a busy day of travelling and sightseeing.
A couple of shots of whisky followed dinner as we relaxed and reflected on the day’s events.
We had met an extraordinary traveller, explored one of China’s most ingenious ancient engineering projects, and reached another fascinating destination along the Silk Road.
Not a bad day’s work.
As we prepared for bed inside Kontiki, there was only one final thought on our minds.
After the curious visitors tapping on the motorhome the previous night, we were hoping for a slightly quieter evening.
Let’s hope there is no tapping tonight!
Distance travelled: Approximately 200 km (125 miles)
Route: Urumqi to Turpan, China
Highlights: Meeting world traveller Eduardo and visiting the ancient Karez irrigation system
Accommodation: Hostel parking for Kontiki (£7) and hostel rooms for Team USA (£9 per bed)
Dinner: Chicken curry, rotis, rice, and a couple of whiskies
Most memorable moment: Discovering how a 1,000-year-old underground irrigation system transformed a desert into a thriving oasis
Mood of the day: Relaxed, curious, and thoroughly enjoying China’s Silk Road region
Join us tomorrow as Team Kontiki continues along the ancient Silk Road, exploring more of western China’s remarkable landscapes, history, and culture on our unforgettable road journey from London to Mumbai.
