August 19, 2011
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The Silk Road (Sort Of) Overland
Monday 15 August 2011
I woke up very early as the young guy whose mum had got the unclaimed bed under me seemed to be looking for something on my bed. My instinctive response was that he was trying to steal something. Never in my life have I been more wrong. He was actually putting a gift and a letter on my bed. The gift was a packet of strawberry juice for when I woke up, and the letter was two pages long and had been written on a napkin.The letter was written in nearly perfect (IELTS 5.5-ish) English, where he introduced himself and also explained that he’d become curious when he overheard I was from Sweden and saw that I was travelling on my own through China by train. What an extraordinarily friendly and hospitable gesture towards a complete stranger and fellow passenger! I was quite take aback, and when he came back to check on his mum, we chatted for quite a while. His name was Liu and he’s a business student at university.
When we arrived in Turpan, Liu offered to help me buy my next train ticket and find a taxi. Incredibly kind and thoughtful. Buying train tickets can be quite tricky if the ticket sales person doesn’t speak a word of English.
Once I arrived in Turpan, I took it easy. The hotel was four-star (we couldn’t find any other hotel when the hotel people in Kuche helped me the day before yesterday) and when they said there was no WiFi, I became quite disappointed – but I forgave them instantly when they then said, “But you have your own computer in your room, Sir.” Cool! I’ve never stayed in a hotel with computers in the rooms before, whatever the number of stars. Is this the same China I experienced on the terrible roads crossing the border from Kyrgyzstan?!My Discovery Channel Silk Road travel book is excellent. They had listed a hotel with a “friendly tour desk” in Turpan, and when I went there, it only took five minutes to organise a comprehensive personal tour of the area in and around Turpan for tomorrow, including pick-up at my hotel and drop-off at the train station (50 km away). Price: USD 65.00. I like China!
