Chapter 28/Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan, the most economically advanced of the ‘Stans’ (thanks to its reserves of oil, natural gas and minerals) is the ninth-biggest country in the World. With land of 2.7 million sq km, is about the size of Western Europe meanwhile its population is just over 17 million people.
First port of call for us? Well, since we still […]

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Chapter 26/China

Together with Anja and Hauke on their motorbikes, Ronald and Rini in their camper and Anand, Punita,Yash and Dhriti, the Baid family, we continued through the deserts of Xinjiang into the city of Turpan, China’s Death Valley. At 154m below sea level, it’s the second lowest depression in the world and the hottest spot in China. Despite […]

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Photos of Bukhara

After Samarkand, came Bukhara. On the route I’m cycling west, at least. It was the same for those merchants from the East trading along the Silk Road so many centuries ago, millennia even. Another central Asian city that has changed hands almost as often as I wash my clothes. First it was...
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Photos of Samarkand

Samarkand was founded around 700BC by the Sogdians. It became one of the greatest cities in the world at the time due to it’s central location on the Silk Road, connecting China with the East. Later it became a centre of learning for Islam. In 1220, Chinggis Khan swept through and...
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The Stans in Summary

It seemed like an age since I got off the ferry in Turkmenbashi and started Leg 2 of the expedition. 45 days had flown by and ‘The Stans’ hadn’t disappointed. The friendliness of the people stands out as the highlight, followed closely but the wonderful scenery and impressive...
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