road trip
After that we needed to get to Dunhuang to check out the Mogao Caves, which have a ton of Buddhist art, and catch our plane back to Beijing. We didn’t really get to booking a train ticket far ahead of time, so didn’t know we’d be able to get a sleeper, as it’s a really busy train line, and we also had a tip from Professor Lipman that going by car could be a really nice scenic trip. We eventually found a travel agent who could arrange a car for us to Dunhuang, as well as arranging some rides around Dunhuang. We didn’t end up taking the road Lipman suggested, but instead went most the way through northern Qinghai province and up to Dunhuang. So we got more views of the grasslands and salt lakes, then more stepper mountains. Some green and lush, some dry and brown with deep scars. Even a couple with snow on them. Went through all kinds of desert lands, saw sheep, Yaks, and even camels! Tons of beautiful scenery. We spent like 8 hours a day for two days.
After settling into our hotel for the first night, and getting ready to go out and get food, we found several police and other official types in the lobby of the hotel waiting. Turns out this town, surprisingly modern and tidy compared to all the other little villages we’d passed, is situated in a sensitive military area that doesn’t permit entrance to foreigners. The hotel staff hadn’t realized that we weren’t allowed there when we checked in and just called the authorities to report that they had foreign guests or something. So they said the two of us had to either go to another hotel (there were only three in town authorized to house foreigners, all of them expensive), or keep driving for another four or so hours until we reached a town outside the military base.
At this point I ought to mention that there were actually five of us in the car. The driver, us and a young couple from Chongqing. These two very tactfully worked this all out with the authorities, and had words with the travel agency for not warning us.
The cops informed us that not only would we have to stay at another hotel, but we would also no be allowed to leave and roam around the city. Lockdown.
And here’s where it pays off that our two friends from Chongqing, also just happen to be in the military themselves.
They eventually managed to talk to the guys and work out a deal. Since our hotel room didn’t have a private bathroom and had no shower facilities (because we were unwilling to pay the high price for a biaozhun room), we could go back to their hotel to shower. Also we could go with them to get some food. So we actually had a normal night out, just returning to the room in time to sleep.
Except our friends had to escort us around and we weren’t allowed to take pictures.
but here's some pictures from earlier that day.
I hadn't seen this rainbow, but had opened the window to take a picture of the hills, which had waken up the others, who insisted on stopping for photos. we then looked over to see this rainbow.
After settling into our hotel for the first night, and getting ready to go out and get food, we found several police and other official types in the lobby of the hotel waiting. Turns out this town, surprisingly modern and tidy compared to all the other little villages we’d passed, is situated in a sensitive military area that doesn’t permit entrance to foreigners. The hotel staff hadn’t realized that we weren’t allowed there when we checked in and just called the authorities to report that they had foreign guests or something. So they said the two of us had to either go to another hotel (there were only three in town authorized to house foreigners, all of them expensive), or keep driving for another four or so hours until we reached a town outside the military base.
At this point I ought to mention that there were actually five of us in the car. The driver, us and a young couple from Chongqing. These two very tactfully worked this all out with the authorities, and had words with the travel agency for not warning us.
The cops informed us that not only would we have to stay at another hotel, but we would also no be allowed to leave and roam around the city. Lockdown.
And here’s where it pays off that our two friends from Chongqing, also just happen to be in the military themselves.
They eventually managed to talk to the guys and work out a deal. Since our hotel room didn’t have a private bathroom and had no shower facilities (because we were unwilling to pay the high price for a biaozhun room), we could go back to their hotel to shower. Also we could go with them to get some food. So we actually had a normal night out, just returning to the room in time to sleep.
Except our friends had to escort us around and we weren’t allowed to take pictures.
but here's some pictures from earlier that day.
I hadn't seen this rainbow, but had opened the window to take a picture of the hills, which had waken up the others, who insisted on stopping for photos. we then looked over to see this rainbow.