Walking along ancient structures at Jiayuguan
As I stood there, the silence only broken by the river below, I saw dust rising from the direction of Jiayuguan. Gradually a bus approached, soon disgorging a group of camera-carrying tourists. Instead of photographing the more dramatic desert scenery, they preferred shots of a “Lonely Scot in the Desert”! As they insisted on taking me back into town, I eventually discovered the leader had studied at my postgraduate base, the University of Glasgow. Small world.
Back in town, evenings were spent around a market street, sitting at stalls enjoying local breads, stir-fry potatoes, vegetables and snacks. Regularly a subject of curiosity, greetings towards me would include “Hello, can I practice my English?” — a frequent phrase in 1990s China!
Leaving Jiyuguan, I got on a train heading west. Passing through a gap in the wall with views of the fort, next morning I would arrive at Urumqi, the western end of my Silk Road journey.
