This was our last hotel in China and although the hotel was average, the roses out the front of the hotel were beautiful. The bushes in full bloom and in every color imaginable.

This was a short drive to the border and then formalities to cross out of China with the cars and into Kazakstan. We met our guides and had a lovely lunch of local food and then drove to the Hot springs resort. Very basic accommodation but delightful hot spring pools. Dinner and beers by the pool. The scenery in Kazastan so far has been spectacular…primise of things to come.

This was a day of scenery starting with desert and ending in magnificent mountains, lakes and snow capped peaks. I could have been mistaken that we were driving though Switzerland as it was so unexpectedly green.

At one stage we were passing mile markers and were nearing 4,000 km since Beijing. It took me several kms to work out how to take a picture but I succeeded!

A magnificent Sayrum lake was stopped at for a brief time. Ian paddled in the freezing cold water.

Our last night in China as we cross over into Kyrgyzstan tomorrow.

This was another hot day but morning tea was off the motorway near a lake. The highlight of our day was visiting the Changu Winery.

From a distance as we approaching, one would’ve thought we were visiting Disneyland with the Fantasyland castle. The winery was based on the French Chateaus. A tour of the winery gave us an insight into the operation. After a small tasting…one white and 1 red…we bought a bottle of red to share with dinner. (white wine is too hard to refrigerate so had to settle for red)

Many times we have been entertained by the signs in English.

Our second last night in China as we cross the border on Saturday.

A long hot drive but with spectacular desert scenery. We had morning tea at a service centre and then pushed on to ancient graves for lunch. Shaded areas and a view of the flaming mountains. A walk through the graves and viewed some mummies from around 700AD.

Some beautiful scenery and of course the wind farms that dotted the horizon. Also we were fascinated to see the small oil wells…the nodding donkeys they can be called! There were so many things to photograph that it is always hard what to post!

Two nights in Turpan so relax tomorrow and visit museum etc.