1) The first experience of water left Kashgar for technical reasons, the North line of the scientific expedition team to leave a day later than the South line of Kashgar.
Departure day (1), get up early, pending wash, only to find the room neither water nor power. (Later that day, the city of Kashgar power system failure occurred, the city's running water and electricity). In desperation, the only "dirt road facing the days onto the Eastern Campaign," the.
Scale face days only face problems, rice, or want to eat - the day's breakfast can be described as rich, especially the porridge, only thick, there are kinds of unspeakable flavor. Bites later, everyone suddenly remembered one thing: Since the city without water, and porridge of water come from? Not understand why the occasion of a sudden it was discovered that the hotel fish tank was empty.
Perhaps someone in the deliberate arrangement of the journey embarked on the first day of the North line of expedition team members were on the real to appreciate the relationship between water and human, and this is precisely what the theme of this event.
Aksu to Kashgar, the distance is about 500 kilometers. Sounds, this is one end of a long journey, but in Xinjiang, 500 km only "maimai legs" only. 314 State Road, a small road vehicle level, most of the time all of our teams to more than 120 kilometers per hour dash. The scenery along the way people can easily produce a "boundless solitude again" feeling, the endless mountains, the vast Gobi, the rest is the way to accompany our southern Xinjiang railway. Occasionally, there are some trees, may be due to the approach of the late autumn, the leaves have started yellowing, in a loess among the yellow eyes still get people, because it is a symbol for life.
Trip, the "Basin" feeling very obvious right-left high-low, slowly lying down. Basin, lying still with the famous Taklamakan Desert, in the desert the other side, my colleagues are vast oceans of sand in the tough forward.

2) To find the source Tahe in Xinjiang, the Tarim River holds a vital position. For thousands of years, it is this the world's second largest inland river in the north of the Tarim Basin out of one another an oasis, created one after another civilization. It traversed the road, had been called the "Green Corridor", and now is among the Loulan annihilation in the yellow sand has also been living in the corridor being.
Today, the Northern Line scientific expedition team set their sights on the source of the Tarim River - located in the city of Aksu Prefecture, Xiao Alar a few, where the three major tributaries of the Tarim River Aksu River, Hotan River, Yarkand River come together.
The way to the source of unusual hardship, the jeep was in the bumpy dirt Road Britain to Great Britain to go all the way rolled up the dust a long time lingers, so that after the vehicle visibility is sometimes less than 1 meter. However, this is to make drivers feel like the off-hooked.
Due to historical repeatedly flooded, the Tarim River has been called "non reins of the horse" - which we see today, this horse, "horse" are different: the sun, it quietly lying on the sand of the , if not our arrival, a few pieces fall leaves sound is that it is the greatest sound. River is very wide, it seems very little water, despite the dry season when the Department, but the scene in front of you is still hard to imagine, in the middle of the last century has been suggested so that ships sailing in this. The surrounding landscape can be described as Meilun US magic, blue sky, golden leaves, each one pressed the shutter, that is a wonderful picture.

3) Kucha trip reading "Kucha" when the words do not just lip service, it is the correct pronunciation is "Autumn magnetic." In ancient times, Kucha is the hub of the Silk Road, North Road, the world famous Qiuci culture is produced here. The end of the trip in the Aksu, the expedition set foot on the North line of "Kucha Tour", but today has become the name of Kucha Kuqa.
1 to Kuqa, I once again feel the hospitality of Uighur friends. In the Kuqa stop shooting the old town, one holding a pile of roasted Nang Uygur woman happens to come to the window before they have a warming gas, roasted Nang handed over, "give you" - it is I had to eat the most delicious Nang.
Historically, Kucha was once a place where East meets West, especially Buddhism, is very popular during the Tang Dynasty monk Xuanzang westbound learn to live in two months. These have been brilliant to make "Kucha Journey" is a "cultural tour": take the Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves and visit the ancient city ruins Subas; to pay their last respects hundred feet above the beautiful cliffs of the murals, in the Duanbi residual sorry for the lost civilization between the Yuan. Kuqa also has wonderful natural wonders, the Grand Canyon in the Tianshan Mountains, stretching for several kilometers to make the red mountain you have to marvel at the good fortune of the uncanny workmanship. It is accompanied by experts, this is when the hot weather orogenic imprint left.
Skilled artist, whether artificial or natural wonders, you can always find a shadow of water. Stand Kizil Thousand-Buddha Grottoes, the immediate wooden Saat river flows slowly; Subas ancient ruins of "Subas" in the name, translated into English is the "head" means; sometimes rising to the surface hidden underground streams trickling sluggishly sometimes, for the Grand Canyon, Tian Shan has brought vigor and vitality.
Water also bring disaster to the people here, especially in summer, where frequent flooding. However, this situation will soon change, because long before a new reservoir will appear here in the mountains.

4) The car stuck in the round of caohu Taiwan conducted a rest day and a half later, today, the North line of two-pronged expedition team, all the way to go look Western Regions Frontier Command sites, the reporter followed another group was revisiting caohu , this is the Luntai County grass Tahu.
Prior to departure, accompanied by our Luntai County Committee Propaganda Minister Jiang posted the "advance notice": the road is not good to go. But our driver Yan stage manager, was a confident, no problem. In the scientific expedition team, Wang stage manager popular with the best, everyone likes to joke with him, and affectionately called him "yellow master." Huang master driving skills well, but luck badly, which the team on several occasions under the sulcus into the quagmire Kaner Shier all caught up with him.
On this occasion I did not be an exception: In a soft mound on the trailers at the end of the. At this point the vehicle in front has gone away, we had to carry out self-help. I do not know is a tool or method does not go smoothly no power, three individual toss more than 40 minutes, or nothing. Looking looked immense mound, we realize what is "a case of not."
Being frustrated by a bus drove from far out. My car was parked, and several Uygur villagers came to our side of the car, ask what the situation, they are busily working out shovel is a pass. Finally, along with a dozen or force, the car launched a morass.
In appreciation of their selfless assistance to the villagers, we have deliberately Shao Shang two Uygur passengers, a highly respected Father and a pretty girl. After a series of gestures with a guess with the exchange of girl told us that she called the spit Su Gul, was a dance teacher, tomorrow, her sister married, she was to return home to participate in a wedding. Father's interest was always in reference to the road, almost despite our Huacha. As we speak, the other a stage manager Yi Cai drove back with us. We unanimously decided: let Father Cai stage manager's car sat in front of guiding, Gul left. Since then, Master Wong was steadily Dangdang drove all the way hum of "Do not marry someone else if you get married," to Gul has been delivered to their doorstep.
Chance Gul did not give us good luck that day, our car was 3 times into a "land array." One such case, two cars while stuck inside. Where the soil is dry and they both loose and one foot down, land on the submerged ankle, people to gain a foothold. Also did not care when the misfortune of many, but fortunately nearby piece of cotton land by relying on borrowed shovel and cables, we even dug with a push, spent more than two hours before leaving "soil matrix." Came back, everyone will have become "natives."
Coincidentally, in the same time we have to shovel digging to find the Western Regions Frontier Command sites that have fallen into the mud road Sagittarius array, said to have relied on two tractors were able to escape - and, we all half a dozen.
Before going to sleep thought of Lu's poem: "Jiangwogucun which was not sad, Shang Si Shu-round units for the country", also followed a population accounted for: "car stuck Caohu not open, had to shovel digging tires." Lu's poem is just round stations and today's round of Taiwan is not a place.

5) into the desert after the departure from Kashgar, the northern route followed the expedition team has been washed out of the Tarim oasis road. Yesterday, we Jianfeng a turn, along the desert highway straight to the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert - tower.
Luntai County has just left the city of more than 10 kilometers, reporters on the side of the road signs in the Road, see the "desert highway" message. However, since then more than 100 kilometers of the trip, we are rare in the desert scenery along the road but when the salt marshes covered with Tamarix, when but a desert wasteland serious, but yes, when large stretches of Populus euphratica.
Approximately 80 kilometers of the road, the convoy arrived in the Tarim River Bridge. Here, we team with the south line of a post expedition Sagittarius chance encounter, which included my colleague, Anton. Because each of them busy hurry, so both sides do not just hello too hastily.
And went more than 20 kilometers, which the team a boundary marker on the roadside next to a halt, pillar inscribed with the words "zero-kilometer desert highway" - This is the real starting point for desert highway. At present, this road has always been to reach the other side of the desert Minfeng a total length of 523 kilometers, is the world's longest desert highway rating.
Goes on is a true desert scenery. A tourist perspective, it Zuozuo rolling sand dunes, a myriad of Sand Sea is clearly a vast spectacular scenery of another novel; can stretch the dying days of Populus euphratica, dry land, such as the Mustang is no longer with Natiao The Tarim River as Pentium, made me right in front of a sub-scene has been disturbed: no water, it looks beautiful scenery of the number of human beings turn swallowing homeland? To know that this "go get out" of the Taklamakan there is a name - there have been homes.
But today, this former home has a new vitality. Driving in the desert for more than two hours later, we arrived at the destination tower. Here, the oil workers played well and planted Tamarix, On the next home. That night, in the desert hinterland, we and the oil workers live and eat together, revive a feeling of potato burning ribs so that the scientific expedition team's young and old holding a while Meng Fan Pen plane. There is also a coincidence that our accommodation precisely the Tarim oil field wells located at first sight.

6) Good-bye Loulan

Perhaps God get people, has opened the mysterious veil Loulan actually just an ordinary shovel. In March 1900, the Swedish explorer Sven Hedin to Lop Nur, search for the legendary civilization. One day, they threw the iron shovel of the last night of camp. Accompanied by the wizard in the back iron shovel of a few pieces of wood while also Jianhui fragments, which fragments so gentle. He will see the lost civilization. In March 1901, Sven. He will return to Lop Nor, and here to find an ancient city buried by sand - Loulan.
Loulan mystery lies in its elusive first, the distance from Korla to Loulan only 500 kilometers, and can walk this road we have a full two days. The way both luxuriant desert, there are dry lake bed. There is no roadmap, our frame of reference is just rolling out of their predecessors rutting. Night a slip of concentration, you are likely to get lost in the wilderness. The final 18 km is extremely difficult for, relying on cars to drag the desert, and we stumbled to the car before climbing destination.
Loulan coincided with the time to see the sunset, the soft light for that world-famous pagodas and three semi-mud house where Tim had a bit warm. Standing here, you can feel only peace and quiet, it is simple, even for a few relics to make you feel let down when the hard journey.
For the waste with the demise of Loulan, sociologists and historians have different views on the Silk Road diversion, water shortage, or a sudden war or plague? No one can give an accurate answer - in the 3rd century AD, a town on the Silk Road from the vanished almost overnight, this is the other side of the mysterious Loulan.
It should be said that our arrival has brought an unprecedented vitality Loulan, this sleepy old town is also exceptional at the same time thousands of years received more than 100 guests. For most guests, to have this opportunity is undoubtedly the pride of life. Therefore, we just do not care where the earth when the beds in the trilogy, in the dust in a hasty meal. In the Loulan ruins monument next to the north and south line of the expedition team had collected along the river lavished on the dry land. Water will flow back into these once an oasis of re-do? Hopefully there will be a day.
Loulan the first to leave a night, just to catch up with the lion constellation meteor shower Unfortunately, the night sky as the Beijing Korla generally light the stars dilute. At this time, everyone thought the Loulan, thinking of that one belonging to Loulan quiet starry sky.
Good-bye Loulan, thank you for giving us an unforgettable experience; Good-bye Loulan, forgive us once you disturb the tranquility.
Author: jfofo