What a fantastic read. Thank you Jan. Way back in 2006, before we got married, my husband and I did a 3 month trip through Asia and Southeast Asia. We visited Kashgar, Urumqi, went through the Taklamakan desert. Crossing from Kashgar into Kyrgyzstan on a sleeper bus where I was the only woman on board and getting treated so nicely by everyone remains a highlight. Having to bribe Kyrgyzs officials so they would overlook the date mistake on our visa also remains a highlight. Haggling with vendors in Urumqi in very basic Turkish was another highlight. Everything about that trip remains a highlight! Although it looks like so much has sadly changed in Xinjiang province since then.