Sylvia completes the first stage!

Just completed the first stage, probably the hardest one; 4 1/2 days in the Gobi;From sand to swamps, from swamps to almost oblivion;I run out of water for two days.

Navigated my way back to Dun Huang with the compass.Very difficult to estimate distance I covered,(my pedometer does not work) However I walked constantly every day .I abandoned my bag for the last few kms, just to save energy.

The police drove me to get it back. Believe it or not, we hit a pot hole and and blew the radiator had to be rescued by an other police car, A bit of excitement for the local TV.

Everyone here has been very kind and help full, friends sent me to friends in other areas. The city of Dun Huang is very interesting, very clean, and tidy, I recommend to visit. Far more inter resting than Shanghai or other cities I have visited. Not to mention the historic Mogao Grottoes, moon lake and endless sand dunes.

Started my walk at the Han Dynasty wall , Yumen Pass , or Jade Gate .It is easy to guess the former greatness of the construction, with the vastness of the desert it is very spectacular. I watched the rise and down of the day and experienced drastic change in temperature as the sun sets. The first night i stayed with local farmers, after that I was on my own.

The vastness of the Gobi is so impressive. The last two days of my Gobi walk, looking around 360 degrees there was no difference to the horizon, just one strait line. It is hard to believe somewhere there, past this vastness there are people.

There is only the sound of the wind and the sound of my own footsteps.;no birds,no flies, no creatures of any kind. However I felt very comfortable in this environment. The mornings are fresh and crisp and the immense night sky is riddled with stars. No buildings or mountains to obstruct the simultaneous down of the sun and rise of the moon. A great spectacle.

I sang a song about the Gobi,will sent in next mail.
Must get ready, I will be departing-for my next stage tomorrow. Will try to sent some photos soon, need to get the connection to the computer from-my camera