CHINA DIARY
October
9
This edition of Desert Therapy is truly extraordinary. For the first
time since my journey in 1998 I returned to China. Many years have
passed and the expectations are high. We left Milan with the heat,
and flew directly to Urumqi, via Beijing. Everything is ready for
what promises to be a fulfilling journey, an enterprise, allowing
Claudia, Doriana, Roberto, Marisa, Alessandra, Assunta, Electra and
Matteo delve into the emotions of the Taklimakan Desert, one of the
world's most dangerous, but also one of the most fascinating. For
the moment we have arrived in Urumqi ... so we'll sleep on it.
October 10
We got up early this morning to reach Hotan by plane. Since the time
of Marco Polo, jade has been collected in the riverbed of the Hotan
River and is still worked by hand by local artisans. In fact, this
afternoon we went to visit a workshop where we saw a millennial tradition.
On the road we saw a beautiful jade market. There are only men, who
are the same people who collect the material in the Hotan River. Our
group is begining to meet and mingle. In fact, some are "old
friends" like Claudia, Doriana and Roberto who participated in
all our Desert Therapy trips in Egypt, Morocco, France and Bolivia.
Even Marisa, Alessandra and Assunta are veterans of Desert Therapy
in Egypt, while Electra and Mattheo are on their first experience.
It will be interesting to hear their impressions and feelings at the
end of this experience.
October 11
Today we traveled in off-road vehicles through the oasis bordering
the south of the Taklimakan desert. At first the road was good, even
paved. At Yutian we left the main road and entered the pre-desert,
along the Yutian River, dominated by shrubs and an occasional tree.
At Dehayan, the last settlement before the desert Uyuguri, we met
the camels that will accompany us in crossing the desert. There are
no Europeans. In these parts visitors are rare and the people here
are very intrigued by our group. It is the first night in a tent.
As often happens my husband Oscar is part of the expedition, the fact
that he is both a doctor and has a lot of travel experience always
gives me great serenity. We have with us also Daniel, an expert in
these areas and in charge of on
site logistics since the time of my first
expedition.
October
12
Our Chinese guide Jin gave to all of us the model of Chinese shoes
that allowed me, at the time, to complete my journey, when I thought
the blisters caused by the shoes that I had brought from Europe would
be forced to surrender. Thanks Jin! And we started walking. And for
those who can not make it there are the camels at our disposal. So
Oscar takes advantage of that.
October 13
Everyone likes the Chinese dinners we have. There is a lot of fun
in the evening around the fire. Entering into the desert, the landscape
changes. During the first day and a half the Taklimakan has given
us a few more signs of life with the presence of a few shrubs and
small lizards. The next three days we know that we are walking on
sand dunes as they take the appearance of a stormy sea. It is here
that we perceive how vast and insidious the Taklimakan may be: there
are no reference points to indicate the direction, everything looks
the same and it is not surprising that at the time the few explorers
who have ventured into it have regularly gotten lost.
October 14
This morning there was a wonderful temperature and we were lazy, starting
our journey at noon. The trekking, however, is anything but short.
We walked about twelve kilometers, walking a little and riding on
the camel a little. We arrived around six o'clock at the base camp,
where a sandstorm arose. However I consider this a gift of the desert
too, because it does not last long and its subsiding allows us to
spend a restful night. Resting is important, because the group begins
to complain a little of fatigue but, in any case, enthusiasm is high.
October 15
It 's true that each group is a different story. This group exploring
with me the Taklimakan desert can be defined as a lazy
good-natured group. In the evening they are all tired - and
they also have reason - but so happy that it opens the heart. Today
we are in perhaps the most fascinating part of this huge Chinese desert:
the dunes. Dunes as far as the eye can see, one after the other. The
weather is beautiful and the temperature is perfect, so we did 15
kilometers. Walking for eight hours, with an hour break for lunch.
Taking turns, everyone experiences riding on the camels.
October
16
We are in the open sea. A stormy sea, I think. Dunes 360 degrees around
us, without any form of life. A rare sensation, that I experienced
15 years ago and today I relive again. The group is close and connected.
The organization is perfect and the help of Jin, our guide, will do
the rest. We are dealing with jet lag and therefore get a late start.
Today we started at 11:00 and arrived to camp around 7pm. Many miles,
but the camels help us. We take turns riding on them. The evening
is always full of laughter and tears, in addition to pasta and wine
(amazing to have here) and other pampering.
October
17
The climatic conditions continue to assist us. Today there
were 25 degrees and the sun was shining. So it's really a pleasure
to walk. I almost wanted to say swim, because we are still in a "sea"
of sand dunes. The fatigue is felt and sometimes there is a little
anxiety, but it is immediately dissolved. We have to stop for a break
at least every hour. In the evening it is very serene. And future
projects... Yes, we are already organizing the next edition of Desert
Therapy together. And everyone wants to participate.
October 18
And it is so that we have come to our last day of the Taklimakan desert,
with our journey that is coming to an end and leaving strong emotions
in each of us. I'm sure. The last day, but also the last night, when
we share about our experience, words that remain forever guarded by
the desert. The sunset tonight was even more beautiful and the comments
of the participants were enthusiastic. Even the great food contributes
to our happiness. Tomorrow we will travel the last four kilometers
on foot to reach Mazar where we will meet the road and then go by
jeep.
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October
19
Today concludes our adventure in the Taklimakan Desert. Around one
o'clock we reached the end. It is difficult to separate both from
the staff and from the animals that have allowed us to cross this
place, so mysterious and inhospitable, but we must now say good-bye.
The caravan, after loading the goods, must leave immediately heading
for the oasis. It will take two days walking. Instead, we are headed
to Hotan where we will spend the night in a hotel. We already miss
our tents and dinner around the fire! It is a great emotion that fills
our hearts and for all of us it is hard to go back to reality.
October
20
From Hotan, today we leave for Xian and then the long flight back
to Italy. We are a bit 'dazed, and a bit sad, but so happy to have
spent these unforgettable
days, thanks to Desert Therapy
and also thanks to our guide that Jin who was impeccable. The happiest
of all is my husband Oscar who realized his dream of returning to
the Taklimakan. Today an unexpected news: the book that I wrote with
Fabio Pasinette, my fellow travel companion, which is titled "Lo
sguardo oltre le dune"won the literary prize of Verbania. What
a thrill. If you read it, you will understand that Desert Therapy
begins from there. Thanks desert!