Today started with the sun blasting on to the side of my little tent. It was very hot. I had a bad headache and wanted to sleep more after a bad night’s sleep. Right outside, I saw hundreds of mosquitos just waiting to give me a good morning kiss.

Still inside the tent, I was sweating heavily.  I then put on my clothes to get some protection from the mosquitos… Luckily there was a slight breeze outside.

I didn’t know it was going to be this hot so early, as the long term weather forecast had predicted overcast weather and about 30 C.

I started walking. The plan was to walk about 15 to 20 km and then take a bus to Yinchuan to let my knee rest. As I got closer to the end, I was tempted to go on walking one more day. I was close to a fairly large town and asked a taxi driver to drive me to a middle class hotel where I could eat, rest and wash my clothes.

She nodded and dropped me off at the first hotel we passed. The best and most expensive hotel in town! I was too tired and hot to change the hotel and after a little dealing was able to reduce the price of the room a bit.

In the reception, I met Ted from New York who is overseeing work at a large industrial site just outside of town. He has been here for fourteen months! We met a bit later and spent the evening together sharing travel stories, reflections on life in China and so forth together. Thanks for a really great evening Ted, and a delicious meal! It was good fun, and a nice change from the usual routine of being alone 🙂

This evening my brother, a friend from the UK, my girlfriend and parents have called. It’s good to be able to keep in touch even though I am on the other side of the world… My brother told me that there is a heat wave on it’s way. Temperatures are going to be really high for about 4-5 days. If this holds true, I will probably spend that time in Yinchuan to finish the first version of the Chinese website, and letting my left knee heal.

17 kilometres today.

PS – I saw another snake today…