I started walking from San Guan Kou at about two o’clock. The first thing I noticed was that it was cooler than last time I was here.
If the temperature stays at about 30 C max, I’ll be happy. For me, 30 C is OK, whilst 35 C means that my body cannot cool down adequately.
I soon left the road going down in to the Ningxia valley and turned Northwards heading for two Xixia tombs in the distance.
Walking towards the tombs, I started thinking about how little is known about this Kingdom. It reminded me that we are all here on earth for a very limited time, so we should be grateful and make the most of it.
The tombs were fantastic. I took off my rucksack and walked around the Northern one, taking pictures. Then I heard thunder in the distance. Some frightening dark clouds were rolling slowly in from the North. I wanted to go on walking, but decided against it after considering it for five minutes.
To the North there was only open desert and I would have been the highest point in the terrain for the next hour of walking. A couple of lightning strikes in the mountains to the West were enough to convince me. I set up the tent just outside of the fenced-off area by the tombs. That should be close enough so that lightning strikes the tomb and not the tent. (Well – hopefully neither!)
It started raining and I dozed off in the tent. Only two hours later, the bad weather had passed. It’s good to be back on track and in the tent again 🙂
17 kilometres today.
Haay Robbert,
I don’t know of you remember me.. but you’ve spoken with me in Yangshuo (or was it Shapatou?) in the fast food restaurant. I was with my family and you told us you’re story. We were the first europeans you’ve met after 3 months (?). I was very impressed of you’re story! You gave me you’re site. When i came home yesterday from China i looked immediately on youre website. What a beautiful pictures!
Iam going to have a look on you’re website every day now. I wish you luck for the next upcoming months!
(don’t mind my bad english)
Buy from the netherlands,
Lisanne
Sorry, we’ve met each other in Zhonwei. I didn’t remember me it anymore beacause all the names in China sounds all the same.
Haaay Lisanne!
And thanks for the nice note. It was fun to meet you and your family in Zhongwei! I hope that the rest of your trip was a good one, and that you have many good memories from China now 🙂