Has anyone been to Xinxiang either with a tour or independently?
Feb 19th, 2003, 04:28 PM
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Has anyone been to Xinxiang either with a tour or independently?
Has anyone been to Xinxiang either with a tour or independently? If so, what would you advise for a hotel, restaurants, sights, what to wear, what to buy, and when to go? Thanks
Feb 19th, 2003, 05:10 PM
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Is this really Xinxiang that's meant? Or Xinjiang? If Xinxiang, where is it? If Xinjiang, can you be more specific--what ideas do you already have? How long do you plan to travel, etc.?<BR><BR>Peter N-H<BR>http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html
Feb 20th, 2003, 06:09 AM
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Peter, I've seen the spelling three different ways (translitterating can be a problem) but it seems you know what I mean. The far western Uighur (again a spelling problem)areas. I have seen tours to this area, the Silk Road tours, but my husband and I are considering independently travelling there. Do you have any information that would help me get started? October or November travel is best for us but I'm wondering if it will get too cold in Nov? How easy is it to arrange for car/driver hire, train travel or air travel ourselves? We've been to Beijing with a tour and know we can easily navigate that city on our own. In fact we didn't stay with the tour, going off by ourselves often. How easy would an add-on to Tibet be? Any websites you can recommend? Thanks
Feb 20th, 2003, 08:42 AM
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Stick to Xinjiang, the official transliteration since the 1950s and the one you'll find in guide books, and you'll be fine.<BR><BR>Starting point? I sometimes wonder (forgive me) if with the arrival of the Internet everyone gave up reading. Xinjiang is covered in most single-volume China guides, and there are three specialist Silk Routes or Silk Road guides: one is woefully inaccurate and way out of date, one is very detailed but just going out of print (but can still be found here and there), and one is full of pretty pictures to help you choose, but with little practical information.<BR><BR>But doing the Silk Routes (or the main one anyway) would involve starting in Xi'an, and crossing Gansu Province to reach Xinjiang, which would be rather a different prospect from simply visiting Xinjiang, itself the size of Western Europe.<BR><BR>If Silk Routes, then I'd suggest Xi'an, Tianshui, Dunhuang, Turpan, Kashgar, using a combination of train and plane, which you can certainly sort out for yourself. This would be a kind of 'greatest hits' tour.<BR><BR>If Xinjiang only, you'd have time to be more adventurous, but you still shouldn't miss Dunhuang--China's greatest and most intact set of cave temples--and you could start by flying there from Beijing, then going by train or bus to Turpan. <BR><BR>Urumqi (Wulumuqi) is eminently avoidable (ignore the hype about ruined Tian Chi), so it would be better around the northern side of the Taklamakan to Kuqa (bus to Urumqi or Korla then train or fly), and from there to Kashgar (Kashi), and bus round the south side of the desert to Khotan (Hetian), where the market is what Kashgar's used to be. Alternatively from Kuqa you can take a new route which crosses the Taklamakan Desert to Khotan, and go from there to Kashgar. There are flights back to Beijing via Urumqi.<BR><BR>Kuqa's attraction is further sets of cave temples and ancient Buddhist sites, alongside a town with a ramshackle Uighur quarter. Kashgar's Sunday Market, although broken up and moved about, is still worth seeing, and you could consider a side trip towards the Pamirs on the road to Tashkurgan (horse-riding possibilities by a lake, mountain scenery). Khotan has a wilder street market more like Kashgar's used to be, and is more of a Uighur town than Kashgar is now (thanks to the arrival in 2000 of a railway line from Urumqi and Han Chinese plans to demolish what's left of the Uighur quarter).<BR><BR>You can certainly do this independently, arranging transportation as you go--indeed I'd highly recommend it.<BR><BR>Peter N-H<BR>http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html<BR><BR>
Feb 20th, 2003, 03:57 PM
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Peter, Get off your high horse. The implication that I don't read is borish (look that up along with transliteration)and stop being so obnoxious. People who ask questions about any subject are asking because they would like an answer. Knowing the answer doesn't give you the right to make sly put-down remarks (I gave you the benefit of the doubt and didn't take offense with your sly response to my first question). As I tell my students, If you know the answer it's easy, if you don't it's not. You are the kind of person who would make this otherwise personable and helpful travel forum, a miserable exercise in dealing with low self esteem. If your advise is as dependable as your character, forget it.
Feb 22nd, 2003, 01:10 PM
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Jahlie - we did a "Silk Road" tour about 5 years ago sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History - it was truly memorable. <BR> It started in Beijing which I have been to several times so nothing new -then train to Xian. The city itself is quite interesting with the old city walls. Enjoyed roaming thru the old Muslim Quarter and of course the Terracotta Army. Stayed at Shangri La Hotel - quite nice. From there we went to Jiayuguan and saw the "Greatest Pass under Heaven, saw the "Hanging wall" section of the Great Wall and explored a few tombs. From there to Dunhuang during cotton harvest. Great fun seeing all the carts loaded with raw cotton. Dunhuang has a large market where we ate a delicious meal. We enjoyed the dunes outside the city and even enjoyed the camel ride, and though touristy, the otherworldly landscape was utterly fascinating. The next day was spent at the Mogao Caves - outside of Angor, the most awe inspiring site in all my travels. From there to Jiaohe, a truly remarkable ancient ruin and the to Turpan where we enjoyed the "Grape Valley" market and had a delightful lunch with a Uigher family. From there to Urumgui where we changed to a Russian train for our journey to Samarkand. Though not disappointed at the time of not spending time in Urumqui, I would now like to see the mummies that were recently discovered and have a have a strong caucasian likeness. Along the way my wife and I composed a Limerick (as we are wont to do) after listening to all the lectures on the Mongol Hoards -<BR> How many boards could the mongols hoard if the Mongol Hoard got bored.<BR> I would urge you to read up on the Silk Road. Though we eschew tours, I cannot conceive of seeing what we saw and what we learned by doing it independently. Also consider Peter's excellent advice as to areas south of the northern route - though somewhat petulant you have to admit your original post was a little vague and much to broad - I thought you were talking about a city I had never been to. In any event enjoy the vacation of a lifetime. How I envy you!
Feb 22nd, 2003, 03:17 PM
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jahlie:<BR><BR>You are overacting.<BR><BR>There is indeed a city called "Xinxiang" in Henan province - check out with xinxiang.com. Because of the confusion, I don't find Peter's first response "sly" at all.<BR><BR>Peter's "implication" of "no longer reading" in his second response might be a bit offensive, depending on how you interpret it. But his lengthy recommendation is good and sound. Looking at his seriousness and efforts in answering your questions, do you really think "sly" is an appropriate word?<BR><BR>I remember that Peter and I have had several arguments before, directly and indirectly, but I think that is normal and sometimes even constructive. Please don't quickly resort in personal labeling; it is no good to the forum.
Feb 26th, 2003, 11:52 AM
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I've used this forum for years and have always been very happy with the advice given and taken. I think what is good for the forum is respectful, civil, and honest discourse. I admit that not being a China expert, I am probably very confused by spellings, place names which have changed (either spelling or name change) over time, and much else as well. I am always very grateful when it's pointed out to me but if anyone wants to use that as an opportunity to put me down, then they will have to take what they dish out. If I have offended anyone, I am sorry and as far as being vague, I've just started to put this together so the trip is "vague" at this point.<BR><BR>CharlieB, I am sure you had a fabulous time on your tour and it seems you and I are reading the same Archaeology magazines. It seems you were on a train entirely from Beijing? Did you sleep overnight on the train at any time? How was the service? I don't mind a "greatest hits" adventure, in fact if that's all I can do, so be it.
Feb 27th, 2003, 03:37 AM
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jahlie - indeed most of our travels were spent overnight on the train. It was, however, a private train with private compartments and containing only our tour group. The trip was broken up with overnight hotel stays in Xian, Dunhuang, Tashkent, Sararkand, and Bukhara. We slept well on the train, but though we like chinese food, it got very tiresome after a while. As I stated earlier we are not fans of organized group travel. We had been to Kyoto, Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong independantly, but for this trip we opted for a tour. With so much to see and do, and so many arrangements to make, and not knowing the language or pronouncing chinese characters, we decided to go with the flow - and are so glad we did.<BR> We chose a tour escourted by 3 professional staff from the American Museum of Natural History who knew their Chinese and Central Asian art, history, and society. Though more expensive than the regular tours, we felt it was worth every penny. No matter what you choose expect the adventure of a lifetime!
