Without problems we found our way out of Almaty, contrary to the way in. After a few hours passing gardens and some villages suddenly the first pure desert was around, and it took us two hours through wasteland until reaching the green river oasis of the river Ili.

The usual procedures at the Kazakh border: We were stopped by militia already 2 km before, only to learn that either the custom officers will dine the next two hours and do not want to be disturbed or we pay just 500 Tenge (4 $) per car to pass. After 40 minutes Gerd´s attempt to reach a breakthrough was successful: he asked for the soldiers name who wanted to put these 1000 Tenge in his own pocket. Suddenly lunchtime was over and the soldier dissapeared in the cabine and we were allowed to drive to customs. This time the officials were much friendlier and after two hours we could leave Kazakhtan. Finally in China! Oh dear how Prussian! And thus what was new for us, friendly, obliging and confident of the english language!

Ueli´s swiss passport seemed to be the first of his kind so everybody wanted to throw an eye on it. Mister Lee, our guide of CENTRAL ASIA EXPEDITIONS from Urumqi, was already waiting for us. He was fully equiped with chinese car plates, car permits and driver licenses. After one and a half hours the wheels started to move for the first time on chinese ground. A remarkable change in the farming, every spot is cultivated and well organized. For kilometres corn and sunflower-seeds have been dried at the left and right side of the road. The first night we spent at lake Sayram, 2019 metres of altitude. To oür pleasure the first kazach/chinese meal was served.

After a freezing night we had for brekfast, served in a Yurt-restaurant: rice soup, fried eggs and vegetables. First we could drive on a comfortable new road towards Urumqi, but this pleisure was not for a longer time… instead of the new highway which will be completed in 2005 we had to pass 200 km of roadwork. After noon it started to rain for the rest of the day what is very unusual for this area! At 6 pm we parked the cars in front of our hotel in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinijang province with 1.7 mill. inhabitants. It was the best hotel in town (russian category 10 *, kazakh category at least 15*)! It was like a paradise for us. Even a mechanic was waiting in the lobby to have a look at our cars. After a first check the cars were transfered to the service station. For dinner we were invited by Mr. Song of CENTRAL ASIA EXPEDITION for a delicious chinese meal. Of course a good local wine wasn´t missing: Mr. Song had choosen a dry red 2002 from Lou Lan. By far the best meal since our departure! 

Today the sun was shining from a cloudless sky and we spent the whole day cruising the city. Remains of this old city of chinese warlords and headquarter of the russian White Army are no longer existent, but a skyline like in Frankfurt. Urumqi is a real chinese capital! But still there is a big Uigur market, including veiled ladies and lots of uigur/turkish food and phrases.

(BA, ES)