Very nice and we were all refreshed and ready to get back on our bikes
The ride out of Kashgar was crazy, as people were leaving for work and they just drive across in front of you and after a while you start to adopt the policy of see a space, honk your horn and then go for it. Bit of a sadistic pleasure in carving the locals up with lots of the advanced system thrown in (Honest!). Out of town the roads are empty and relatively smooth Tarmac
Remembering Kevin’s words of “when you see fuel, get fuel” Robert and I pulled in to have a full tank again. This was going to be fun as they do not fill up at the pumps. After several attempts and shaking of heads, it had to be from the Stove Kettle.
After about 170 miles in to the journey, the tarmac deteriorates as we get over 2500m and we are not long after he snow has cleared so not many remedial repairs have been done. Although you cannot see it in this picture this is the last bit of tarmac before the rough road and gravel starts. 
We start to climb and lots of hairpins in the gravel but lots of fun and finally crest the first pass at 3289 m and you can see the road twisting back down below in the dirt.
After another pass at 2952m we then arrive at the Tibetan border control (not quite Tibet) and once everyone arrives including our Chinese guide, the official paperwork is handed over. The first three passports he enters details onto the computer and then I think he gets bored and just looks at the picture page and hands them back
After about 30 miles all the tarmac disappears and we are back on the rough roads for the rest to our place of stay in Mazar.
Yes this is all it is!
Hmm some of the Homestays have been basic but this is in the middle of nowhere and is basically a food stop with a room at the back that a sleeping bag can be thrown down
They were going to kill two ducks for our dinner and make some sort of soup or broth which unfortunately they put everything in like feet and head.
Picture of one of the ducks last moments before its throat was cut
Long day on the road along with nothing to do, so sleep at 10:00 but the facility is open virtually all night and trucks were turning up at 03:30 in the morning and the stoves where fired up and food served, with the TV on and endless Chinese talking at full volume
As you will probably guess, no one got much sleep
7453 miles – Mazar, China
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