Donkey Burgers

4 July 2009

Happy Independence Day, fellow Americans! Bush camp in the desert last night, apparently on land belonging to China Mobile. Guys in vans kept showing up and insisting we were sleeping on their road. I suspect a truck full of white people is almost more of a novelty to people here than they are to us. Every time we stop anywhere for more than 3 minutes we acquire an audience of staring natives. They don't seem to want to chat or anything. Just make with the staring.

Am festively dressed for today in a $2 hot pink t-shirt emblazoned with stars-and-stripes flip-flops and some rhinestones (I am your fashion icon). Spent 4 July camped on a lakeshore, on the beach. The lake is called 'Bosten'. And we did dunk tea bags into it, because we're wild and crazy patriots like that.

The distance between Kashgar and Turpan is about 1100 kilometers, which we're covering in two days, to make up for the time spent in Kashgar. Long days on the truck, but as the Beijing Five took off from Kashgar, we've loads of room and are actually fairly comfy. Aiming to stop by 4:30 today to set off the $200 worth of dodgy Chinese fireworks we've somehow acquired, eat potato salad, BBQ chicken wings, burgers, watermelon, beer and Oreos. Mmm. Lesson to foreigners on 4 July: America is obese for a reason.

Stopped at an animal market this morning; considering buying a donkey for the truck. Well, I'm not, but this nerdiest truck of overlanders ever not only is obsessed with backgammon and lollipops, they've also developed an overweening fondness for donkeys in general. Even have affectionate nicknames for them—you've not seen funny until you've witnessed fully grown and well educated British adults adoringly shouting 'Honkey! Honkey!' out a truck window. Lord.