Asian_Geographic_Issue_4_2017

(John Hannent) #1
IMAGE © MICHAEL LEE

It was bucketing down when we


arrived in Shanghai, but the wet


weather did little to deter our


excitement. We were soon sloshing our


way through the deluge to the Lanzhou


Museum to gain an understanding


of the historical context of the famed


route we were about to embark on.


Well-fed, we headed to the
Tiandishan Grottoes – which
translates to the “Heaven Ladder
Mountain Grottoes” – some of the
earliest grottoes built in China, which
represent a key historical landmark
in Buddhist history.
We descended 62 steps into
a cavernous ochre dam, initially
built to supply water to the local
community. This dam houses a
series of enormous Buddha statues,
the largest of which is the 15-metre
Sakyamuni Buddha, flanked by two
disciples, two bodhisattvas, and two
heavenly kings.
After overnighting in Zhangye, we
made a short detour to the Zhangye

PART 1: DUNHUANG, CHINA
June 4 –10, 2017

IN JUNE 2017, 15 EXPLORERS


EMBARKED ON THE TRIP OF A
LIFETIME, TRACING THE HISTORY


OF THE SILK ROAD IN CHINA.
ASIAN GEOGRAPHIC’S SHELLEN TEH


SHARES HER EXPERIENCE OF THE
EXPEDITION – THE FIRST IN


A SERIES OF THREE


Discover the Silk Road


It was not all work and no play,
however, and our group of 15 intrepid
explorers began to get to know one
another over a delicious dinner
beside the mighty Yellow River.
The next morning, we were up
early and on the road in our private
bus, making our way out of the grey
gloom of the city. Arriving in rural
Wuwei in Gansu, our guide got some
lunch spot tips from a group of locals,
and we were soon tucking into a
hearty meal of handmade noodles.
I came to learn that we were served
first because we were guests in
town. I was surprised by these small
gestures which made me feel so
warmly welcomed.

Explorers Jenny and Chee Tiong on
a camel ride in the Gobi Desert

post-event RepoRt

Free download pdf