December 2008

it's been ages since my last blog entry; almost a year! We finished our project in Indonesia in April and then I went backpacking with Sara in Xinjiang, China for a few weeks until my project in Thailand began in May. I am still living in Bangkok and have had the chance to return to the U.S. a few times to visit family and friends and to celebrate my cousin Brad's wedding to an awesome woman, Erin, in August.

Here are some of the highlights from the final months in Indonesia and our trip to Xinjiang, China..

First, some info on Xinjiang...
Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region covers over 1,600,000 square kilometers (617,763 square miles), one-sixth of China's total territory, making it China's largest province. Xinjiang borders Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Uzbekistan, Tadzhikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. With a population of over 19 million, Xinjiang is home to 47 ethnic groups including the Uygur, the major ethnic group in Xinjiang.

Lake Karakul, Xinjiang

the yurts we slept in (it was 0 degrees!)

yurts around Lake Karakul, Xinjiang

ancient city near the border of Tajikistan. this city wasn't in our guidebooks nor were there any other tourists there. incredible to see a place that was once significant to be reduced to rubble and absolutely untouched

spices and dried fruits in the market in Kashgar, Xinjiang
(world's most delicious apricots and almonds)

boy selling pomegranate juice outside the market in Kashgar, Xinjiang

Sara posing with family at the Kashgar market

man selling food at the animal market just outside of Kashgar

Sara at the beginning of our camel trek through the Taklamakan Desert, Xinjiang

setting up the tents to spend the night

wearing a traditional Kyrgyzs hat at Lake Karakul (the people we stayed with in the yurts were originally from Kyrgyzstan)

PAPUA, INDONESIA
Alex and me with the Dani tribesmen in Baliem Valley, Papua

SUMATRA, INDONESIA

my friend, Tatiana, and me relaxing on the beach on a Saturday in Pulau Sikuai, Sumatra

Pulau Sikuai