Finally, we got our driver's license..
...and "number plate (same size)...
...and we are...
...ready to start exploring China on our bikes for the next weeks.
First, it will be a long ride along the northern part of the Taklamakan desert
Approximately 2.300 km highway, until we head south east (after 4,5 days) to Dunhuang - and further.
Almost abandonned villages near the highway...
...will serve as lunch breaks.
Zoom in on the back of the vehicle 
Coffee breaks are at gas stations and truck stops on those long days (maximum speed on highways here is 120 km/h).
Aksu hotel parking on september, 28th.
Mosque in Kuqa, on september 29th
Lunch break in Kuqa
All sorts of nuts, fruits...
...and a "restaurant" at a truck stop.
The highway was blocked for almost 2 hours for some important "transports" (?politician?)...
...which ended in a late hotel arrival in Korla.
Over 1.3 billion (german: 1,3 Milliarden) people in China - and this is, what the postal service looks like
(just kidding!) 
September, 30th - on our way to Turpan, we stopped at a truck stop and those 2 guys...
...proudly presented their pumpkins, which they will later use as bottle/glass for... "drinks" 
It' not just us, being curious and taking pictures - we are always an attraction!
The flat, straight (and boring) highway changed a bit...
...but in the "interesting" (curvy) part, we were just allowed to ride with 60 (yes, sixty!) km/h 
The ride in the morning and later in the mountains was cold (10-16 degrees) and on the descend, we were happy for the late lunch break with warm 22 celsius.
Always a good sign, if the chef seems to like his own food...! 
After a quite stormy afternoon ride, we skipped the "deepest point of China" and were happy, to finally arrive in our hotel!
Nice artificial lake behind the hotel.
Chinese high-tech: Leo, paying in a restaurant, by scanning the code with his mobile phone.
Chinese (high-) tech, part 2: In all cities, they really love colorful lights... everywhere...!
October, 1st - morning appeal at 9 a.m. with music and national flag.
We left the highway short after Turpan, for visiting the wonderful "flame mountains"
No-one wanted to climb the stairs, to finally slide back down again 
Boil some eggs in the little sand hill (costs money, but nobody around...)!
The little detour also took us to the "1000 buddha cavey", where (unfortunately) taking pictures inside, was forbidden... 
On the way back, some riding pictures in this wonderful landscape:
Peter
Jörg
Bernd
Royce
Willi
After that breathtaking morning, we had stormy wind again on our ride on the highway.
On THIS stop, Liu (our chinese van driver) was the "star" for some people from his city Chengdu (where we will be later on this trip).
...some nice, warm eggs...?! Thanks - but NO!
Two trucks collided...
...and caused a very long traffic jam - result: again a late arrival in our hotel...!
(Here: people are moving the melon boxes from the damaged truck on a new one) 
In the hotel, the scale tried to tell my weight - BEFORE I stepped on it (wow).
For "longer sessions" in the bathroom, they offer an ashtray and the "good old cube" (who does still remember it?!) 
October, 2nd: On our route from Hami to Dunhuang, we fought our way on the highway through strong winds again, until we reached the last 100 km on country road with (almost) no wind and higher temperatures again (started with 8 and here we enjoyed 19).
Peter and Willi buying some dried melons at a stall along the road.
Dunhuang hotel parking.
Foodstreet, Dunhuang night market
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