China (Urumqi, Xinjiang) May 2015

Total costs incurred (4 days) : CNY1,530 = Rm895 (US$248)

Hostel (3.5 nights): CNY46 x 2 + CNY20 + CNY55= CNY167 (Maitian International Hostel - dorm)
Food: CNY231
Bus: CNY15
Sundries: CNY20
High speed train: CNY548.50 x 2 = CNY1,097 (Lanzhou > Urumqi > Lanzhou)

In May 2006 after my retirement, I made my first backpacking visit to China with my first younger brother covering Xian, Dun Huang, Turpan, Urumqi & Kanas Lake. It was a great experience as I was keen to learn the rope of free & easy travelling instead of relying on package tours as done in the past ! 

The 2006 visit gave me the opportunity to get a glimpse of the vast Xinjiang region. The visit took me to places like the Tian Shan Tian Chi (The Heaven lake), Buergin, Kanas Lake, Bao Ha Village, Demon City in Karamay and in the city of Urumqi, I visited Wuyi night market, Xinjiang Museum, Da Baazar, the People's Park etc. 

As I was keen to visit a few countries in Central Asia bordering China ie Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan & Uzbekistan and with the introduction of the high speed rail link from Lanzhou to Urumqi in Dec 2014, it made sense for me to take up this challenge to go ahead with this down the memory lane visit from Xi'an to the Xinjiang region again. I used Korgas, a border town in China for my first overland bus crossing to Kazakhstan. 

No visa is required for Malaysians visiting Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan at the present time. As Tajikistan has no consular office in Malaysia, I skipped this country in my travel plan. As for Uzbekistan & as a solo traveller, I had difficulties in applying for a tourist visa. But if you are travelling as a group under a package tour organised by a local travel agency, the visa issue does not arise ! I hope both these countries would relax their immigration policy in the near future ! 

After the July 2009 Urumqi riot and upon my arrival at the Urumqi train station, I observed that the security was rather tight in major high traffic places ie schools, bus & train stations, shopping & commercial business district areas etc. If you are taking a BRT bus, you have to remove any bottled water or liquid from your bags before boarding the bus ! I was keen to visit Kashgar but dropped the idea as I found out from the locals that the security situation in southern Xinjiang was rather unstable in recent months ! 

Despite the tight security, I was able to move around Urumqi city with ease by taking public buses and visited the Da Bazaar, Erdaoqio, Hong Shan, Martyrs Memorial Park, People's Park etc

While in Urumqi, I enjoyed eating the Uighur small pot mutton rice in Erdaoqio & also the local Chinese food near the hostel I stayed in Hong Shan. I stayed a total of 3 nights in Urumqi.

Map of  Xinjiang Province, China

1) Erdaoqiao Da Bazaar, Urumqi, Xinjiang

2) International Grand Bazaar, Urumqi, Xinjiang

3) Hongshan (Red mountain), Urumqi, Xinjiang

 

Watch Tower, Urumqi, Xinjiang

4) People's Park, Urumqi - a relaxing & recreation place

5) Walkabout in Urumqi city, Xinjiang

Parkson Shopping Center, Hongsan- Malaysian owned

October Cinema Theatre

Hongshan area

 Wholesale market

Hongshan area

Beef & Mutton butcher stalls

6) Urumqi Train Station (South) - the high speed train from Lanzhou ends here. Right in the heart of the city

Urumqi Train Station, Xinjiang

7) Heavy & tight security (riot police & SWAT teams) in high traffic shopping & financial centres, schools, train & bus terminals etc 

8) Urumqi International Bus station, Nianzigou, Xinjiang 

Long distance bus station in Heilongjinag Rd

Urumqi>Almaty daily departure 7pm

Sleeper bus CNY460 -
Urumqi>Almaty (24-25hrs)

Upper/ lower beds, floor carpeted 

Shoes in plastic bags
when boarding the bus

9) Sunset in Xinjiang as our sleeper bus drove from Urumqi highway towards the Kazakh border

10) Korgas Bus Terminal, Xinjiang China > Almaty, Kazakhstan - 3km from the Kazakh border; another 4-6hrs to go to Almaty

Bus awaiting for Chinese/ Kazakh border post to open

Good morning, Korgas 

After a 10hr drive from Urumqi
Kazakh border is 3km away

A police depot next to the Korgas Bus Terminal

Shops & eatery stalls near Korgas Bus Terminal

A garden near Korgas bus terminal

11) Customs & Immigration Border Post at Korgas, Xinjiang to Almaty, Kazakhstan - bus waiting & immigration clearance including goods & passengers may take 4-5 hrs. Unfortunately, our bus had an unlucky day as it was held up by the Kazakhstan Customs due to over carrying of goods which required tax levies (no wonder our bus driver collected in advance from each passenger a sum of CNY50 as welfare money for contributions to the Customs) and this delayed our departure from Kazakh border post by 3 hrs - by the time our bus bus arrived in Almaty, it was closed to mid-night (our bus arrival time supposed to be 8-9 pm) 

Bus leaving Korgas towards the Chinese Customs border 

Long queue at the Kazakh Customs

Queueing up for my passport to be stamped - 10 mins 

2 stamps on the immigration card at the Kazath border

12) Martyrs Mausoleum & Museum, Urumqi, Xinjiang

13) The popular Uighur small pot rice with a chunk of mutton meat - my most satisfying lunch in Urumqi, Xinjiang ! 

CNY25 for a plate of  oily rice with a chunk of mutton

Eating out in Urumqi - a decent selection of Chinese food

Flat noodle with egg & tomato - CNY11

Rice with chicken - CNY15

Noodle with spicy gravy - CNY12

CNY5 for a small tub of  fresh melon in cubes

14) A notice to all visitors of tourist sites in China - the "Ten Commandments" - it may take a generation to get rid of some of these bad habits, spitting in public places especially in China & overseas

15) To indulge in civilized travelling, the onus starts from you !