Lanzhou to Xiahe (on the 2nd

I spent the night in Lanzhou curled up in the gentle arms of Sleep. When I woke, my muscles were stiff from having been in the same position for more than seven hours.

I took pictures of the canola along the way for my uncle Rob. The crops are set out in patchwork rectangles of different plants. I can identify wheat, broad beans and peas. There is something that looks a lot like French lavender and the rest, I haven't a clue.

The landscape keeps changing. The hills are constant and the main variable seems to be water. Even here in Xiahe the mountains on one side of town are in stark contrast to those on the other.

I went shopping yesterday and bought some jeans because it is bloody cold here. I also bought some yak boots. I don't want to say I got them because Al (driverleaderperson) suggested it. He did suggest it (with a rather sarcastic 'They'll suit you') but I definitely probably would have done it any way. I prefer to think it is because I miss Nell and the boots are in homage to the ones she always wears to school.

I saw a huge bird of prey swoop down into the main (only) street. One of the Johns is a bird watcher and said it is probably a vulture. It was, maybe, ten metres from me but I stood staring in astonishment for too long to get a close shot of it.