​Another journey of a life time! The Silk Road

Tian Chi (Heavenly Lake) is an alpine lake in Xinjiang, far NW China, 110 km east of Urumqi. It lies on the north side of the Bogda Shan, 'Mountain of God' in range of the Tian Shan, 'Mountains of Heaven'.  I guess they are pretty high! We will visit this gorgeous lake in a mere 14 days! and travel through the Tian Shan Mountains. On the other side is desert.

In a few days we start a long, mostly overland, trek from the ancient capitals of China, through the ‘gate’ of the eastern terminus of the old Silk Road across the Taklamakan and Kyzylkum deserts, through remote and mysterious mountain ranges and vast steppes of Central Asia to ‘Constantinople’ along the mysterious Silk Road. Then we travel further west via the old Orient Express route to Paris and beyond to explore the wild islands, coastline and Neolithic sites of Scotland and Ireland ....... plus more. We go equipped with as little as possible in weight but loads of preparation and excitement.
In Central Asia, we will travel over 10,000 km along the old Silk Road in the footsteps of traders, monks, explorers, camels and horses, not to mention diplomats. They say to follow the Silk Road through the heart of Asia is to follow a ghost, to sink back in time. The original route has vanished save for the curious – people like us! In fact there was no one Silk Road. The routes changed according to local conditions - weather, natural disaster and ‘wars’, but all routes were central to trade and cultural exchange. They threaded across Asia’s highest mountains and bleakest deserts. It was history’s original information superhighway, a route for the exchanging ideas, goods and technology. The network had its main eastern terminus at the Chinese capital Chang’an, today’s Xi’an. Interestingly it was China’s need for horses to battle nomads on its northern borders that provided much of the impetus for the early growth of the Silk Road; silk was traded in exchange for a steady supply of horses, the heavenly Han Xue Ma horses from the valley of Ferghana.
Our travels take us from Xi’an via the northern route through the Dzungarian Gap to track along the northern edge of the Tian Shan mountains. We eventually end our Silk Road journey in Istanbul.
This ancient cultural and economic superhighway is being redeveloped as the ‘Silk Road Economic Belt’; a development strategy proposed by the Chinese government to encourage connectivity and cooperation between Eurasian countries. A rose by any other name! The region is very rich in natural resources and has been fought over for thousands of years by big world players – the Persians, Monguls, Russians, English all vying for regional dominance. The cost as always has been the lives of countless thousands of locals.  Ah the history of the world!
So be it, reading about the history of the region has held me spell-bound for months and I’m anxious to be there! For instance, it was along this route that the oldest printed book, the Diamond Sutra was discovered by British-Hungarian archaeologist Marc Ariel Stein in the early 1900s while on an expedition mapping the ancient Silk Road. The 5 metre long text was originally discovered in 1900 by a monk in Dunhuang, an old outpost of the Silk Road on the edge of the Gobi Desert (and sadly on the  southern arm of the Silk Road). The Diamond Sutra, a Sanskrit text translated into Chinese, was one of 40,000 scrolls and documents hidden in ‘The Cave of a Thousand Buddhas’, a secret library sealed up around the year 1,000 when the area was threatened by a neighboring kingdom. It’s a fascinating story of exploration is a fairly hostile region. I recommend you read ‘Journeys on the Silk Road’ by Morgan and Walters; it’s intriguing and will have you wanting to keep turning page after page - or perhaps that’s just me, a desert-mystery lover.
Countries we will travel through on 'The Road' - China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Turkey.

​Lar-ne-Jeering: home of the Black Cockatoo

This reservoir was built in 1880 from local hewn granite blocks. Not a lot of water in it.

Built from the local granite in the 1800s. Pretty impressive construction

Great place to visit! Yesterday we explored Mt Langi Ghiran State Park 30 odd Km north of Beaufort. The silence was revitalising! We wandered through dry woodlands surrounded by wattle, eremophila and a variety of eucalypts including Messmate and Red Stringy bark. And heard lots of, albeit didn’t many, birds- evidently there are over 100 different species in the area.

Love this gnarled old tree.

Mountains always fascinate me - I want to know how they got to be there (note to self - go back and do Mountains 101 with Coursera). Having read the signage, I can tell you Mt Langi Ghiran, 950m, consists of Devonian granite that intruded into overlying sedimentary rock about 350 million years ago. Erosion removed the softer rock and weathered the granite and voila! the mountains. Incidentally I wrote about discovering rock and fossil reefs of the Devonian period when we were in the Kimberley region. Seems that Australia is all connected - that’s a relief!

There was no interpretation about the images. 

A special find for me was the La-ne-jeering aboriginal rock art site. Not a long walk up a fairly gentle slope (had me panting but ....) to massive granite bolders where the Ngutuwal Balug clan once camped, made stone tools and told Dreamtime stories in the shelter of the rocks.  Although there was no interpretation of the images of the rock painting, they are evidently quite different to the art style in caves in the Grampians. Ngutuwal Balug means people of the mountains and their totem is the red tail cockatoo.

The walk to the aboriginal rich art site. Only a couple of Km.

The near North-west - Beaufort​

Beaufort, less than 2 hours from Melbourne, is a gorgeous spot. We’re holed up here on the banks of Lake Beaufort in our cubby-on-wheels enjoying the peace and quiet. The weather is perfect Autumn - icy cold in the mornings but glorious sunshine during the day. Woke this morning to a stupendous sunrise - slashes of soft gold and pink filled the dawn sky. The stillness was broken only by a single pelican sailed majestically through the mist rising off the surface of the lake. Perfect spot for artists and poets!

Lindsay’s about to throw in the yabby net with the hopes of a feed over the camp fire tonight.
This is a gem of a destination. Apart from chilling out and wandering around the lake, there’s a Saturday market, a couple of pubs where you can get Sunday roast! And there are a couple of interesting State Parks close by which are home to some unique plants (a place to visit on Spring) and Aboriginal rock art, a sacred site for the Djab Wurrung. You can even go prospecting nearby at Misery Creek.
Or bring your bike and find your way to the Ballarat-Skipton Rail trail. Lots of places to ride. We brought our bikes up on the train a number of years ago. It was a unique experience.
So many lovely places to visit so close to Melbourne where you can be out in the bush away from the madding crowd.

​More on being a local tourist!  China Town

We quite like something a bit different and perhaps something with a cultural focus e.g., Vietnamese or African - lots of yummy eating experiences there! or as we did Tuesday - explore the history of the Chinese community in Melbourne.

Facing Heaven Archway with the museum in the background.

Our starting point - the Chinese Museum in Cohen Place Melb CBD. It’s easy to find. Walk through the Facing Heaven Archway, check out the bronze statue of the founder of modern China, Dr Sun Yat Sen (1866-1925) and then wander down the alley to the museum entrance which is guarded by a replica terracotta warrior. The museum’s 4 floors are packed with fascinating information from the basement (devoted to those brave Chinese who came to the goldfields in the mid 1800s), we ascended to the top floors which are devoted to the Han dynasty and Chinese in Melbourne today.

Confucius 551-479 BC. 

Colourful figures from street parades.

This is a favourite eatery for us. Simple but terrific food. The building dates to 1905 and became the Empress of China in 1971. It was the first upmarket restaurant in the area to use white table cloths.

We discovered so much! For instance in 1857 there were over 25000 Chinese in Victoria only 3 of whom were women. They really did it tough! Many gold seekers arrived in Adelaide because there were bars on Chinese entry to Victorian ports. These stalwart people walked 500 odd miles to the goldfields where more penalties awaiting them (we have visited a place called Chinaman Well in the Coorong, one of their stopping points on their long journey east). Ah .... the mighty White Australia policy. What a shocker!

A jade burial suit. made of small slabs of multi coloured jade stitched together.

But moving heaven-ward passing by a huge curving dragon, we wandered for at least an hour reading about the Han Dynasty 206 BC to 220 AD, an expanding empire during that period taking in Central Asian regions and as far south as Vietnam. The Han dynasty, a large empire which existed at the same time as the Roman Empire in fact there were diplomatic relations between the two empires. Ahha- the Silk Road and the exchange of cultures and trade. The inventions during that period were many and quite amazing to learn about. For instance paper making, negative numbers (a bit geeky perhaps but mathematically significant), ship rudder, the chain pump, the belt drive and more!

This is the first Seismograph designed by Zhang Zheng, 1st century AD. He was a brilliant astronomer, mathematician, inventor and poet.

Incidentally just as an aside, in the 1500s China and India combined represented 87% of the global economy. Yet in 1953 China held less than 10%. Today however it is returning to its former glory - it is the 2nd most powerful economy in the world. But back to Tuesday .....
We topped off our visit with Yum Cha at the Shark Fin Inn where we have enjoyed lots of delectable mouthfuls over the years. If you’re going make sure you’re there before 12:15 else you’ll have to line up. Recommended - the prawn and pork dumplings, scallops and prawns cooked in scallop shells with melted cheese of top yummy, and of course the custard tarts.
Fantastic day, actually it was little more than half a day. So very doable but there’s lots more to see of Chinese culture, participation and contributions in that part of old Melbourne. Do it!

Yum Cha at Shark Fin Inn. Bon appetite!

​Australia and world biodiversity

I was pleased to read in the Age a week or so ago that ancient knowledge about seasons, plants and animals of the Daly River area in NT is seeing the light of day on the global scene.
The traditional owners of Ngan’gikurunggur (Daly River area) in collaboration with CSIRO, identify 15 distinct seasons based on the interactions between the inhabitants and the diverse plants and animals of their lands. This knowledge is providing a background text for policy makers at the meeting of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystems in Colombia this year.
Sadly the policy makers still base decisions on relatively recent western science and, up to this point, have chosen not to listen to ancient wisdom gleaned from living with the land and the vagaries of climate over time. But at least the ancient knowledge from this one region may have some influence on the policy-making process even if simply to raise pertinent questions.

This beautiful bronze 'mandela' (with apologies to the Bininj and Mungguy people for probably inappropriate description) of the cycle of seasons of Kakadu. This featured at the entrance to the Warradjan Aboriginal cultural centre - an amazing centre packed with information. I simply couldn't absorb it all

We discovered similar local detailed knowledge about the seasons further north in NT in Kakadu and Arnhem Land, knowledge that drives land management practices by local indigenous peoples. We might really benefit from listening at a very critical level, the learning of the people who live on and by the land and the regionally-specific weather. One hopes!
Pic calendar

​And while we’re on the subject ...... 

As we surely, albeit slowly, slide into another ‘greenhouse’ epoch in Earth’s history it is interesting to ‘know’ that Antartica was once warm and forested. Shackleton found coal seams as well as fossilised wood and leaves. And since then the list of fossil finds in Antarctica have been dated to between 40 and 100 million years ago when Antarctica was pretty much in the same location, relative to the equator, as it is today. At that time at the other pole, the Arctic Ocean was a great freshwater lake infested with crocodile-like reptiles. [New Scientist June 2008]
Whatever position you take on the human contribution to ‘climate change’, this is a little more food for thought.

​Layers of history evident all around Australia

During one of the Ice Age epochs ~30,000 years ago, sea levels dropped over 100 metre creating a continuous land mass stretching from Papua New Guinea to Tasmania. The ice melted over a period of 6000 years and Bass Strait eventually became an impassable barrier by foot about 12,000 years ago. What remains of that land bridge are the Bass Strait Islands including King and the Furneaux Islands of which Flinders Island is one of over 50.

Tasmania has some astonishing treasures. Rich in loads of valuable metals and home to the Killiecrankiediamond, it protects stunning isolated wildernesses. It is home to massive Dolerite Sea columns. The largest amount of exposed dolerite rock. Likely formed during the Jurassic period 200m years ago. It’s close relative, the Giant Steps or Causeway is located in Northern Ireland - hopefully we will see that this year!

​Be a local tourist!

Wall Art at the Ian Potter Art Museum

From esoteric art collections to the mountains of Victoria’s great divide. Such diversity. Victoria is quite amazing. What about Melbourne?

Lunch under the branches of an old  tree in the courtyard of the 1888 Building

We’ve done a bit of Tram tracking lately travelling routes their whole distance. #67 brought a stroll through the Ian Potter Art museum at the Uni to gawk at a fantastical fairy tale exhibition followed by Japanese yummies with Sav Blanc under a huge old oak tree outside the 1888 Building then all the way to the end of the line for a icy chocolate milkshake.

Phantasmagorical shapes fill the lobby of the Children's hospital

Today we took the #58 all the way to West Coburg (yeah some people do!!) then on the way back a visit to the beautifully magic lobby of the Children’s Hospital with a delish lunch - Vietnamese pork roll at Degani. Then back on the tram for a quick ride to the Queen Vic Markets to buy some Polish small goods yum!

It was time then to hop back on the #58 to go to the end of the line and back home with a stop in Sth Yarra for another ice cold chocolate milkshake - both travel days were hot!
Travelling by tram gives a new perspective lots of common place things. Two down, 23 to go - good thing we’ve got time! Another month and the pace will step up as we head overseas. More on that later.

​Closer to home!

And now for something a little different from me - places closer to home - in between our more epic journeys! There are many beautiful places to visit in Victoria many in easy drive of Melbourne or elsewhere in Victoria - relatively speaking!  They make perfect ‘Weekend’ escapes. Our trip into central Gippsland over the last weekend in 2017 for instance.
First destination, Maffra. After a very scenic and peaceful drive taking the back roads to keep off the highway as much as possible, what a surprising Maffra turned out to be! The town is spacious and quiet, but has a few good cafes and pubs, a golf course and half dozen or so wineries and berry farms within easy driving distance.  If nature is your thing there are a few State and National parks in the area as well as lakes and mountains. If you like to do a bit of 4WD-ing then this is a brilliant launching place with the Alpine National Park and the Avon Wilderness Park a few hours north of Maffra. No prizes for guessing where we headed! Before I tell you about that let me tell you about some options for Maffra.
We stayed at the Maffra Motor Inn www.mafframotorinn.com.au. Delightful and affordable motel accommodation, absolutely adequate for most needs and well situated.  A short walk (or drive) to the centre of town. Ange and Dave, the managers, are very friendly and helpful. Ange grew up in Maffra so knows the area well. They offer package deals for those who are interested – 'Play and Stay' (there’s a golf course nearby) and 'Dine and Stay'. Ange will make you a breakfast to go if you want to get on the road early and will pack you a picnic if you book ahead. The car park is dotted with fragrant garden boxes spilling flowers, herbs and vegetables (we came home with a huge bag of fresh-picked silverbeet – Yum!).
If you like the water, just 20 Km down the road, you can hop on a heritage cruise at Sale. www.saleheritagecruises.com.au .  And don’t forget, the Gippsland Lakes are not much further on.
The whole region is beautifully bucolic and peaceful and you can almost breathe in the precious and rare solitude. We drove passed expanses of young vegetables, fennel, apples and plums growing wild along the road side. You can loopout through the country side and take in a pub lunch at places like Newry.

The Wellington river at Licola

And what did we do? Straight up into the mountains of the Great Divide – a favourite route taking us through Licola, a town privately by the Lions Club. It was a fascinating trip home made all the more so because the navigator took her eyes of the road for just a bit and we got lost. But thanks to HEMA maps we emerged after an 'interesting' stretch of bush bashing through the McGuire track. It was fun but you can be sensible and stick to better roads!

We took some pretty rough road but is was visually stunning.

The origin of our wide brown land 

Over the last 6 months, ​I have been reading and reflecting on our big Australian journey last year and want to see more!  The origin of our wide brown land and its geological relationship with the rest of the world, is quite compelling and absorbing - I wish I knew more! But to start somewhere in the distance past closer to our origins, we need to fast-rewind over 3 billion years to the time when oxygen and photosynthesis was just dawning during the Archaean era, the time of the Supercontinent of Ur, a time when there was probably only one land mass.

That supercontinent broke apart but not surprisingly, important geomorphic similarities now link remote Archaean cratons across the world. Cratons are chunks of that almost mythical continent of Ur and they still exist in India, Australia, and Southern Africa. In Australia there are 3 cratonic shields:

*the Pilbara, where we walked on and among fragments of that ancient crust,

*the Yilgarn which comprises a large part of central, southern WA and is Australia’s premier mineral province through which we travelled last year, and

*the Gawler craton in SA. I love that region , it’s like stepping back to a time forgotten, a place you could happily lose yourself in.

Among the tumbled piles of broken pieces of the earth's crust and etched onto the face of those rocks are 1000s of images 10s of 1000s of years old. They represent the highest concentration of rock carving in the world. Murujuga NP on the Burrup peninsula, in the Pilbarra 

All these areas are extraordinarily ancient and very rich in precious ores and minerals - and of course as a result have been and continue to be exploited for economic gain.

From the time of the Land of Ur fast-forward through alternating ice and greenhouse ages to now when we are slipping into another greenhouse epoch (with loads of astonishing geological feats in between - sorry, space, ignorance and all that) and the jigsaw, mosaic of continents sitting astride a number of tectonic plates (which are either converging or diverging in relation to each other).

Australia is part of the Indo-Australian Plate. There is some suggestion this large Plate separated over 3 million years ago with Australia now moving northward at a rate of 5.6cm per year further into the tropics. We were connected. And the Indo plate moved north crushing into the Eurasian plate - and voila! the Himalayas were formed and continue to grow a few cm per year so that plate is still moving. Compared to Australia cratons this is very new. It is all fascinating however ..... what is exciting to me - well one of many things!!-  are the places where those earth-crust (tectonic) plates meet and what results. Think the specific Ring of Fire and the Himalayas and beyond! Many of those intersections we are yet to explore/learn about - life seems too short!
We sailed along the northern edge of the Pacific Tectonic Plate west and south through the Commander and Kuril Islands 2 years ago and saw where volcanoes trace the plate edge. Having seen the effects of convergence with other plates around the Pacific Ring of Fire, I am currently looking to where the once Indo-Australian Tectonic Plate converged with and crumpled the southern edge of the Eurasian Plate creating a huge mountainous region and vast basins and deserts some areas below sea level. There is not the same volcanic activity in this mighty land seam as there is on the pacific Eurasian convergence, but there are earthquakes. But of particular interest to me is that this region is not so far south, globally speaking, of where we will be travelling along the age-old Central Asian trade route, the Silk Road, in just a month. I am so excited!
I've been studying up on the area and feel a little overloaded. The geographical as well as cultural history of this Central Asian region is mind blowing. Over the millennia people, conquerors, cultures, religions, merchandise and ideas have  traversed the region's steppes, vast arid deserts and mountain passes.  The peoples and cultures are ages old - Persians, Arabs, Uyghur, and there is genetic evidence of people from the far west having once lived or at least visited in the region, Alexander the Great for one and there is genetic evidence of caucasoid ancestry; I will be visiting the Urumqi museum which houses the mummified remains which gives visible evidence of this.

So much to know about this amazing world of ours it would take a few lifetimes to discover and write about it. So I have to content myself with snippets from my own meager discoveries - but it is not a comfortable space for me having to be content with unanswered questions. But there you are ..........
I will keep you posted along the way as I learn more.