Monks, Deserts, and Checkpoints

A year ago, Tanya and Dima hitchhiked across China, Tibet, and Xinjiang — from the Vietnamese border to the mountain passes leading into Kyrgyzstan. The Taklamakan Desert and the icy peaks of Tibet, stern monks and armed checkpoints, bustling markets and the silence of ancient temples — all were part of a single journey. Contrasts followed one after another: high tech and archaic traditions, poverty and wealth, digital surveillance and age-old beliefs.

Next Monday at our venue, they’ll share how to travel through these regions without speaking Chinese and without overspending — armed with just a backpack, a map, and a genuine curiosity about the world. We'll talk about daily life in Tibetan villages and Uyghur cities, about geography and climate — from the scorching desert sun to the eternal snows of mountain passes, about local culture, religion, and traditions you encounter every day on the road.

You'll learn where to find accommodation — from desert huts to rooms in Tibetan monasteries, how to communicate using Chinese apps, how to apply for a Chinese visa from third countries, what to watch out for on the road, how to get onto highways and travel thousands of kilometers for free and fast, how to stay with locals, how to interact with police without raising suspicion, how to pay in a country without Visa or MasterCard, how to get information without Google, which Chinese phrases are actually helpful, which gestures are best avoided, and what absolutely not to do in Xinjiang.

This event will be interesting both for those planning a trip to China and for anyone who wants to learn more about the life, culture, and contrasts of Tibet, Xinjiang, and the Middle Kingdom as a whole.