Well it’s day 14 and later this morning we go through customs and head to Kazakhstan. Not sure how long it takes, it’s more about the cars v people I think

So I thought I’d leave China with a few thoughts and lots of pictures of Chinese we met on the way

It’s a privilege to have been able to drive across the country and see the geographical diversity and sheer size. It stays in the same time zone despite its size so our clocks go back 3 hours today crossing the border

The level of infrastructure is hard to describe and even harder to capture on camera. Solar fields as far as the eye can see, windmill farms which go in for miles. The every city has so many buildings going up ( and so many empty / unfinished ) we’ve driven the “new Silk Road “. A major motorway across the country. They’ve planned ahead. Lots of motorway services which are built but not opened yet as you see so few cars on the road once you are out of the cities

The mini brought crowds wherever it stopped. People wanting to get in. The knew what it was ( because of newer mini /Italian job film)

I’ve been lucky enough to have been to China number of times over 25 years. Then 1/2 the traffics was bicycles and the other 1/2 one make of car called a VW Santana

They have created and infrastructure in last 30 years like Victorian Britain’s did and USA did in 1920-50’s.

Finally we saw no real poverty ( may of been hidden from us) everything is watched and Controlled by cameras. There were always police around to make sure we were going the right way ( except in the Gobi desert 😁)

Lastly unlike some other countries it doesn’t feel like it has an identity in a way Japan or USA has. Maybe they have been producing goods for the west for 40 years and that is how the see / define themselves