This trip really gets to the heart of the Silk Road, with wonderful, stunning and fascinating sights to see - some seen by only a few Westerners. It's tiring, it can be hot, the long travelling days and overnight trains are not for the faint hearted but the rewards are immense. The people we came across, the way they manage their daily lives, the scenery, the history, the artefacts, the food, in fact everything about the trip is special and well worth any discomfort. What we did and saw will live in my memory for a very long time.