This is the story of traveling the ancient Silk Road by bus, train, air and the occasional camel. The photo journey includes the 7th century Caves of the Thousand Buddahs at Dunhuang, caravanserais, Marco Polo's trail, towering sand dunes, ghost cities devastated by Mongols, Kashgar and high central Asian Yak pastures.



The world's greatest overland journey, the Silk Road is an immense network of trails crossing the geographically inhospitable swath of Asia. It once linked Imperial China and Imperial Rome, was traveled by Marco Polo, and mirrors the history of civilization. Writing, paper, gunpowder, horse riding, belief systems and religions, including Buddhism, were carried along the route.



The Ultimate prize was silk and long trains of bactrian camels traversed the Taklamakan, Lop Nor and Gobi Deserts. Pack horses negotiated trails through the Pamir, Tian Shan and Karakoram Mountains. Trade expanded to include gold, jade, coral, ivory, fur, ceramics, cinnamon, rhubarb ostrich eggs and weapons. Caravanserais, walled compounds, were built 25 miles apart. Here traders and travelers would be relatively safe from robbers and wild animals.



Part One covers the journey from Beijing to Xian and across China, between the Tibetan Plateau and Gobi Desert to Kashgar on the Kyrghyz border. (12th century Kashgar has since been demolished to make way for a new city.) Photographs include the Karakorum highway which skirts Kyrgyistan, Tagikistan and Afghanistan, high yak pastures and views of the towering Pamir Knot of mountains and glaciers.