Daniel Dumbrill
Our next major stop was Whistling Dune Bay, which was also a lot of fun for the kids. This place really takes you by surprise as you drive up to it. There’s no gradual transition into the desert, just a sudden, sharp change in scenery. As you navigate around the surrounding grassy hills, you suddenly come face to face with the absolute opposite of an oasis. The first night we stayed in a local homestay where the owner drove us out over the sand dunes in an old retired army jeep. We got to slide down the sides of the dunes and play on ATVs. The second night we stayed at an all-inclusive resort right in the sand dune area. They had a large theme park and great nighttime entertainment at the hotel.
Daniel Dumbrill
Our Huitengxile Park stop in Inner Mongolia on June 26th was one of the first real fun stops for the kids, with lots of activities for them. The two things that stood out most for me were how magical this village looked when we approached it at night, it kinda reminded me of a scene from Spirited Away, and how many wind turbines there were. Thousands upon thousands of them, not only as far as the eye could see, but as far as my drone’s eye could see as well. While we were on the highways, we saw dozens of trucks carrying even more turbine blades being shipped out to new sites. It’s particularly entertaining to look at when you remember that Trump has convinced a lot of people to believe they’re not used in China, claiming China manufactures wind turbines to sell abroad but doesn’t use them domestically, and that wind farms like these are just “for show.”