Daniel Dumbrill
By July 1st, we started making a lot of progress towards Xinjiang, stopping in random places that weren't on our itinerary. One of those places was in one of our last Inner Mongolia stops in a place called EjinaQi Strange Forest.
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.