It turns out that you can get direct flights between Korla and Beijing. That is, if you're willing to fly China Airforce Airlines. (Yes, that airforce.)

Looking towards the city center from the lake in Peacock Park.

Odd animal statues in Peacock Park, with Korla behind.

Watching the sunset while eating spicy barbecued vegetables at the night market.

Everyone's gotta leave Korla sometime. Will contemplates his future as a non-celebrity.

Will and Zoe head off towards Shanghai via Gansu, while Wang Shan and Carrie look on. See you later, friends.

The sun sets over the mountains northwest of Korla.

I was as surprised as anybody to learn that Wang Shan is in love with our boss, Big David. She should have hidden her love note while she was sleeping!

Another interesting sunset in Korla.

Daniel Peacock, my new roommate, has arrived in Korla from England. We took this photo in Peacock Park in front of the peacock statue. Get it?

Korla is best known in many parts of the world for it's "fragrant" Korla pears. They're almost ready to pick.

Daniel and Lincoln, with an entourage of local water engineers, wait for a ride back from our excursion to the countryside.

Construction workers in China are pretty nuts. The scaffolding is almost nonexistent, and they shimmy up and down the poles with only a rope tied around their waists. They've almost finished the new apartment building behind my new place.

The view from the livingroom of my new apartment in the Hua Shan Binguan.

I couldn't believe that I was going to get to see the King of Uyghur Pop, Abdulla Abdurehim, live in concert!