22 July 2008, 張掖(Zhangye), 4155km

Again there was a thunderstorm in the late afternoon yesterday. Should it rain so often in an arid region?
After the rain, I camped in the chilly air, in a wide field between two mountain ranges. There were no houses all around, as far as I could see.
This morning I woke up with someone's yell in distance. They were shepherds, with sheep in different groups. Flocks of sheep were moving in the field one after another. It was like clouds in the sky moving in the field. Many of them passed by my tent. I sat on a stone and watched them while waiting for my tent to get dry.

The scenery had changed. The vast deserted field spreaded all around. Cities or villages appeared along the ruote sometimes, then it went back to the field. Grand Wall was laid along the route. The altitude went higher than 2500m in maximum. The sunlight was strong.
While riding in the lonesome area, track drivers passing by often honked to cheer me up. A car driver stopped me and gave me a bottle of tea. I've been helped with such kindness everywhere in China, in many occasions.

In the evening, after I had dinner in a small restaurant along the route, I saw a group of cyclists passing by to the same direction where I was going. Mates! I dashed to catch them and to say hallo.
They were university students from Tianjin(天津), two men, two women. Yes, from the same starting point! We run together for a couple of hours to the next city ChonYie. It was fun. Meanwhile they asked me to have dinner together. I agreed of course.
I thought we were going to a restaurant. But Zhangye was the hometown of one of them. We went to his parents house. Gorgeous dinner had been prepared for them (though they said it was not so special but rather ordinary). I was invited too with smile. I hoped so much that I didn't stink too badly. I quickly changed my shirt while washing my hands and face.
The food was more than excellent, with so much variety, so much amount. Though it was my fourth meal of a day, I still ate a lot. It was like special food of new year for me. Chinese food is actually great as it's well known. It was after long time that I talked to someone for so long, though I had to force them to speak in English. I enjoyed everything, and appreciated their hospitality to the sudden pecuriar guest.
They brought me to a hotel after dinner. All I could do was repeating "謝謝" so many times. In fact, they'd asked me to stay in his aunt's house, but I wanted to be alone.
After they left, I hoped so much that the operation went all right, with good luck on her as I had today. I prayed for her.