TAKLAMAKAN DESERT

“EXPEDITION INFORMATION UPDATE”

The timing of this expedition waits on an unsavoury combination of the settling of the political disruptions in Xinjiang combined with the restrictions imposed by China to contain the Coronavirus.

The Taklamakan desert has a fearsome reputation as China’s largest dune desert. Many have dared to venture into its interior in a quest for legendary treasures buried beneath her shifting dunes and never been seen again. Taklamakan’s literal translation is ‘the desert you go in and don’t come out’.

This forthcoming expedition, which is waiting for the unexpected delayed permits for this region will be British-led (by myself) but as a joint Anglo-Sino project. We will be crossing through the interior of the desert and travelling the full length of nearly 1,000 km over its towering, shifting sand dunes – and out the other side. The team will travel through temperatures reaching between -20c at night and above 38c by day.

Each expedition invariably offers up its own ‘cause’ and in this instance, and on the part of the Chinese, the expedition will help draw renewed attention of the Belt and Road initiative, currently gaining momentum across from China to Europe, to a global audience and, as a joint Anglo-Sino expedition, help promote relations between the two countries.

As on each of  Rosie’s expeditions, physiological research will be undertaken on each team member throughout the duration of the crossing, monitoring the impact on mind and body of such an extreme undertaking. Education will also play its role via the website with specific emphasis on the role of water.

Further details of the planning and expedition resources will be posted on the website as and when political and health restrictions are lifted.