the random oracle

So tomorrow I head off on my summer adventure through the great Chinese interior.  I’ve never done any independent travel in China before (always went with organized trips) so this will be quite the experience!  The trip starts off in Lanzhou where I meet up with FS, and then we’ll explore the area at the border of Gansu and Qinghai provinces, which is known for its diversity (large Muslim and Tibetan populations) and also for being along the Silk Road.  The plan is to end up in Dunhuang in Eastern Gansu province where there are the Mogao caves, and along the way to see Jiayuguan and whatever else is there in the oases.

One thing along the way is this formation (click through to see the satellite photos) on Google maps, which looks like a huge valley, but it does not turn up on any searches about the surrounding cities.  Definitely gonna check that out…

Any suggestions for things to do after this part of the trip?  We’re thinking about going to Henan and seeing Luoyang, Kaifeng, and the Shaolin temples.  Anyone know if there other things in that area or in Shanxi/Shaanxi that are worth visiting?