Tim Boelter

I’m not sure where to begin in writing this. It may take me a few more weeks just to compile all my thoughts about this extraordinary journey. Much of it is a blur simply because the amount of information we had to digest in such a short period.

Our dispatches have been daily journals to keep others informed to the events that were taking place throughout this journey. These dispatches usually were written late at night after long days on the road and lacked quite a bit of the finer details of how this trip really affected us and what we really experienced. Mike kept a very detailed journal in which he actively wrote throughout each day, even while traveling over incredibly rough terrain. Quite often I would turn to see him diligently writing in his notebook while we drove.  Mike was always asking questions, keeping precise records of everything that took place, and making sure he was getting names spelled properly. He recorded far more than what was actually sent through dispatches and Mike will be sending his writings in the next few weeks.

For thirty days straight Mike, Lao Wang, and I have been on the move traveling through a kaleidoscope of places, cultures and geography. What we did in China and how we experienced this magnificent country was without a doubt a unique opportunity made possible through my friend and production partner Lao Wang.  Having the ability to travel free without the pretensions of government officials or tour groups opens up limitless potential to explore beyond the beaten path. As China’s door continues to open wider, the world will finally be able to see beyond the threshold of communism and appreciate what lies within this nation.

I have already had people (including some television producers in Beijing) remark about our journey, apparently what we did and where we traveled was indeed something unique even for Chinese. If Lao Wang had it his way, we would still be in the desert right now, and as I write these words a big part of me would still like to be there with him. I can certainly say I’ll be going back.

Time will reveal the changes taking place in China. As the interior continues to open and become more accessible to foreign travelers, a wealth of tourism opportunity awaits, but getting to these places and knowing how to travel in China is a different topic worth covering.

I’ve been to China five times now, and each trip has been a unique experience. This is a country with immense geological and cultural diversity. China may be one country, but once inside you see the incredible assortment of ethnicity, customs, and landscapes in each region of the country. I don’t think one lifetime is enough to truly explore all that China has to offer.

For me, the significance of coming to China and traveling the Silk Road goes beyond producing a single film about this particular adventure, actually it’s just the beginning of a much larger project and journey that may take years to complete.

Cheers,
Tim

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