Tim Boelter

As I mentioned in an earlier dispatch, I met Lao Wang while climbing a peak in China called Siguniang. Lao Wang was also filming and writing about the climb for the Chinese media. Lao Wang isn’t a climber and lacked equipment so he was restricted to documenting the trip from our glacier camp. While on the mountain we had many discussions about filming and possibly teaming up to do some projects in China. I also learned that Lao Wang owned a pub that catered to western tourist and workers living in Zhengzhou. He also owns the Target Off Road Club, an organization that partakes in both professional and nonprofessional off road rallies throughout China and the world.  Learning about the off road club stirred some thoughts; I started to realize that Lao Wang was a great example of China’s new rising middle class. He was someone who lived on his terms and was going to pursue the good things in life. At first I thought about doing a film about him, but then I realized Lao Wang was more about being a part of the production crew rather than being the subject of a film. In fact with a press card in his possession and a beefed up four wheel drive vehicle, Lao Wang was unfettered by the limitations and restrictions of a government that can be intimidating. Nothing seems to bother Lao Wang, in fact I was amazed at his ability to get things done and his ability not to be overwhelmed by potentially dangerous situations. So Lao Wang and I decided to start a business venture together in China, making films about an emerging nation with incredible history. This is how we ended up doing the Silk Road.

Lao Wang isn’t an average Chinese guy. In fact, aside from being an entrepreneur he is someone who really enjoys adventure and exploration. And after having spent time with him in the Xinjiang Province I started to see that Lao Wang had a sincere desire and curiosity to learn more about the diverse cultures and history here. Xinjiang may be a province in China but the ethnicity, religion, and culture of this region make it seem as though it was a completely different country. From the moment we crossed into this vast province, everything seemed to be noticeably different.

I think for Lao Wang there was a strong attraction to the people as well as their food. I have to mention food because it was the cornerstone of Lao Wang’s discussions. Lao Wang may be 100-percent Chinese but he certainly doesn’t like Chinese food. It was more than obvious he preferred Uygur food simply because we ate in Uygur restaurants the entire time in Xinjiang. And when it was time to leave the province I remember how Lao Wang desperately wanted to eat that one last Uygur meal.

Lao Wang expressed to me how much better he felt when he was in Xinjiang. I sensed that this wild land had a grip on his adventurous soul. Unlike his hometown, here the wide-open desert sky is blue and the people were as colorful as the landscape. Contrary to some of the articles written about the strained relationship between the Uygur people and Han Chinese, Lao Wang certainly had a deep respect and desire to always interact with the people here. In fact, I can honestly say he seem to prefer hanging out with the locals more than with the Han Chinese.

So as curious as Mike and I were about this strange exotic land, Lao Wang may have been that much more curious, and I found that to be refreshing.

Our time in the Xinjiang Province wasn’t nearly what we needed to accomplish our goals. There are remarkable people and places in this vast desert region and to truly explore and experience the depth of these places and the people here would take years.

Cheers,
Tim

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