dilraba 9/28/26 dilraba 9/28/26

Along the Silk Road - Kucha

When the flight flew over the Taklamakan desert, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to observe the desert in its fullest form through the window…

The most interesting discovery was the very distinctive colour palette. Almost all the paintwork in the town was the mixture of bright base colours, green, yellow, red and blue etc…

When I crossed the very high threshold of the gate, I entered a different world - the world of the king, the past…

dilraba 9/16/26 dilraba 9/16/26

Along the Silk Road - Hotan

Walking along the avenue, what struck me most was not how familiar the scene was, but how unfamiliar I felt being there - a tourist in my homeland…

Different backgrounds, different languages, different religions - all had been colliding here for centuries and eventually left their mark in all kinds of ways in this place called Hotan…

I found myself standing in a real desert.

It was profound, to be someone who had been to the Taklamakan desert, a mythical place that had only ever appeared in stories.

It was vast, like a sea. It was golden, reflecting the sunlight. It was blistering, like nothing could live…

dilraba 9/5/26 dilraba 9/5/26

Along the Silk Road - Kashgar

2026 has been one of the most transformative years in my life. Not only did I make big decisions in order to leave an old version of life behind, but a trip like this reached every single cell in me.

This is a trip to one of the most ancient parts of the world and an ancient world that used to thrive but has now fallen.

Kashgar, Hotan, Kucha - do they sound familiar or alien?

dilraba 8/29/26 dilraba 8/29/26

Urumqi Memories

Urumqi is such a special city, and you can see it even from its name - Urumqi. It’s not a Chinese name nor an Uyghur name - the name is of Mongolian origin, meaning beautiful pasture. As the name reflects, it is located in the vast Central Asian steppes and now it is rising as a metropolis and a gateway to something entirely new to the world.

dilraba 8/5/26 dilraba 8/5/26

Just A Random Day

There is a sparkle of joy knowing I will be leaving this place soon, but it’s saddening, knowing this is a home I can never stay.

dilraba 8/4/26 dilraba 8/4/26

Home

Home is becoming to have a wider meaning in my life.

dilraba 7/15/26 dilraba 7/15/26

Mother

Mom, now when I recall everything, has been the very centre of my life. She is a diligent woman, and an ambitious one. She is intelligent but also mysterious. Growing up I understood her through a veil, and had to act at my best whenever she was around.

dilraba 7/8/26 dilraba 7/8/26

A Spontaneous and Magnificent Trip to the South of France

It was a one-day-ahead-planned trip to Toulon in the summer of 2024, one-way ticket, in the south of France - so far, my most courageous move as a traveller. And it lasted for three weeks.

dilraba 6/24/26 dilraba 6/24/26

Why Do I Choose to Go?

First of all, it is not an escape. Going is an option that opens a door for a broader future, unknown but full of possibilities. Staying is the part of me that wants to hold on to something familiar and certain.