For any of you who don't know, my name is Geoff Holmes, I'm a university student from Calgary, Canada. In 2002, I spent my four months of summer holidays (and the last of my savings) doing an overland journey across Asia. I started in Istanbul and travelled through Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, and China to finish my trip in Shanghai (see map below). Part of the idea for this trip was to travel sections of the ancient "Silk Route", which was an overland trading network that stretched from the Mediterranean world to East Asia. The network existed as early as a few centuries BC until it was replaced by sea trade around the 15th Century AD, and conveyed goods such as silk, spices, and gems, as well as artistic, religious and cultural ideas (and it conveyed Marco Polo). This trip was one of the greatest times of my life, my eyes were opened to such amazing things, I met wonderful people and had fantastic experiences all summer. As I made this website I came to realize how no amount of pictures or stories could ever capture what I felt, what I went through, and what I learned on this journey. Travelling and exploring our world is truely something that everyone should experience for themselves. I hope these pictures, whether the photography is good, bad, or ugly (keep in mind I shot all of these pictures on a $50 camera), will kindle an interest in some people to learn more about these areas of the world, or even to travel there. Don't hesitate to hit me with some questions, comments or suggestions about the website or travelling in general, I'm just an email away!

The Route

My journey started in Istanbul (Byzantium, and then Constantinople, in ancient times), in the western portion of Turkey that is off to the left of the screen (because I couldn't find a wide enough map). I spent some time in the small region of Northeastern Turkey that is on the map. Then as can be seen, wound my way through the Elborz and Zagros mountain ranges in Iran, and edged along a few of the desert areas. I crossed into Pakistan through the desert province of Baluchistan, and headed up to the Northern Areas to spend some time amongst the Karakorams, the Hindu Kush and the Himalayas. I crossed into China via the 4800m Khunjerab Pass and followed the Kunlun Shan mountain range along the edge of the Taklamakan desert in southern Xinjiang province. Then I journeyed up onto the Tibetan plateau in Qinghai province and then to the ancient Silk Route terminus of Xian. From Xian, I went south to cruise down the Yangtze river, and then continued to Shanghai. Crossing Asia is that easy...