22-Jun-2006 -- 44N – 87E Xinjiang (新疆), China

Line Hunting Date: June 22, 2006

The Center of Asia Confluence Point

After our visit to the monument of the Geographic Center of Asia (The Heart of Asia) we headed toward the nearest confluence point which is located about 46 km GPS distance away, and about 40 km west of Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang.

The first part of our drive was straight forward but it became a series of trials and errors for a good part of the last 10 km when we try to find pathways through the farmland to get near the confluence point. At one point we had to drive a cross a very narrow bridge made with four railroad tiles and part of the tires were hanging out in the air. It took almost 2 hours to navigate the last stretch. Eventually, we found a paved road which took us straight to the confluence point.

This confluence point located in the middle of a village known as the third Brigade of Jun Hu Farm (军户农场), about 200 meters off the highway. The exact location of the confluence point was inside the yard of an abandoned house. We scaled the mud wall to complete the last few meters. About a third of the households in this village was unoccupied and run down.

After a short visit in the village we rushed back to Urumqi where we were expected for dinner just about the time we reached the confluence point. We had to drain a few extra glasses of beer to apologize to our host.

Rating of this hunt:

Degree of Challenge:

2 – finding the road was more complicated than usual (1= very easy - drive to the point; to 5= a death march – glad it is over)

Scenery:

2– a somewhat depressed village with many abandoned home (Scale: 1= not interesting at all; 5= take your breath away)

Culture-social factors:

2 – Agriculture area of central Xinjiang (Scale: 1=dull; 5= most stimulating)