NNiki-SituHow difficult is it to put together a trip with close friends? We hadn't traveled together for two whole years. So we made up our minds: to go somewhere we'd never go on a business trip. Two southerners, like two potatoes, plunged from our +25°C hometown into the -10°C Zhongwei desert.
Why winter?
The answer is simple: we were fed up with the cramped conditions in the city, where even a square meter of peace had to be shared. The winter desert generously offered us the whole world. Before us were endless sand dunes, a crisp wind, and the uninhibited laughter of our friends—a luxurious, almost unrestrained joy.
This expedition was filled with warmth from the moment we landed. The plane arrived at Zhongwei Shapotou Airport at 9:40 AM. Our butler, Tom, had anticipated our early arrival and provided a seamless pick-up. Upon check-in, he meticulously introduced the room. When we hesitated about our initial ”snowy world” plan, he softly suggested, ”Perhaps the desert would be more special?”—this turned out to be the most correct turning point of our trip.
Our desert guide, Zhang, whom he arranged for us, was reassuringly professional. The pace of the trip was flexibly adjusted to our individual needs, and he transformed the hike into a vivid nature lesson. The stories of the desert plants and animal tracks made the vast desert approachable and engaging.
Tom's recommendations were like a treasure map full of hidden surprises.
The lamb restaurant he casually mentioned was praised by later taxi drivers: ”You guys know how to find it; even we locals go there often.” Whenever we got carried away with our adventures, his timely reminders about the return journey would ring out, gently soothing any anxieties we might have felt in a foreign land.
The off-season hotel provided a VIP experience. That evening, the head chef kindly drove us back to the hotel, stopping under the dazzling starry sky to teach us how to take time-lapse photos of the starry night with our phones. At that moment, the entire hotel team seemed incredibly skilled, yet also incredibly warm and welcoming.
And this trip also gave us a ”first” experience in the entire universe.
It was my first time specifically transferring flights for a sea of sand, my first time seeing camels with frosted eyelashes, and my first time standing in a real desert, speechless with awe at the magic of nature. Even more amazing was how the desert revealed its full spectrum of appearances over three days: the first day, a light snowfall blanketed the dunes like sprinkled sugar; the second day, the sun shone brightly, turning the world into a golden expanse; the third day, a strong wind arose, and a vast curtain of sand stretched across the sky—it felt like opening a completely new natural blind box each day.
As southerners, we hastily created a ”Desert Winter Clothing Guide.”
Our principle was: layering, with flexible disassembly (gear that could be worn again at home). Our practical setup was as follows:
Inner layer: Close-fitting thermal underwear to keep dry.
Middle layer: Lightweight cotton or fleece clothing to lock in warmth.
Outer layer: Windproof and sandproof jacket or down jacket to protect against the harsh winds of the open desert.
Footwear: A pair of high-top boots for comfortable walking across the sand dunes.
Accessories: Hat, scarf, and gloves for nighttime use.
On the last day, we were so exhausted that we abandoned all our plans. Lying in the hotel bar, we were completely healed by a cup of sweet eight-treasure tea (so much so that we frantically searched for the same tea at the airport before leaving). Three days was short, but it felt like a meticulously planned mini-adventure—compact, fulfilling, and without regrets.
A special thank you to our butler, Tom. His meticulous foresight, accurate recommendations, and silent support throughout were the warmest and brightest light in this vast desert.
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