A good friend of mine is intent on 'doing' The Silk Road.

Please don't question his sanity, as I may wish to share the answers
and comments with him.

I keep telling him that it's going to be littered with pot holes; road
works; road tolls; diversions; speed cameras; traffic cops;
over-priced roadside eateries ... the usual stuff.

And, anyway, synthetics now beat the hell out of silk.

But will he listen to me?

No, of course not: nobody ever does. (He can't even ride a wooden
horse never mind a camel.)

So can someone dish the dirt?

Many thanks!

probonopublico-ga:

Thanks for this opportunity to re-examine a topic that I recall being
fascinated by as a child. This fascination with The Silk Road was
fueled of course by television. In this case, a television series
called, fittingly enough, "The Silk Road":

NHK writeup (the original makers of the series)
http://www.nhk.or.jp/digitalmuseum/nhk50years_en/history/p20/

Amazon US info on the DVD for the original series
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1586640054/

The sequel, that completed the journey to ancient Rome
http://www.vhs-online.com/g=1562196537.html


Here is a well-written, and not-overly-long essay on The Silk Road,
from a student at The University of California, Irvine:

http://www.ess.uci.edu/~oliver/silk.html


Now, since you mention that your friend is interested in traveling The
Silk Road (and you are indeed correct in that there was no single
'road' per se; instead, there were several routes traveled by
different merchants in ancient antiquity), he may be interested in the
following tours:

WarriorTours
http://www.warriortours.com/silkroad/

 - incidentally, a good map of the major routes appears on this page

Silk Road Tours
http://www.silkroadtours.co.uk/index.html

 - a custom tour company specializing in the modern-day countries that
lie along the Silk Road path


Oriental Travel - Silk Road Tours
http://www.orientaltravel.com.hk/tours/silkroad.htm

 - tours along the China portion of the route

China Vista Tours - Silk Road Tour
http://www.chinavista.com/entravel/package1.php?id=28



Please note that the China portion of The Silk Road(s) may actually be
the safest to visit as a tourist these days. Several of the Central
Asian countries that the route passes through are still experiencing
some civil unrest, and a foreign tourist may make for a desirable
target! Dangerous in a different way from pot holes, road-works,
tolls, and traffic cops! He probably won't need to worry about
over-priced road-side eateries, though. Food that is recognizable, and
that doesn't attempt to scurry away from you... now that's another
thing completely.

My personal recommendation is that your friend experience The Silk
Road vicariously first, through the tapes/DVDs of the television
series. Although it has been 24 years since the series was first shown
on TV, it is still breath-taking to watch. Then, if he still desires,
he should contact Silk Road Tours to find out if his bank account can
support his dream!

Regards,

aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher

---

Clarification of Answer by aht-ga on 01 Mar 2004 00:41 PST

It was also my intent to provide you with links and quotes from the
current CIA World Fact Book listings for the countries in question;
however, my ISP's routers are acting up, and I cannot reach the CIA
World Fact Book online right now. For your reference, the website
address is:

www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/

And, the links are:

Turkey
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/tu.html

Syria
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/sy.html

Lebanon
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/le.html

Jordan
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/jo.html

Iraq
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/iz.html

Iran
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ir.html

Georgia
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/gg.html

Armenia
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/am.html

Azerbaijan
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/aj.html 

Turkmenistan
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/tx.html

Uzbekistan
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/uz.html

Kazakhstan
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/kz.html

Kyrgyzstan
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/kg.html

China
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ch.html


If there's any hazard to traveling to these countries, the World Fact
Book will mention it.

Regards,

aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher

Brilliant, aht, Many Thanks.

I've never heard of the television series and I guess that my friend
hasn't either. I'll now get the DVD, on your recommendation. I should
be able to play it on my multi-region kit, but I'm not sure how he's
fixed. Certainly, buying a multi-region DVD player should be a lot
cheaper than an encounter with the Mongol hordes.

Of course, everyone now knows that Marco Polo was a phoney. Or was he?

Warmest regards

Bryan

probonopublico-ga:

OK, I'll bite. :)

And no, I won't question HIS sanity... :)

By "The Silk Road", are you referring to the path taken by merchants
in ancient times, and made famous by Marco Polo, that 'connected' the
empires of the East with the markets of Europe?

Or, does "The Silk Road" stand for something else?

aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher

Hi, aht

Many thanks for taking a bite.

Yes, The Silk Road is 'the one made famous' by Marco Polo, although,
apparently, there was actually more than one.

I knew that I could rely on you ... I bet a lot of folk on your side
of the pond thought that I was barking mad.

Well, I am, but that's another story.

Warmest regards

Bryan

Probonopublico-ga:

Thanks for the tip! Sorry I couldn't provide any of the details about
the countries from the World Fact Book; perhaps this is simply a hint
from my ISP that it's time to call it a day... and so I shall! At
least I'm still able (half the time) to reach Google Answers, by why
aggravate myself further.

Regards,

aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher

probonopublico-ga:

Here's a timely answer to your follow-up thought about Marco Polo:

http://www.afgha.com/?af=article&sid=41512

Please note the TV special airing on the American National
Geographical channel this month; after it airs, it may become
available on video from the National Geographic online store.

Regards,

aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher

Hi, Again, aht

And many thanks for the extra stuff on Marco.

I'll keep an eye open for the tv programme ... Maybe it will make
television in the UK but I don't watch it very often. I am probably
the only person in the world who doesn't have satellite.

Warmest regards

Bryan

Hello Bryan
You could try the "Silk Route Motorcaravan Club" http://www.xor.org.uk/silkroute/
For those who like to take their bedroom with them
Regards Kemlo