When I was young, I felt that the most romantic thing in the world was to go a long way alone to meet another person.

Even growing up.



From Suzhou-Shanghai-Xi'an-Karamay, and then to Urumqi, after thousands of miles, the last four words are my destination.

One person, one suitcase, one backpack, one camera, one train ticket, one green leather car. On the road, free and easy, no one has to think about it.

I know that there is a person waiting for me at the end of the train. So, I smiled.


There is no high-speed train from Karamay, the oil city in Xinjiang, to Urumqi, the capital. More than 350 kilometers, it takes three and a half hours by train.

Xinjiang is the province with the largest land area in China, with an area of ​​1.66 million square kilometers, accounting for one-sixth of China's total land area. This is the 17th time I have set foot on the city of Urumqi. In fact, I am still unfamiliar with this huge city.

At Urumqi Railway Station, Liu Xiaobai was waiting for me at the exit, holding a naan. No need to hug, just a smile is enough.

Urumqi is the largest city farthest from the ocean in the world. Many people, like me, just make a short stay here, gather here from all over the country, stay for one or two nights, and then go to the destination: southern Xinjiang or northern Xinjiang.

17 trips made me gradually familiar with those place names. Beitun, Burqin, Altay, Hotan, Duku Highway, Shanshan, Turpan, Qiongkushtai, Karamay, Kanas, Baihaba, Yining, Hemu, Kashgar, Khunqirab, Taxkorgan... .Because I arrive again and again, leaving too many memories.

If you are like me and only stay in Urumqi for one night, then follow in my footsteps!

that room

A few days in advance, I booked a room on the Tujia APP called "Falling in Love with Susan". In fact, there are many star hotels in Urumqi, including the "Bingtuan Hotel" where I used to live in Urumqi.

It's just that the regular hotels have no personality, and most of them are the same. And I am an appearance party, I like beautiful things. I fell in love with this one at a glance on the Tujia APP, and I couldn't give up anymore.

Although the price of this homestay, four or five hundred yuan, is comparable to that of a four-star hotel, I prefer to live in a homestay.

There are a variety of homestays on the Tujia APP, and there are also apartments suitable for 3-4 people. There are domestic and foreign, various cities, high school and low-end. If you are interested, you can take a look.

From the railway station to Urumqi Jingkai Wanda Apartment, the distance is very close, the transportation is convenient, and it is not far from the airport. Around the apartment, shopping, supermarkets, and food are all within walking distance.

The housekeeper of the homestay told me the password of the door lock long ago, and explained that "the password and the linen are changed for each guest", which made me feel at ease. And take care again and again: there are slippers at the door, be sure to wear slippers to enter.

The room is located on the 19th floor of Building 18 of Wanda Apartment. When you open the door, you are amazed.



This room is simply too beautiful, any girl will like it, right?

This is an independent loft room with kitchen and bathroom, refrigerator and washing machine are all available. The host also considerately turned on the air conditioner for a few hours earlier, and there are welcome fruits. It's the little details that always make people smile.

Here, it is like a home on a journey, without the sense of distance of a traditional hotel.



The soft furnishings of the room are quite in place.

The fireplace and the dog are just decorations but create a very laid back atmosphere. Two large green plants, it is true, make the whole room full of vitality.

Every cushion, every small cabinet is matched just right.


In the corner of the room, a white wedding dress quietly stood.

This warm-colored room and soft big bed make people feel very relaxed. Huge projection screen, you can watch a movie here at night.

The bathroom is simple and the washing machine is placed in the corner. It's like a home, no one to bother you, no waiters to shuttle up and down the aisles, no front desk to check in.

Because the room is really beautiful, I originally wanted to go around the neighborhood, but the two women have been posing in the room for a long time.

Live up to the food

In the evening, we went out to forage. I found a barbecue restaurant within walking distance of Wanda Apartment, called "Xiaohe Princess". I have been to the Urumqi Museum and seen the real version of "Little River Princess".

People who understand it will naturally understand, thinking that the name is domineering enough.

This is a restaurant that combines Xinjiang cuisine, seafood, and barbecue. It is on the second floor and the environment is very good. Local young people like to come here for barbecue.

In fact, in Xinjiang, because of the three-hour time difference, dinner is usually eaten after 21:00. We went early, and there were basically no customers in the store. By the time we finished eating and left, the store was full.

In Xinjiang, breakfast is eaten at 10:00, lunch at 14:00, dinner at 21:00, and supper at 24:00. Most of my friends are asleep.

Two women, dating another photographer friend. The three of them once ate together in a small restaurant in Kashgar, southern Xinjiang, as if they were traveling back in time.

This is also an online celebrity barbecue restaurant in Wanda Commercial District. Compared with the roadside stalls, the price is relatively more expensive.

But compared to another online celebrity barbecue restaurant "Loulan Roasted" that I went to eat last time, I think the barbecue of "Xiaohe Princess" is much better.

I took a picture of the price for your reference:


The end of August and the beginning of September are officially the best period for grapes in Turpan, Xinjiang. Liu Xiaobai bought me a bunch of various grapes. There are so many varieties of grapes in Xinjiang that they can’t even be named.

You must order two bottles of big Wusu, and you are used to drinking this kind of red Wusu. Sometimes it’s not for drinking, this big Wusu with barbecue is the correct way to open Urumqi!

I ordered a refreshing salad, which is the Urumqi version of the pre-dinner salad.

Nang pit meat is a skewer per person. This meat is marinated and very tasty.

Potato racks are simply baked potato chips served on a meat rack. Liu Xiaobai said, this shelf, for a moment, made 3.5 potatoes into 18 yuan. Made us all laugh.

Roasted pigeons in Shache cost 35 yuan a piece, which is a bit expensive, but the taste is really good.

Reminiscent of those days in southern Xinjiang, a night of pigeon soup served with chickpeas and noodles, full of food. I still remember the evening at Gaotai Residential House, many children after school and many pigeons were circling.

Grilled lamb chops are a must. 1.2 kg, 188 yuan a piece, a large plate. Personally, I think it is worth it, because the roast is really good. After struggling for a while between roasted lamb legs and roasted lamb chops, I finally chose roasted lamb chops.

The mutton in Xinjiang is really good, not smelly at all, and the meat is delicious. At this moment, I am in the middle of the night in the south of the Yangtze River, looking at this picture, and recalling the unfinished pieces of lamb chops, it would be great if I could travel through time and space.

Grilled lamb kebabs and roasted pepper beef tenderloin are both 5 yuan a skewer, and each of the three people comes with a skewer.

Finally, a Xinjiang baked naan, I really can't eat it, so I can only take a symbolic bite.

late night

Walking back from the "Little River Princess" to the Wanda Apartment where I lived, the night in Urumqi feels a bit as cool as water. After passing the lively 77th Street Food Street, let’s go for a walk.

Today, the night markets in Urumqi are surrounded like this. The food stalls are next to each other, and there are all kinds of delicacies in the food stalls.

It is suitable for three or five friends. If you want to have a few bottles of Dawusu, you want to have some roast lamb, and you can chat all over the world.


I came to Xinjiang for the first time in 2013. It is said that the night markets in Xinjiang used to be quite lively, but I can no longer experience them. Every year, I come to Xinjiang 2-3 times. Spring, summer, autumn and winter, southern Xinjiang and northern Xinjiang.

Only when you come to Xinjiang in person, can you know what is called "beautiful Xinjiang" and what is called "sparsely populated". Xinjiang is really too big. Even though I have been here 17 times, there are still many places I have not visited.

Every time I leave, I know clearly that I will come back.


Just for the food, you are worth coming to Xinjiang once. Have you ever heard of noodle lung? Have you tried it?

Just walk around like this and feel the life of the local people. Except for the first time I came to Xinjiang, I have never been to the Urumqi Grand Bazaar. I always feel that it is too commercial.

I love that, blending in with the locals and pretending to live here too.

Walking on the quiet streets of Urumqi late at night, thinking about this city, it is no different, the same reinforced concrete forest.

And this city is different. This is Urumqi, which is the first stop of your Xinjiang travel.

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