An Original Oasis
No river flows to Ga-Se. With less water, the Way gets more difficult. These trees are sure signs deeper water sources. Water flows from the mountains, disappears into desert basin and flows again at the bottom.
Grazing Gash
Deeper into Dzungaria, cows and horses can still graze but water is more and more scarce. The river beds are impassable and jagged cliffs limit access from above.
Rough Wagon Ride
Alara’s ancestor, Déhawiha, probably traveled 2,500 miles in a wagon like this. Rough ride from the Pontic Steppe, north of the Black Sea to the southern shores of Lake Baikal! Truth is, people probably walked most of the way, but the wagon was still the hub that a home was built around.
A more complete virtual reconstruction follows. No matter what, this wasn’t glamping 
Into Those Mountains
In few weeks of travel on foot, the world changes a lot, no matter where you go, it’s Big Sky Country.
Ancient Travel in Central Asia
It’s a changing network of mountain passes, river valleys, desert edges and sea routes. A route can flourish for generations, then fade when a border closes, a river moves or a safer road opens elsewhere
North Chuya Range and Chuya River across Kuray Steppe – from Wikimedia Commons.
Why Trade East?
What are Déywiha’s family hoping to get from their trip east? It’s a huge adventure, traveling for trade in the area they call Ga-Se, a predecessor to any named Chinese state we know of.