Hallo Ladies,

I would suggest starting west and skipping the east if you are short on time and/or want to avoid lots of diesel fumez.

Xinjiang, Qinghai and T-bet will all offer you plenty-o mountains and deserts. Difference being, Qinghai and T-bet are high altitude deserts. All are worth seeing but planning a single route to see it all is difficult. Xinjiang is an easier rider with much better roads, but the local culture is a little less "familiar" with women riders. T-betans, though, just like to have fun and can set up tents faster than you can sneeze.

Food wise, XJ will give you more western-familiar falvors while the foods in TB tend to be rather bland (but you will survive).

There's something to get from every region and you could easily spend a year wandering around Western China alone. You will probably never take so many pictures as you will in this trip.

Also, if you're going to be in the States in April, I would suggest stopping by the Overland Expo near Amado, Arizona. Adventure Moto will be there as well as having a buncha overland adventurers, classes and panels. reminds me, I should announce this in a different section...

Paz,
CC