A Welcome Sign of the Times: Day 4 Update
by
IT Development
We were seriously starting to wonder if the new Asian Highway Network was that continent's best-kept secret.
After driving through two countries and the best part of 1,000 miles, we had not seen a single sign to announce that we were actually travelling along what will undoubtedly become one of the world's most important road systems since the Silk Route of ancient times.
We had been along the designated expressway from Tokyo right through Japan with there being, well, not a sign of it. And now we were halfway across South Korea too. Then, suddenly, there it was – a sign across the motorway which said: "This way to Turkey."
The AH1, a principal road artery of the Asian Highway chain, is signposted just south of Seoul, the Korean capital. It is the new "corridor" route linking Asia with the West, through China to Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and eventually to Istanbul, many thousands of miles away.
We shall follow is as far as X'ian, the ancient Chinese capital, before turning west across China along the central route, travelling through the 'Stans’, across the Caspian Sea, and then on to Europe through Turkey.
The sign we saw today said everything. We are on our way, the right way, into history – our Aston Martin V8 Vantage will be the first car ever to fully cross a route where none has gone before. Asia's best-kept secret is out at last!
Richard Meredith
Seoul, June 28 2007
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