In Tekes, Xinjiang, I stayed at the best homestay of my life!!

Unexpectedly, out of more than 10 days of traveling in Xinjiang, the most comfortable and healing day was actually during my transit stop in Tekes!! I feel like the homestay owner must be a “clean freak” + a laid-back perfectionist!! The hygiene was really spotless!! Even my mom, who mops the floor 10 times a day, couldn’t find any faults hhh!! And they have high-quality standards for everything; all the bath towels and face towels are disposable, large, and quite thick! They also provided L’Occitane cherry blossom body lotion, a Laifen hairdryer, Wahaha water + a mini water heater (not just a kettle 👍 thumbs up) ~ the bedding was very comfortable, and there was a washing machine. By the way, the shower water pressure was strong and very comfortable. We had just come down from camping at the Kalajun Grassland ⛺️ and hadn’t showered for 2 days, so we give it a 5🌟 star rating hahaha!! The three homestay owners were all super nice, treating us like friends and warmly hosting us! They prepared many 【Xinjiang specialty snacks】 like dried prunes, seasonal fruits, pastries… and even Xinjiang clothing for us to try on~ In the evening, seeing that we hadn’t eaten yet, they thoughtfully cooked two “homegrown dishes freshly picked from their own vegetable garden” for us~ Wow! That “eggplant 🍆 stir-fried with tomato 🍅” was so delicious, I finished a big bowl of rice right away!! And whenever they invent new tasty or refreshing items, they want to share them with you immediately. They even made us a Luckin Coffee-style 【Little Yellow Apricot Americano】 with their homemade dried apricot sauce. The sweet and sour flavor combined with the coffee aroma was really delicious 👍 Fell in love with fruit-flavored coffee for the first time, feeling so happy!! ✨ The entire homestay’s design shows that “she + they” truly treat this place as their own 🏡 ideal home! As soon as you enter, it feels like stepping into a secluded South of France estate, very artistic and fully equipped (btw it’s really great for taking photos hhhh)! The garden is full of flowers and plants, and there’s even a fenced vegetable patch with fruit trees, all clearly well cared for~ The swing gently sways in the breeze, and 6 or 7 little cats 🐈 roam around basking in the sun, making it very cozy!! Being here makes time and body & mind “slow down.” If I hadn’t been on a tight schedule, I really would have stayed longer to relax and enjoy life hh!! 💕 🥣 Oh, and the breakfast was surprisingly good!! The most amazing were the lamb baked buns + fresh milk + cold shredded chicken salad, simply incredible!! The baked buns were made with lean meat but had no gamey or dry taste, just super fragrant! But the absolute best was the fresh milk—I’ve never tasted milk so fresh and sweet. When I asked, it turned out to be freshly milked from herders’ homes, so delicious that I drank several bowls straight away!! If you pass through Tekes or Kalajun, I strongly recommend giving yourself a day to fully rest and relax! Spending a night in such a quiet little village is truly healing!!