Taklamakan Desert of water, accounts for the somewhat wide diurnal temperature variation. The Taklamakan Desert has very little water, therefore it is hazardous to cross. Merchant caravans on the Silk Road would stop for relief at the thriving oasis towns. It was in close proximity to many of the ancient civilizations — to the Northwest is the Amu Darya basin, to the southwest the Afghanistan mountain passes lead to Iran and India, to the east is China, and even to the north ancient towns such as Almaty can be found. The key oasis towns, watered by rainfall from the mountains, were Kashgar,
Alice in the Country of Hearts series originate from this country. The country has the unusual property of changing the time of day seemingly sporadically. The Country of Clover is the primary setting of "Alice in the Country of Clover", the sequel to the "Alice in the Country of Hearts", and the second Wonderland location introduced. While the game retains most of the characters from "Country of Hearts", the game removes Julius Monrey and Mary Gowland in favour of two new characters, Pierce Villiers and Gray Ringmarc. Nightmare and Joker, who also appeared in the Country of Hearts, have larger roles in the Country of Clover.