hi! there's lots of room for more input here, but thought you might get something out of these posts that relate somewhat to the experience of traveling the silk road. I've omitted posts addressing what is traded - run a search on "silk road" to find more

• Was the Silk Road a one-way street?

• Were there inns along the Silk Road?

• How long time did it take for a piece of silk to get from China to Rome via the Silk Road?

• I am a merchant traveling along the Silk Road during the first century. What is life like for me and what kinds of things am I concerned about?

• How dangerous were classical or medieval trade routes?

• Why did the Silk Road travel through north Asia instead of South Asia and SE Asia or even by sea?