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Blog 5
Tibet
We both thoroughly enjoyed Lhasa. The highlight was a hike into the hills behind the city. We started in taxi and then little open motorbike type truck for about 5 km. from an area where they perform 'sky burial' the most common form of burial - the dead body is chopped and fed to vultures - we dragged our not fully acclimatized bodies up to a hermitage nunnery where we sat in a cave temple and drank blessed water from a spring set deep in the cave. Tsering interpreted the conversation he was having with the nun and it gave an insight of how much fear these people, who choose to devote their lives to Buddhism, live with under the Chinese regime.
Our travels to Nepal where enjoyable in a solid Toyota Landcruiser ably driven by Tensing. The road was mostly sealed and over the passes an engineering marvel as had been the train to Lhasa. The farms were being prepared for planting and it was amazing to see at any point in the journey at least 3 villages at each glance from the window, numerous farmers ploughing with pairs of Yaks or a horse, the occasional tractor or rotary hoe type of plough, or women and men using shovels to turn the earth. Even in the most remote areas there was always a shepherd boy or yak minder in view.
The small towns we stayed in had accommodation well below the 3 star rating that we had asked for but i suspect it was the best available. In one hotel we had a mouse run across our bed, another had no heating and it was below freezing in the night, another had no running water to the ensuite. In restaurants although presented with a menu there was really often only a choice of fried rice or home made noodles in broth.
The highlight was Mt Everest and clear views of it. It was also kind of surreal to come down from our walk to Base Camp, feeling frozen and be greeted by the light and warmth of hundreds of candles burning in a temple cave. The 61 year old man who has been meditating there each day for the past 20 years invited us to go down into a deeper cave where he meditates in the same place as the Tantric Masters mediated back in the 5th century when they first came from India bringing Buddhism to Tibet.
Not a highlight, but an experience, we stayed on the mountain in a tent covered in woven Yak hair, sleeping around a steel firebox that was fueled by yak dung and sheep pellets. We all, driver, guide, cook, and two other staff slept on settees around the tent edge. The fire burned out and It got so cold our drink bottle had shards of ice in the morning. I slept in my fleece pants, two layers of merino, hat, sleeping bag that is supposed to be good to -10, silk liner and had two very thick quilts on top and managed to stay cosy. I didn't drink anything after 5 pm as there was no way I was getting up to go outside to the toilet in the night.
The drive to and from Everest Base camp was awesome. 3 hours on 4WD track as sealed road had too much snow. Then the scenery all the way to the border was stunning.
- comments
Kay Haarsma Just caught up on your blog - you are giving me itchy feet. All sounds great - doing things yourself is often more hassle but more fun in retrospect.
Tim Gray Fantastic journey and blog Louise and Nev! Well done, look forward to seeing the pictures.
Aaron Sounds amazing, well worth the effort getting there by the sounds of it!
Robyn Clark Hey, sounds great, loved the picture the description of the yak tent on Everest gave me - that' where we had anarchy in the ranks and ended up in the lesser of the two lodges. Sounds like it has all worked out and been a great experience. Happy walking, Robyn