Birthday at Base Camp

The last stop on our gruelling Landcruiser tour of Tibet was the bugger Sir Ed famously knocked off ... Mt Everest (Mt Qomolangma to Tibetans).

The inn was full so we got to sleep at the monastery with the monks ... and Shaun got his birthday at Base Camp.

M

Wal Footrot and the Guge Kingdom

Further into Western Tibet from Mt Kailash (and over another breathtaking pass) lies the ruins of the Guge Kingdom. Rarely visited by foreigners (only 10 visited the day we were there) due to the required permits (the area is especially sensitive given its proximity to the Indian border) and atrocious roads with perilous drops (thankfully only one tyre had to be changed on the 5 hour 150km drive and 3 Chinese checkpoints cleared (despite being lippy Michaela wasn't detained at the one above)) the area is reminiscent of the Grand Canyon with the ruins of Petra tucked away in the cliffs.

Feeling a bit like kiwi versions of Indiana Jones we explored the ruins which are separated into 3 levels and are connected either by exposed pathways or tunnels which could be blocked in the event of attack.

At the top of the complex sits the summer palace where the King and his household lived. The only access up is via a steep tunnel. In winter the royal household would retire to their winter palace - a short climb down into the hillside through another tunnel to 12 rooms/caves that had been hollowed out (clearly the idea of visitor safety is not high on the agenda of the authorities as at the bottom of the steep tunnel into the winter palace there is a large hole with a vertical drop to the valley floor below).

S

Near death experiences focus the mind (in a spiritual way)

Mount Kailash is often called the 'most sacred mountain in the world'. Near the source of 4 of Asia's great rivers it soars to more than 7000m and the paths which circle it are constantly filled with Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Bon pilgrims - not to mention the odd tourist who either has the necessary permits (thanks to the Chinese Frontier and Military Police and a bucket load of Yuan) or has managed to slip into western Tibet illegally.

The kora around Kailash crosses a pass at 5600m so is not for the faint of heart or those suffering from altitude sickness. The trekking season is coming to an end in Tibet as autumn becomes winter so our driver and tour guide (mandatory requirements for those pesky permits) spent the time before our arrival at Kailash emphasising that should the snow reach above the top of our thighs (a height with significant variance between Michaela and I) we should stop and turn around (when they found out a German tourist had died the week before the height dropped and the worry lines grew).

Despite the doomsayers we managed to complete the kora (without porters or yaks carrying our bags or tent) with only the odd departure from the track (once the route was covered in snow we could only navigate by following earlier footsteps), and the occasional tumble ...

We did however give up on tenting after the first night when the contents of the water bottle that was nestled between Michaela's sleeping bag and mine froze during the night. After that it was accommodation in some of the Buddhist monasteries which sit around Kailash for us. The solid dirt walls and our gas cooker keeping the cold at bay.

S

Getting in a Spiritual frame of mind...

It is immediately evident upon arriving in Tibet that Tibetans are very spiritual people. On leaving Lhasa and heading west in the Landcruiser, we visited Tashilunpo Monastery in Shigatse and then Sakya Monastery, which is a 10th century Buddhist monastery set high in the hills. Both are in incredibly well preserved condition (despite the ravages of the Cultural Revolution which destroyed many religious places in Tibet and across China). The monks are in residence and the traditions - if not the 'original' Panchen Lama - are still in place.

You're not allowed to take photos inside the temples which means most of the amazing religious art has to stay inside the head of the person viewing it. Not a problem if you're here but for blog purposes, a hint of the art does creep outside the temple walls (a monk did look askance at my pink toenails though):

We are now into the second week of the Landcruiser tour. Facilities are pretty limited out here (this is a random internet cafe literally in the middle of nowhere) so we will update things when we can. Shaun is busy perfecting his Old Man Time beard at the moment so is staying out of photos but I will get a shot of it on here in a week or so.

M

Sorry Vegetarians

We have met some very nice vegetarians in Tibet so far. Still, in the interests of scientific and culinary study it is important to document the following:
Yak.

Yak steak!

M

Freezing our Nob/lets Off

Well camping by the beach in New Zealand is nice so we thought we'd give it a try another 4700m above sea level. Nam-Tso, the highest lake in the world, lies amongst some fairly serious snow-capped peaks and is a holy place for Tibetans. It's strewn with prayer flags and contains some small monasteries nestled into the cliffs (with live-in monks and nuns who must never feel the cold).
It is also bloody freezing at night. Still, you don't know until you try.

M

A palace in the clouds

If ever a palace deserved a fairytale it is the Potala Palace in Lhasa, former residence of the Dalai Lamas.

On our mad-cap taxi ride from the train station outside the city it wasn't hard to spot the 400+ year old building, as it dominates the city from its perch atop a hill in Lhasa's mountain valley. And as for a backdrop to an afternoon relaxing in the sun I can't imagine a better one (courtesy of the rooftop tea house of the Yak Hotel) ...


Around the base of the Potala pilgrims from all over Tibet make a 'kora' (a clockwise devotional journey) spinning prayer wheels as they go. Most walk ...
while a few prostrate the entire way (making their way one body length at a time).
The inside of the Potala (no photos allowed) is as fascinating as the exterior with gem encrusted tombs of past Dalai Lamas filling rooms which waft with the aroma of yak butter lamps. (The yak features prominently in Tibetan life - including in Michaela's burger last night and as my steak). The halls of the Potala are of course now filled with tourists and pilgrims rather than the Dalai Lama but no chances are being taken with army personnel and the ubiquitous CCTV cameras keeping a watchful eye over all who enter.
After a week acclimatising to the altitude in Lhasa (including an overnight trip to Nam Tso lake to test our locally purchased camping gear - note to Lhasa outdoor stores: gas cookers should not spit gas out the side) we hope to leave Lhasa tomorrow (6 October) on a 15 day 4WD trip to the border with Nepal via, among other things, the holy mountain of Mount Kailash in Western Tibet (where we intend to join the Hindu, Buddist and Bon pilgrims on a kora around the mountain) and Everest Base Camp.


Areas of Western Tibet we wish to visit are apparently sensitive so our local travel agent has requested additional funds to ensure that the necessary permits from the Military Police and Civil Police are forthcoming - fingers crossed.

S