Ngari (Western Tibet)
Arrived at 4 am in Ali today having hitched on a China Post Truck (bargain at 100RMB). As lovely as always, the place was full of pink neon. Walking towards the centre we saw a couple having sex in the middle of the pavement, only interrupted by the woman's tubercular coughing. Now waiting for the PSB to open so that we can get visa extensions and go to Lhasa. Since I really couldn't be bothered going into what I've been doing in detail, here's a rough synopsis:
First, we visited the ruins of the Guge Kingdom, near Zanda (another depressing Chinese town). 8 hours by bus on the scariest road I'd ever been on. Stayed in a hotel owned by Tibetans who were afraid to take us as foreigners, but since it was 12pm...
Took the same bus to a miliary base in the middle of nowhere. Were about to go to sleep in the barracks when another bus came. Ended up in Barga - shithole full of mangy dogs, another Chinese army outpost and impoverished Tibetans living in tents. Met 2 Japanese there who'd been waiting for a truck to Lhasa for 3 days.
Decided to walk the 15km to Lake Manasovar. Regarded by the Hindus as the abode of the mind of Brahman, it is possibly the most sacred lake in the world. Found Chiu Monastery to be closed, under renovation. Stayed with the lovely Abbot and his lovely wife. Gorgeous views of the lake. Very beautiful people. Washed for the first time in 5 days in the mineral baths in the village below.
Hitched on the back of a truck to Darchen, base for the kora of Mt. Kailash. Regarded by the Hindus as the abode of Shiva, it is possibly the most sacred mountain in the world. Darchen is a hole full of concrete, the nastiest toilets I've ever seen, mangy dogs, piles of rubbish everywhere. The only redeeming feature was the Tibetan girl running our hotel, who kept bringing us yak butter tea.
Did a kora (circambulation) of Mt. Kailash. 3 days. 52 kilometres. Highest point 5600m. Stayed at 2 monasteries. Amazing.
Sat on the side of the road for a day and failed to secure transport. Getting back to Darchen had a cup of tea in a tent, had Josh show up from his kora, telling us that a truck was leaving in 5 minutes. Got on the truck.
General observations:
Tibetans are amazing people. Very friendly, they have the warmest smiles I've ever seen, and love to have a joke.
The Chinese soldiers all look like they are under 20. Friendlier than I'd expected.
Food is generally limited to noodles. Yak butter tea is great stuff.
Transport is incredibly expensive. Foreigners get charged double for busses. Hitching is illegal for foreigners. Hitching on the back of a truck is illegal for everybody (as of this year).
If you want to see "Tibet" don't go to Tibet - go to Ladakh, Sikkim, Nepal, West Sichuan Province, etc. None of the monasteries can be classed as functional, even though a lot of effort is currently being spent on rebuilding. In some Chinified towns like Zanda, the atmosphere amongst the Tibetans reminds me of Australian Aborigines in outback outposts... very sad.
First, we visited the ruins of the Guge Kingdom, near Zanda (another depressing Chinese town). 8 hours by bus on the scariest road I'd ever been on. Stayed in a hotel owned by Tibetans who were afraid to take us as foreigners, but since it was 12pm...
Took the same bus to a miliary base in the middle of nowhere. Were about to go to sleep in the barracks when another bus came. Ended up in Barga - shithole full of mangy dogs, another Chinese army outpost and impoverished Tibetans living in tents. Met 2 Japanese there who'd been waiting for a truck to Lhasa for 3 days.
Decided to walk the 15km to Lake Manasovar. Regarded by the Hindus as the abode of the mind of Brahman, it is possibly the most sacred lake in the world. Found Chiu Monastery to be closed, under renovation. Stayed with the lovely Abbot and his lovely wife. Gorgeous views of the lake. Very beautiful people. Washed for the first time in 5 days in the mineral baths in the village below.
Hitched on the back of a truck to Darchen, base for the kora of Mt. Kailash. Regarded by the Hindus as the abode of Shiva, it is possibly the most sacred mountain in the world. Darchen is a hole full of concrete, the nastiest toilets I've ever seen, mangy dogs, piles of rubbish everywhere. The only redeeming feature was the Tibetan girl running our hotel, who kept bringing us yak butter tea.
Did a kora (circambulation) of Mt. Kailash. 3 days. 52 kilometres. Highest point 5600m. Stayed at 2 monasteries. Amazing.
Sat on the side of the road for a day and failed to secure transport. Getting back to Darchen had a cup of tea in a tent, had Josh show up from his kora, telling us that a truck was leaving in 5 minutes. Got on the truck.
General observations:
Tibetans are amazing people. Very friendly, they have the warmest smiles I've ever seen, and love to have a joke.
The Chinese soldiers all look like they are under 20. Friendlier than I'd expected.
Food is generally limited to noodles. Yak butter tea is great stuff.
Transport is incredibly expensive. Foreigners get charged double for busses. Hitching is illegal for foreigners. Hitching on the back of a truck is illegal for everybody (as of this year).
If you want to see "Tibet" don't go to Tibet - go to Ladakh, Sikkim, Nepal, West Sichuan Province, etc. None of the monasteries can be classed as functional, even though a lot of effort is currently being spent on rebuilding. In some Chinified towns like Zanda, the atmosphere amongst the Tibetans reminds me of Australian Aborigines in outback outposts... very sad.
posted by nekonote1903 at 7:30 am
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