From the top of the Worlds

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SPECTACULAR! SPECTACULAR!! Well, just when I thought my time in China
proper couldn't be topped,along came the last 48 hours on the
Quinghai-Tibet railway from Beijing to Lhasa across the Tibetan
plateau - the Rooftop of the World. So far Tibet has been
staggering!!! Albiet it was a little grueling and completely
disgusting at times I wouldn't have missed it for the world! First a
bit of information about this engineering marvel. 86% of the line is
above 4000 metres altitude, half of the track lies on permafrost
requiring a cooling system of pipes deep in the ground to to keep it
frozen year round. There are 160 km of bridges and elevate track
(which make for great viewing) and seven tunnels including the world's
highest. It cost $4.1 Billion US to construct which is greater than
the amount Beijing has spent on hospitals and schools in Tibet in the
last 50 years! We passed over the Tanggula Shankou pass last night at
an altitude of 5027 metres above sea level. This of course was not
done before the oxygen masks were handed out, alarming warmings were
read over the PA system and we were required to sign a form releasing
the rail company from any responsibility if we expired during the
night. Thanks to some good drugs and drinking about 5 litres of water
over the day, I had no effects (yet) from the elevation.
The scenery was nothing short of breathtaking as we climbed the Kunlun
Shan range just after sunset as the glowing full moon lit the sky. By
morning we were crossing the Tibetan plateau through vast valleys
lined by huge snow capped peaks. The huge expansed between spotted
with herds of yaks, antelope, sheep and their nomad shepard attendants
nearby. It helped that it was a brilliant blue sky day without a cloud
in the sky. Gone is the choking smog of Beijing.
The were some down sides, we were travelling "hard" berth sleeper car,
which meant a very cramped 6 beds to berth. I lucked out and got the
bottom bunk as the top bunk was a good 7 feet in the air, which no
doubt might have put me over the edge with the altitude. To say the
squat toilet shared by about 200 people over the course of 2 full days
wasn't a test would be lying. I will spare you the details but I will
say the first thing I did when I got to Lhasa was toss my "bathroom"
thongs in the trash!
We just arrived in Lhasa and have checked into the quaintest hotel
just a couple of blocks from the Potola Palace. We drove by it on the
way to the hotel and it literally gave me goosebumps. We've been told
to take it easy for the first day as our bodies adjust to the
altitude. So I will relax in the hotel on my comfy bed (well, it's all
relivant!) then we are off for dinner. Yak anyone?

Jeff

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