4/11/09 Said goodbye to the yak troop and encountered with the donkey on the trail again after the junction to Lukla. There was far less tourist here, no more dress in best sunday sport and favourite doll on top of the backpack. in fact...almost all of them were porter carrying material into the mountain, I even saw many young looking faces carried those heavy load too, looked no more than 16 years old. Perhaps because of the Mani Rimdu festival were on schedule in the Himalaya, and they need more goods up there. Even the Tibetan market was fully open yesterday [View Full Entry]

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28/10/09 The shorter day so far, only took us less than 5 hrs to Tengpoche(@3800m). As we had done the the Khumjung route yesterday, so we took the easy trail today along the contour of the mountain, we marched forward together with 100 of others walkers, porters and yaks! Of cause facing with another 1000 of return hikers from the Everest, kind of like the Sunday hiking scene in Hongkong, busy! The walk was simple, one down and up, but the climbing was quite steep. The 1st sight up there was the stupa and the monastery, which was surrounded by couple [View Full Entry]

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20/10/09 After a brief goodbye as I always want it quick. Although walked on the same trail again, but the scene still captured our attention, and without the burdened of the companies, we could stop whenever we wanted for photo. But this time we was walking with our bag, luckily with the rest in Rossi, we managed well today and covered the journey to Kinja(@1600m) in 2 hrs. After 4 days studied, Fadli find a way to squeezed 2 bags into 1, and it really made his walk easier, 1 last thing he might need was a walking stick, see if [View Full Entry]

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14/10/09 5:30 and 6:30 seem a bit too early, so I went for the 8:30 bus this morning, but it was actually departed at 9am, rather on time indeed. Bus was far more better that I had expected, sofa seat...kind of...at least you wouldn't feel the metalwork under you butt. Spacious would-be the word I used compared with buses in China, your knee wouldn't touch the back panel of the seat in front, in fact...I could even fitted my backpack there as well, very humanity design! The bus journey was far more longer than I thought, seem like never end, once [View Full Entry]

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6/10/09 The border crossing from Tibet into Nepal. Minibus run from the old custom gate to Chinese border custom building, the 8km ride cost 10 yuans. The bus go when filled up. It was a straightforward procedures. Bagages searched and checked out. Finished with the China side you cross the friendship bridge into Nepal. A small table checked again your luggage before arrived the Nepalese custom house. You could pay up front for VOA, I saw some travelers did that and it wasn't took them a lot of time. Me...visa already in hand, still...need to filled up a form and date [View Full Entry]

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25/9/09 Started my journey to Nepal and again back on the highway 318, the Sino-Nepal highway. The road condition was pretty good and we travel along with the Yaluzangbu river again. The further we going upstream the river getting narrower, and the scene were pretty much the same like anywhere in Tibet, only the tibetan houses we seen were tradition flat roof. Shigatse(@3800m) was the 2nd biggest city in Tibet, so...no surprise to seen club houses and Ktv, but still no compared with Lhasa. Thing were cheaper here as noodle soup cost only 6 yuans. And I saw a sign written [View Full Entry]

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20/9/09 The road to Lhasa was super. the scene was the same all the way, brownish mountain with no tree all around the Yaluzangbo river, but surprisingly the effect was pretty as there was the important ingredient...blue sky and cotton cloud. After the Gongga airport some memories came back, the rock craving by the road side, but then approaching Lhasa river, I was lost, the Lhasa now was so big. Wide road, traffic light, department store, big bank...13 years ago there was nothing, only a single street linked the Potala to Bako street, no electricity after 9pm,and then a curfew afterward! [View Full Entry]

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14/9/09 From Bayi I turned left travelled on the S306 2 days ago, as I would like to see the Yaluzangbu river. The road was surprising good and new, all the way through Milin(@2200m) and ended at Langxian(@2200m) . Both was rather new town with totally Han favour. Hair saloon, ktv and bar, only the exterior was in Tibetan colour. Met a chinese young couple on the bus and they invited me to visited Jiacha yesterday. The man was a subcontractors for road work in Jiacha, and told me about a holy lake there, "you might able to see you past [View Full Entry]

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8/9/09 spent the the last 2 days on the road, after crossing the Jinshajiang river we entered Tibet. A big red"Xi Zang" had been painted on a huge rock by the river, together with the army guarding post on both side of the bridge, kept reminding people..."you are into Tibet"I guessed! Road upgrading work was underway along the route, it took more than 5 hrs for the 90km trip from Dege to Jiangda(@3200m). The 1st one street town we passed in Tibet. Not more interest in Jiangda, so after quick lunch we find another minibus going further to Changdu(@3400).it was a [View Full Entry]

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14/8/09 Road into Ganzi from this route was far more better than I'd expected, at least most of the road was paved. The scene was rather pretty once we get to the Yalongjiang river, sharp straight hill walled both side of the passage, cloud and fog snaked around the hillside, I actually wished our bus will broke down so I could stop there. Rain heavily last night and the water level was up, "never see the water that high here in my life" the driver said. And there are many sections was under water along the highway. In one place no [View Full Entry]

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