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Published: June 13th 2010
North Face of Mt. Everest
at the base camp; structure at left is for the mountain climbers
Actually, we were unable to send anybody a postcard primarily because we didn't have anyone's address. Email and Facebook were way faster anyway. We just breezed through the rest of Tibet -- 2-day road trip to Everest Base Camp and 1-day (more) travel to cross the border to Nepal. As much as I would like to dwell longer, another charming country was waiting for us. Bye "Sunshine City," Hello Shigatse
They say that the best way to travel across Tibet is through a rented 4-wheel drive vehicle (which is expensive by the way so try to look for at least 2-3 other people to share the costs with). Good luck with finding a public transportation that would take you to the other parts of the region. On our way, we only saw one tourist bus and a truck full of locals. Well, there's always the option of doing it by mountain bike, motorbike...or the ever trusty yak 😱.
Brewing with excitement, we crossed the Tibetan Plateau through the picturesque route of
Friendship Highway. Mountain ranges, tawny rolling hills, and plateaus dominated the scenery,
dotted by occasional grass fields, Tibetan houses, and nomads herding sheeps and yaks. The cold and very strong winds thwarted my plan of sticking my head out and spreading my arms up in the air. Stepping out of the vehicle to take pictures needed considerable effort because of the high altitude; I was lightheaded after only a few steps.
The car radio blasted with songs that sounded like Indian music, to which our driver, Sona, enthusiastically sang with.
"Is that traditional Tibetan music?" I asked.
"No, that's modern music," our guide said. Each day, we were on the road for about 12 hours, stopping only for a brief time to take pictures, drop by a monastery for more pictures, and eat. By the end of the day, I swear we could almost sing to the Tibetan songs the driver had been looping for the
nth time.
The impeccable highway was really striking. It was like Road Heaven. Even if we owned the road, the driver only cruised at 40 kph! This was the maximum speed allowed on the highway. No wonder it took the travel
that long.
"If we were in the Philippines, we would be flying by now," said Yla. I could not have agreed more.
Places we passed by/went to were the following:
*
Brahmaputra River - It originates near Mt. Kailash and courses through 3 countries: India, Tibet/China, and Nepal.
*
Gangba La - (La = Pass) Snaked up the mountain ranges to this pass (4,794 meters above sea level) that offered a spectacular view of the turquoise
Yamdrok Lake -- one of Tibet's 3 sacred lakes -- and the surrounding snow-capped mountains.
*
Karola Glacier - This could be seen by the road at Karo La (5,033 meters).
*
Gyantse - Town in Shigatse at 3,950 meters, where
Pelkhor Chode Monastery is found. Nestled within the compound of this monastery that dates back to 1418 is the
Kumbum Stupa, the largest stupa
(chorten) in Tibet. Unlike other stupas, it is composed of 9 stories, within which are 77 temples and 108 gates.
*
Shigatse - Tibet's second largest city that sits at 3,900 meters and boasts of the
Tashilumpo Monastery, the seat of Panchen Lama who is the Lama next in rank to Dalai Lama. The city proper looks and feels similar to Lhasa, just a bit more
houses at Karo La
right shows Karola Glacier laid back.
Life within Everest National Park
We left the comforts of the city of Shigatse and pushed towards
Mt. Qomolangma (Everest) National Park. Within it lie the mountains surrounding Everest (four above 8,000 meters high; 14 above 7,000 meters high). Breaking the monotony of the vast barren landscape were quaint Tibetan houses mostly resting on rocky slopes of the Tibetan plateau, as well as agricultural villages.
*
Houses: I found the architecture of the houses really interesting. Design is the same everywhere you looked -- 1-2 story spacious structure with whitewashed exterior, flat roof filled at times with yak dung, multiple windows narrowing at the top and bordered by paint and wooden moldings, walls slightly sloping at the top, courtyard that often housed animals, and prayer flag adornments. Roof is flat apparently to conserve heat, while the slightly sloped wall is a protective measure from earthquakes. Due to scarcity of firewood, dried yak dung is instead used as fuel. The interior of houses is contrastingly colorful, with intricate wooden moldings and painted designs.
*
Rural Tibet: Life moved slowly. Tranquility is palpable in every corner. Despite the difficulties posed by geography and altitude,
inhospitable climate, woes from threats to Tibetan culture, poor health care support, and lack of transportation, the people seemed contented and living blissfully. I could not help but compare Tibet to my country. Similar to the Philippines, Tibet has been immensely blessed with magnificent natural resources, yet poverty is pervasive. The rural communities are comprised of poor farmers and nomads. Clean water and electricity are problems in many areas. There are also many beggars selling items from the mountains or asking money for photo opportunities with them. What differs is that they are not living in cramped, unbreathable spaces like the areas where many less fortunate Filipinos are staying in.
*
Education: I do not think there are schools in the villages we passed by.
"How do the children here study? Are there schools here?" I asked, noticing how distant the houses and villages from each other are.
"There are schools," answered Jam.
"The parents also teach their children," he added. Teach how to read or write? I doubt it. Illiteracy rate in the region is said to be more than 50%! (MISSING)
*
Medical Care: "Is there a hospital here? Where do people go when there's a medical emergency?" Our guide said that there are medical clinics. Based on what I saw and the lack of appropriate means of transportation, it would take people long hours or days before reaching a clinic. I would not be surprised if people are unable to reach a health facility in time during emergencies.
Taking it Easy at Tingri
We spent the night at
New Tingri or
Shegar (4,350 meters) to acclimatize further. The hostel where we stayed is relatively okay except for the
toilet, which is an entirely different experience on its own. It is basically just a small area with 2 holes on the floor where people could do their thing. I dreaded using it because I am thin and could readily fall into the hole. That scene in
Slumdog Millionaire where the lead character, Jamal Malik, jumped into a heap of human waste somehow kept playing in mind. Tibet is really a fine place and offers a wonderfully distinct experience but going to toilets there is not one of my favorite memories.
Before leaving for the base camp, we met a Dutch biker (with whom Yla shared half of her banana). He and his
group were admirably mountain biking across Tibet beginning from Lhasa up to Kathmandu. What a swell adventure! How I wish I could also do something that grand.
Finally, Everest Base Camp!
We drove through the town of
Old Tingri (4,390 meters) where trekkers often start their journey. Our Landcruiser wrestled a long stretch of rough road before snaking up the highway to
Pang-La Pass (5,120 meters). The panoramic view of the North Face of Mt. Everest and the Himalayas at the pass was simply breathtaking.
A Caucausian guy suddenly went berserk, breaking the serenity of the place.
"My bike is my wife!" he shouted at Jam. For a while I thought a fight would ensue. He accused our guide of kicking the wheels of his motorbike, which Jam calmly denied. Locals could only shake their head side-to-side and disapprovingly say
"Bad man." Fortunately our guide is a dutiful Buddhist, or else we might have witnessed something else.
Shaking off that unpleasant exchange, we left the pass and proceeded to the
Rongbuk Monastery. Perched at 5,100 meters and below the North Face of Mt. Everest, it is considered the highest temple in the world. The base
camp is only less than 9 kilometers from here.
All vehicles are only allowed up to a certain point on the way to the base camp. This is where
"hotels" and mini buses to the base camp are located. We initially prepared for and planned on doing a 2-hour trek to the base camp. However, we decided to take the bus instead after finding out that these ply the same route that trekkers take. Just being sensible.
At 5,200 meters, the base camp offered an awesome view of Mt. Everest -- the clearest white glacier embracing the proud peak of the mountain, seemingly kissing the crystal blue sky.
Honestly, I was a bit disappointed because after taking pictures, there was nothing else to do. I was actually half-expecting to see tents of mountain climbers preparing for their climb, but there was none. (Of course there won't be many because only a handful of people get to climb the Everest, silly me.)
We ate at one of the
"hotels" near the base camp. The businesses here are run by families that are somewhat of nomadic existence. They are only in the area during summer; once winter comes,
they go back to their permanent winter abodes. The
"hotel" is actually just a huge four-sided tent that, amazingly, could withstand the strong winds at the Everest base camp. Long seats line its sides, while thick blankets are folded against the wall. Thangkas adorn its homey interior. At the top of the tent is an opening that provides the area with skylight. The family of four running this particular hotel is endearing. The young husband and wife did not have any formal education; the little English they know they learned from tourists they had encountered over the years. Yla gave their son an energy bar and how they loved her for it.
Descent from the Roof of the World
How time flew fast. From the base camp, we descended to the town of
Zhangmu (2,300 meters) -- the entry point to Nepal -- to spend the night there in preparation for crossing the
Zhangmu-Kodari border. Being at much lower altitude, the scenery and flora dramatically changed. The brownish hills, plateaus and mountains gave way to green, lush pines, falls, and canyons. The view is akin to that of Benguet, Mountain Province in our country. The dry and cold
Sino-Nepal Friendship Bridge
Nepal is on the other side of this bridge climate at the Tibetan plateau is refreshingly replaced by a subtropical one.
Zhangmu painted a drastically different street scene. The zigzag road led to narrow busy town streets that are flanked by buildings on both sides. Being an important trading port between China and Nepal, colorful Nepali Tata trucks often congested the roads.
Sun shone brightly the next morning, like it did not rain hard the night before and, as if telling us,
"Faster now, another adventure awaits you. Go." Through the help of our guide and the Sherpa that Yla had befriended in our hostel (he is appropriately named Tashi Delek), we crossed the border early through the
Sino-Nepal Friendship Bridge.
As we walked towards the border, I took one last look at where we came from, traces of the plateau no longer visible at plain sight. Thrilled and a bit nervous, I looked ahead and told myself,
"Nepal's going to be another exciting journey." Thank you, Tibet, for that wonderful ride. Until next time.
Other (mis)Adventures:
Thankfully, NONE.
* Oh, thought of one -- Miscalculated amount of Philippine peso that I exchanged to Chinese Yuan in Lhasa; thus,
bye Everest
small stream by the road leaving the base camp got short of Yuan. China Bank in Shigatse did not want to exchange my peso, which started the financial woes that trailed me up to Nepal.
Backpacker Notes:
* Shigatse also has a China Bank but it only exchanges limited types of currencies. It is best to have your currencies exchanged at Lhasa.
* Only bills are accepted for transactions. Keep your coins.
* There is a local store in Shegar/New Tingri that sells oxygen in canister (RMB 25). This is not needed if you are only going to the Everest base camp. We wasted money for something we thought our base camp trip requires.
* Fleece jackets are cheap at Shegar/New Tingri.
* Bottled water becomes more expensive as you go farther from Lhasa. If you have a vehicle the whole time, stock up on bottled water while you are in Lhasa to save money.
* Due to cold temperature, battery life is way much shorter. Bring extra camera battery.
* Bring and use a sleeping bag. In hostels in rural areas like Tingri, chances are the sheets and blankets do not get washed in between guests.
* At Zhangmu, legitimate money changers often approach
tourists. You can exchange Chinese Yuan (RMB) to Nepalese Rupee (NPR) but their rate is often lower (fewer NPR per RMB). So, if you still have adequate money, just go to the China Bank in the town or the banks in Kathmandu for foreign currency exchange.
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fateundermined
hana badando
It was nothing compared to what most people here at travel blog had done ;). Anyway, as much as we wanted to give a large tip, we only had very little cash left -- gave them each RMB30 (for the entire trip). When are you planning to go there? Good luck and enjoy the trip!