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The ultimate driving tour of China and Tibet - April/May 2004, in aid of Home and Homes for Children (www.hopeandhomes.org)
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
Tuesday 1st June
After a thirteen hour flight from Hong Kong we arrived back in London at 5am this morning.
To end my posting to The Great China Tour website I would like to summarise my main impressions of the Tour as well as give credit to all those who have helped to make the trip so enjoyable and memorable.
Well, what have I learnt about China and Tibet after driving more than 10,000kms from Beijing to Everest and then to Hong Kong? I can sum up my thoughts in four distinct categories: the people, the scenery, the contrasts, and on a very personal note, the driving.
The Chinese people
For a nation that has little contact with westerners, it has been wonderful to experience the unrestrained friendliness of everyone we met. From the very young to the very old, in both towns and in the rural areas that we drove through, people have waved and smiled as we have gone by. Not once have we felt that our presence was an intrusion. On the high Tibetan plateau, where the conditions are unbelievably harsh, the people would always smile at us and make us welcome. What a contrast to the way of life in the West!
One can only hope that as China opens its borders to increased tourism and economic contact, the ordinary Chinese do not lose this warmth of character and hospitality.
The Scenery
China has everything! Towering mountains, lush tropical countryside, high deserts and wilderness on a vast scale. The sights we have seen will last a lifetime. I feel privileged to experienced it before the march of 'progress' changes it forever. Eastern Tibet with its magnificent mountains, fast flowing rivers and the deepest gorges imaginable will change when the roads are all upgraded. The Tibetan high plateau will never be the same when the railway is completed and eight trains a day make their way to and from Lhasa. That being said, the sheer size of the country ensures that much will remain unaltered and future travelers will be able to enjoy the magnificent scenery that is 'around every corner'.
The contrasts
China is a country of contrasts. The old and the new. The communist state living alongside the Buddhist religion, which appears to be thriving, not only in Tibet, but also in China. The rich and the poor. The towns and the countryside. Everywhere we went we saw these contrasts. The satellite dishes in the middle of the Tibetan village. The driver pedalling his three wheeled taxi, common all over China, and at the same time talking on his mobile phone!
China is going through a revolution of unimaginable proportions. I can only hope that some of the old China manages to survive this change.
The driving
I do not know how any of us will be able to enjoy driving in the West again, after having experienced the freedom of driving without rules! I say this slightly 'tongue in cheek', because of course there are rules, but few drivers appear to abide by them. At first I thought this would lead to at best chaos and at worst to real danger on the road. I was wrong. There were some bad accidents mainly with trucks, but the ordinary car drivers were remarkably adept at avoiding accidents. In towns, the way all types of vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians avoided each other was as though there was some sort of computer controlled guidance system at work. The Chinese appear to have mastered how to move the maximum number of people around in a crowded space with the minimum level of regulation and rules. We definitely have something to learn from them.
All three of us in Car 18 have enjoyed ourselves immensely. This would not have been possible without the help of all those who organised and ran the event.
We would like to thank John and Joanna Brown, Don Griffiths, 'Jingers' Riley, Greg Williams, Mike Johnston, Mike Preston and the team at HERO's office, Mark, Jez and Ursula. Then there are the Chinese and Tibetan tour guides, Liu Lifeng, Tony, Ma and of course Jo from Lhasa.
The event would not have gone so well if the participants had not 'bonded' as they did. The evening meals, generally on tables of ten, ensured that everyone mixed and each night stories were exchanged on the day's drive. We all became good friends and there was a great deal of sadness when some left at Lhasa and when we all said our goodbyes in Hong Kong.
At the final party in Hong Kong the question was shouted out, when and where will the next event be? I for one can't wait.
Finally, a great big thank you for all those who have made donations to Hope and Homes for Children. Without your support Hope and Homes would not be able to continue the fantastic work it does with the most underprivileged children in the world
After a thirteen hour flight from Hong Kong we arrived back in London at 5am this morning.
To end my posting to The Great China Tour website I would like to summarise my main impressions of the Tour as well as give credit to all those who have helped to make the trip so enjoyable and memorable.
Well, what have I learnt about China and Tibet after driving more than 10,000kms from Beijing to Everest and then to Hong Kong? I can sum up my thoughts in four distinct categories: the people, the scenery, the contrasts, and on a very personal note, the driving.
The Chinese people
For a nation that has little contact with westerners, it has been wonderful to experience the unrestrained friendliness of everyone we met. From the very young to the very old, in both towns and in the rural areas that we drove through, people have waved and smiled as we have gone by. Not once have we felt that our presence was an intrusion. On the high Tibetan plateau, where the conditions are unbelievably harsh, the people would always smile at us and make us welcome. What a contrast to the way of life in the West!
One can only hope that as China opens its borders to increased tourism and economic contact, the ordinary Chinese do not lose this warmth of character and hospitality.
The Scenery
China has everything! Towering mountains, lush tropical countryside, high deserts and wilderness on a vast scale. The sights we have seen will last a lifetime. I feel privileged to experienced it before the march of 'progress' changes it forever. Eastern Tibet with its magnificent mountains, fast flowing rivers and the deepest gorges imaginable will change when the roads are all upgraded. The Tibetan high plateau will never be the same when the railway is completed and eight trains a day make their way to and from Lhasa. That being said, the sheer size of the country ensures that much will remain unaltered and future travelers will be able to enjoy the magnificent scenery that is 'around every corner'.
The contrasts
China is a country of contrasts. The old and the new. The communist state living alongside the Buddhist religion, which appears to be thriving, not only in Tibet, but also in China. The rich and the poor. The towns and the countryside. Everywhere we went we saw these contrasts. The satellite dishes in the middle of the Tibetan village. The driver pedalling his three wheeled taxi, common all over China, and at the same time talking on his mobile phone!
China is going through a revolution of unimaginable proportions. I can only hope that some of the old China manages to survive this change.
The driving
I do not know how any of us will be able to enjoy driving in the West again, after having experienced the freedom of driving without rules! I say this slightly 'tongue in cheek', because of course there are rules, but few drivers appear to abide by them. At first I thought this would lead to at best chaos and at worst to real danger on the road. I was wrong. There were some bad accidents mainly with trucks, but the ordinary car drivers were remarkably adept at avoiding accidents. In towns, the way all types of vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians avoided each other was as though there was some sort of computer controlled guidance system at work. The Chinese appear to have mastered how to move the maximum number of people around in a crowded space with the minimum level of regulation and rules. We definitely have something to learn from them.
All three of us in Car 18 have enjoyed ourselves immensely. This would not have been possible without the help of all those who organised and ran the event.
We would like to thank John and Joanna Brown, Don Griffiths, 'Jingers' Riley, Greg Williams, Mike Johnston, Mike Preston and the team at HERO's office, Mark, Jez and Ursula. Then there are the Chinese and Tibetan tour guides, Liu Lifeng, Tony, Ma and of course Jo from Lhasa.
The event would not have gone so well if the participants had not 'bonded' as they did. The evening meals, generally on tables of ten, ensured that everyone mixed and each night stories were exchanged on the day's drive. We all became good friends and there was a great deal of sadness when some left at Lhasa and when we all said our goodbyes in Hong Kong.
At the final party in Hong Kong the question was shouted out, when and where will the next event be? I for one can't wait.
Finally, a great big thank you for all those who have made donations to Hope and Homes for Children. Without your support Hope and Homes would not be able to continue the fantastic work it does with the most underprivileged children in the world
Five star luxury in Hong Kong! The pool on the 21st floor overlooking the skyscrapers on Hong Kong Island
Chinese drummers celebrating the Tour finish in Schenzen
About to cross the finish line with our mascot
The Hummer about to overtake us on the drive to Schenzen/Hong Kong and the end of the Tour
The famous 'egg-box' hills near Guilin, Guangxi Province
A scene repeated all over south-western China - ploughing the paddy fields with water buffalo
The main falls at Huangguoshu
The upper falls at Huangguoshu, Guizhou Province
The Three Pagodas at Dali, Yunnan Province
Traditional dress of the Naxi people in Lijiang, Yunnan Province of China. The Naxi are descended from Tibetan nomads. This lady was selling cooked vegetables from the bowl by her feet.
Rapids in the middle of Tiger Leaping Gorge
A winter landscape soon after leaving the Mekong river
The Mekong river, nearly 5,000 feet below us.
At the summit of another 16,000ft pass. This time near the Chinese border. Back to an arid desert like landscape with no trees.
Another halt waiting at road works. Whilst here one of the Tibetans standing by our car (the last in the line) asked us for pictures of the Dalai Lama
Magnificent mountains on the road east from Lhasa towards China. The road is at 15,000 ft - how high the mountain?
The wilds of eastern Tibet
Potala Palace in the capital of Tibet, Lhasa. The palace was the winter residence of the Dalai Lama as well as the home of the government
14,500ft up in the mountains, Tibetan holy lake
Everest from Base Camp at 17,500ft - 50 miles away.
Sunrise on Everest. Photo taken from 16,000ft mountain pass 100 miles from the mountain
Our first view of Everest, over 200 miles away
Buddhist stupas at Shigatse, Tibet
Terracotta warriors at Xi'an
Carved Buddha at the Longmen Caves near Luoyang
Pingyao - the only remaining completely walled city from the Ming Dynasty
Buddhist pagoda in Wutaishan
17th Century Qing Tombs 200 miles south-west of Beijing
Dancing dragon
Chinese dancing dragons giving the Tour a great send off
The Great Wall of China
The start of the Great Tour at the Great Wall just north of Beijing on Wednesday 28th April 2004
Sunday, May 30, 2004
Sunday 30th May
Apologies to everyone who has been following my posts to the site for the delay since the last post from Kunming in south west China on the 22nd May.
The Tour has now finished and we all arrived safely in Hong Kong on Thursday. The trip from Kunming to Hong Kong took us via the magnificent waterfalls at Huangguoshu (about 200 miles to the east of Kunming), on to Kaili and then the very popular tourist city of Guilin. The last stop was at Zhoaqing before we left our cars at the mainland Chinese port of Shenzhen and took coaches across the border to Hong Kong.
Sunday 23rd May
Leaving Kunming very early as we had an 11 hour drive to Huangguoshu where we were staying close to the beautiful waterfalls. We had all expected that the last few days would be easy after the trials and tribulations of travelling through the remote mountain areas of Tibet and western China. How wrong we were. The day started with rain but an easy expressway drive for a couple of hours, then matters took a real turn for the worst. Chinese road works are a nightmare that I would not want to inflict on my worst enemy! When they start you can be sure they go on for hundreds of kilometres. This time we experienced dreadful mud, potholes running alongside a river where the road was being totally rebuilt. We came to a halt, blocked by dozens of trucks all held up by a pig lorry that had become stuck. It took a bulldozer to move it and not before time as the pigs were starting to die from lack of water and the oppressive heat. Once the lorry was moved it took a further hour for the trucks in front of us to move on and then we were on the move at last. Fortunately we soon were on tarmac again but the journey that should have ended around 4pm finally finished at 8pm. The views of the waterfall we had hoped for had to wait till the morning.
Monday 24th May
Up early to look at the series of falls that make up Huangguoshu. They are very beautifully formed and being able to walk behind the main falls is a wonderful, if wet, experience. Hundreds of photos were taken and it was good to see so many Chinese enjoying themselves at this very beautiful place.
On we went to our next stop at Kaili, hoping to arrive before dark. Wonderful roads, recently constructed, took us through fantastic scenery rarely seen by westerners. The Chinese ability to build roads through seemingly impossible terrain is something I will remember with wonder. Often the construction appears to be done by manual labour!
Kaili is a town which we did not see much of as we had a long distance to travel the next day. What a day it turned out to be.
Tuesday 25th May
More roadworks and blocked roads!! We left at 6.30am and as we drove through the countryside we saw the children walking to the local schools and the farmworkers carrying ploughs on the their shoulders, and water buffalo walking in the middle of the road to the rice fields. The sight of thousand of workers in the fields as we drove through mile after mile of paddy fields is an impressive sight and one that has not changed for centuries. The temperature had now risen to the mid thirties celsius, such a change from a few days ago.
Around lunchtime we had to divert off the main road onto a track just wide enough for the car to avoid a blocked road. We drove for 85kms through the hills on terrible dusty roads to get past the blockage. We rejoined the main road alongside a large river which had been dammed further downstream creating a large reservoir.
Arriving into Guilin we saw for the first the famous 'eggbox' hills which surround the city. Guilin is a thriving modern Chinese city which has all the best and worst of western culture (burger bars etc). It was a shame we could only spend one night in this very popular tourist spot.
Wednesday/Thursday 26th/27th May
The final two days of driving took us through increasingly industrialised southern China. Our destination was Shenzhen where the cars were to be left for shipping back home. Our arrival in Shenzhen for the finish was a very happy and colourful occasion. We crossed the finishing line at a Chinese theme park with drummers, stilt dancers and garlands of orchids for all the participants. It was an opportunity for everyone to say thank you to the Chinese for their wonderful hospitality. Local press covered the event and the following we were front page news in the English language, Shenzhen Daily newspaper.
We were all surprised to discover that the border between China and Hong Kong is like any border between two countries and we had to go through two sets of customs and health immigration (to detect SARS), carrying all our luggage from the coaches with us. After two hours of hell we got back on to the coaches for the forty minute drive into Hong Kong and our hotel on the waterfront.
The end of the Tour was a boat trip to Lamma Island to a wonderful Chinese seafood restaurant for everyone to celebrate the end of an unforgettable trip through China and Tibet.
Our thanks go to HERO, their staff and the Chinese and Tibetan organisers/interpreters who accompanied us and helped to overcome the problems we encountered.
Apologies to everyone who has been following my posts to the site for the delay since the last post from Kunming in south west China on the 22nd May.
The Tour has now finished and we all arrived safely in Hong Kong on Thursday. The trip from Kunming to Hong Kong took us via the magnificent waterfalls at Huangguoshu (about 200 miles to the east of Kunming), on to Kaili and then the very popular tourist city of Guilin. The last stop was at Zhoaqing before we left our cars at the mainland Chinese port of Shenzhen and took coaches across the border to Hong Kong.
Sunday 23rd May
Leaving Kunming very early as we had an 11 hour drive to Huangguoshu where we were staying close to the beautiful waterfalls. We had all expected that the last few days would be easy after the trials and tribulations of travelling through the remote mountain areas of Tibet and western China. How wrong we were. The day started with rain but an easy expressway drive for a couple of hours, then matters took a real turn for the worst. Chinese road works are a nightmare that I would not want to inflict on my worst enemy! When they start you can be sure they go on for hundreds of kilometres. This time we experienced dreadful mud, potholes running alongside a river where the road was being totally rebuilt. We came to a halt, blocked by dozens of trucks all held up by a pig lorry that had become stuck. It took a bulldozer to move it and not before time as the pigs were starting to die from lack of water and the oppressive heat. Once the lorry was moved it took a further hour for the trucks in front of us to move on and then we were on the move at last. Fortunately we soon were on tarmac again but the journey that should have ended around 4pm finally finished at 8pm. The views of the waterfall we had hoped for had to wait till the morning.
Monday 24th May
Up early to look at the series of falls that make up Huangguoshu. They are very beautifully formed and being able to walk behind the main falls is a wonderful, if wet, experience. Hundreds of photos were taken and it was good to see so many Chinese enjoying themselves at this very beautiful place.
On we went to our next stop at Kaili, hoping to arrive before dark. Wonderful roads, recently constructed, took us through fantastic scenery rarely seen by westerners. The Chinese ability to build roads through seemingly impossible terrain is something I will remember with wonder. Often the construction appears to be done by manual labour!
Kaili is a town which we did not see much of as we had a long distance to travel the next day. What a day it turned out to be.
Tuesday 25th May
More roadworks and blocked roads!! We left at 6.30am and as we drove through the countryside we saw the children walking to the local schools and the farmworkers carrying ploughs on the their shoulders, and water buffalo walking in the middle of the road to the rice fields. The sight of thousand of workers in the fields as we drove through mile after mile of paddy fields is an impressive sight and one that has not changed for centuries. The temperature had now risen to the mid thirties celsius, such a change from a few days ago.
Around lunchtime we had to divert off the main road onto a track just wide enough for the car to avoid a blocked road. We drove for 85kms through the hills on terrible dusty roads to get past the blockage. We rejoined the main road alongside a large river which had been dammed further downstream creating a large reservoir.
Arriving into Guilin we saw for the first the famous 'eggbox' hills which surround the city. Guilin is a thriving modern Chinese city which has all the best and worst of western culture (burger bars etc). It was a shame we could only spend one night in this very popular tourist spot.
Wednesday/Thursday 26th/27th May
The final two days of driving took us through increasingly industrialised southern China. Our destination was Shenzhen where the cars were to be left for shipping back home. Our arrival in Shenzhen for the finish was a very happy and colourful occasion. We crossed the finishing line at a Chinese theme park with drummers, stilt dancers and garlands of orchids for all the participants. It was an opportunity for everyone to say thank you to the Chinese for their wonderful hospitality. Local press covered the event and the following we were front page news in the English language, Shenzhen Daily newspaper.
We were all surprised to discover that the border between China and Hong Kong is like any border between two countries and we had to go through two sets of customs and health immigration (to detect SARS), carrying all our luggage from the coaches with us. After two hours of hell we got back on to the coaches for the forty minute drive into Hong Kong and our hotel on the waterfront.
The end of the Tour was a boat trip to Lamma Island to a wonderful Chinese seafood restaurant for everyone to celebrate the end of an unforgettable trip through China and Tibet.
Our thanks go to HERO, their staff and the Chinese and Tibetan organisers/interpreters who accompanied us and helped to overcome the problems we encountered.
Saturday, May 22, 2004
Saturday - 22nd May
Four more days have passed since my post from Deqen, the first major town in China, Yunnan province of south-west China, after leaving Tibet.
Initially our drive was in rain but as we climbed higher it turned to snow. Our first pass of the day was in a snow covered landscape, quite a contrast to the last few days.
We then moved south along the Mekong River from Deqen to Lijiang, a popular stopping-off point for back packers and trekkers making their way into Tibet. Lijiang has a wonderful old town which has been restored since a devastating earthquake in the nineties. It is now a much visited tourist spot for the Chinese.
The final part of the drive into Lijiang took us through one of the deepest gorges in the world, Tiger Leaping Gorge. The gorge is 16 kms long and a tributary of the Yangtse river flows between mountains rising to over 16,000 feet. The road ran precariously along the northern side of the gorge, with many landslides making driving hazardous.
Further on we encountered our first sight of China's vast area of rice cultivation. Mile after mile of paddy fields, being tended by large numbers of farm workers, knee deep in the mud and water. We could see how the rice is grown and then how they have to thin it out. It is a time consuming and unbelievably back breaking task.
To start off the fields were ploughed using oxen but as the climate became warmer water buffalo were used. These magnificent creatures, with massive horns, worked in pairs pulling the plough through the mud.
Our passengers of the last few days, the Mitchells, now have their own new rental car, after the organisers arranged for a car to be delivered to Lijiang. We wish them well for the last week of the Tour.
Leaving Lijiang on 19th May the drive took us through ever greener countryside. Yunnan province is like a gigantic market garden with every conceivable piece of cultivatable land given over to producing a whole range of vegetables. Our destination was Dali, another popular tourist town, famous for The Three Pagodas and Temples, which were partially destroyed by earthquake damage. The Chinese have fully restored the temples and it is a marvellous sight on the banks of the lake next to Dali. Dali is famous for marble production and on the way into the town we passed many villages that seemed to produce nothing but tombstones and marble sculptures.
Yesterday we drove to the capital of Yunnan province, Kunming. For the first time in many days we were able to enjoy a fast run along modern expressways, which then gave way to the seemingly endless Chinese potholes and road repairs. The final 40 kms into Kunming were a great relief as we once again drove on fast four lane highways.
Kunming has about 4 million inhabitants and is a modern thriving city with many skyscrapers. Our hotel is no exception with our room on the 28th floor.
Today has been our first rest day since Lhasa, over a week ago. We have all taken the opportunity to have repairs carried out on our cars, as well as repacking our bags ready for shipping the cars home in a week's time. This afternoon we visited the Expo 99 Gardens. These were built in 1999 and house many international gardens, the UK included. We were two of the very few westerners at the gardens, where many local people were enjoying a Saturday outing.
Tomorrow we drive to a famous waterfall at Huangguoshu.
It has been a great disappointment that we have not been able to post some of our photos on the site. I am hopeful that on our return to the UK we will then be able to do so. In the meantime anyone interested in seeing the sights of China and Tibet should go the website of Jim Taylor, our fellow participant:
www.seamus.cc
Four more days have passed since my post from Deqen, the first major town in China, Yunnan province of south-west China, after leaving Tibet.
Initially our drive was in rain but as we climbed higher it turned to snow. Our first pass of the day was in a snow covered landscape, quite a contrast to the last few days.
We then moved south along the Mekong River from Deqen to Lijiang, a popular stopping-off point for back packers and trekkers making their way into Tibet. Lijiang has a wonderful old town which has been restored since a devastating earthquake in the nineties. It is now a much visited tourist spot for the Chinese.
The final part of the drive into Lijiang took us through one of the deepest gorges in the world, Tiger Leaping Gorge. The gorge is 16 kms long and a tributary of the Yangtse river flows between mountains rising to over 16,000 feet. The road ran precariously along the northern side of the gorge, with many landslides making driving hazardous.
Further on we encountered our first sight of China's vast area of rice cultivation. Mile after mile of paddy fields, being tended by large numbers of farm workers, knee deep in the mud and water. We could see how the rice is grown and then how they have to thin it out. It is a time consuming and unbelievably back breaking task.
To start off the fields were ploughed using oxen but as the climate became warmer water buffalo were used. These magnificent creatures, with massive horns, worked in pairs pulling the plough through the mud.
Our passengers of the last few days, the Mitchells, now have their own new rental car, after the organisers arranged for a car to be delivered to Lijiang. We wish them well for the last week of the Tour.
Leaving Lijiang on 19th May the drive took us through ever greener countryside. Yunnan province is like a gigantic market garden with every conceivable piece of cultivatable land given over to producing a whole range of vegetables. Our destination was Dali, another popular tourist town, famous for The Three Pagodas and Temples, which were partially destroyed by earthquake damage. The Chinese have fully restored the temples and it is a marvellous sight on the banks of the lake next to Dali. Dali is famous for marble production and on the way into the town we passed many villages that seemed to produce nothing but tombstones and marble sculptures.
Yesterday we drove to the capital of Yunnan province, Kunming. For the first time in many days we were able to enjoy a fast run along modern expressways, which then gave way to the seemingly endless Chinese potholes and road repairs. The final 40 kms into Kunming were a great relief as we once again drove on fast four lane highways.
Kunming has about 4 million inhabitants and is a modern thriving city with many skyscrapers. Our hotel is no exception with our room on the 28th floor.
Today has been our first rest day since Lhasa, over a week ago. We have all taken the opportunity to have repairs carried out on our cars, as well as repacking our bags ready for shipping the cars home in a week's time. This afternoon we visited the Expo 99 Gardens. These were built in 1999 and house many international gardens, the UK included. We were two of the very few westerners at the gardens, where many local people were enjoying a Saturday outing.
Tomorrow we drive to a famous waterfall at Huangguoshu.
It has been a great disappointment that we have not been able to post some of our photos on the site. I am hopeful that on our return to the UK we will then be able to do so. In the meantime anyone interested in seeing the sights of China and Tibet should go the website of Jim Taylor, our fellow participant:
www.seamus.cc
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Tuesday 18th May
Four more days of the Great Tour have passed since my last post from Bomi in Eastern Tibet.
Each day has bought more spectacular scenery, ranging from deep gorges with fast flowing rivers to snow capped mountains in excess of 6,000 metres. It has been fascinating to see the change in vegetation as we have headed east. From the very arid regions north of Everest we have been through scenery reminiscent of the Alps.
On Saturday 15th we left Bomi for another small town, Basu, about 200 miles to the east. We entered a nature reserve aptly called The Grand Canyon. The road, at first tarmac, soon became a track only wide enough for one vehicle as it snaked alongside a fast flowing river. At times we were thousands of feet above the river, in a wonderful gorge with dense vegetation on the mountain sides. Traffic was almost non-existent, save for the odd truck making a very hazardous journey on a road which had numerous blind bends and terrifying unguarded drops to the river below.
Everyone agreed that the drive was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. The speed with which the Chinese are upgrading the road system in Tibet will mean that in a few years time this road will be fast tarmac.
Sunday 16th
The drive continued eastwards with more and more unforgettable sights. Eastern Tibet is very sparsely populated, with the local Tibetans mainly farming. We really felt as though we were explorers to an unknown land. The drive took us on to more very high mountain passes and then, quite unexpectedly, we came upon another very arid high plateau. Snow covered all the mountain peaks and at one point the high valley we drove through, was covered with snow. The trees had all gone and save for a few scrubby bushes we were in desert conditions again. Our stop for the night was the town of Mankang. From here we would head south and out of Tibet and back to mainland China.
Monday 17th
More road works on the road south meant we had to leave very early to make sure we would not be stopped as the road was closed from 9am to 10pm. The day would be remembered for the three mountain passes we had to cross. The first at over 16,000 feet had 48 hairpin bends on the ascent! The second had an elevation of over 17,000 feet and the third was more than 15,000 feet. There can't be many places in the world you can traverse such terrain in a single day.
Towards the end of the day the road crossed the Mekong River. We would follow the Mekong south for the next two days.
Tuesday 18th
The weather changed and we rose to rain and light snow. The road, which had been very dusty the day before had become a mudbath, which required real caution when negotiating the mountain passes. The Mekong River has carved a huge gorge through the mountains and at times we estimated we were at least 5,000 feet above the river. It felt like looking down at the ground from an airplane!
We left Tibet and entered China once again. I think everyone will be sad to say goodbye to the Tibetans. They have a hard life coping with the rigours of high altitude but at all times they were smiling and friendly. I can't wait to return!
The conditions of the past few days have left their mark on the participants' vehicles. Suspensions, shock absorbers, brakes and engines have all suffered, but the resourcefulness of the drivers and the organisers has meant that everyone has been able to continue the Tour.
Tonight we are in Deqen, and tomorrow we head for Lijiang, a popular place of back packers and trekkers heading into Tibet.
Four more days of the Great Tour have passed since my last post from Bomi in Eastern Tibet.
Each day has bought more spectacular scenery, ranging from deep gorges with fast flowing rivers to snow capped mountains in excess of 6,000 metres. It has been fascinating to see the change in vegetation as we have headed east. From the very arid regions north of Everest we have been through scenery reminiscent of the Alps.
On Saturday 15th we left Bomi for another small town, Basu, about 200 miles to the east. We entered a nature reserve aptly called The Grand Canyon. The road, at first tarmac, soon became a track only wide enough for one vehicle as it snaked alongside a fast flowing river. At times we were thousands of feet above the river, in a wonderful gorge with dense vegetation on the mountain sides. Traffic was almost non-existent, save for the odd truck making a very hazardous journey on a road which had numerous blind bends and terrifying unguarded drops to the river below.
Everyone agreed that the drive was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. The speed with which the Chinese are upgrading the road system in Tibet will mean that in a few years time this road will be fast tarmac.
Sunday 16th
The drive continued eastwards with more and more unforgettable sights. Eastern Tibet is very sparsely populated, with the local Tibetans mainly farming. We really felt as though we were explorers to an unknown land. The drive took us on to more very high mountain passes and then, quite unexpectedly, we came upon another very arid high plateau. Snow covered all the mountain peaks and at one point the high valley we drove through, was covered with snow. The trees had all gone and save for a few scrubby bushes we were in desert conditions again. Our stop for the night was the town of Mankang. From here we would head south and out of Tibet and back to mainland China.
Monday 17th
More road works on the road south meant we had to leave very early to make sure we would not be stopped as the road was closed from 9am to 10pm. The day would be remembered for the three mountain passes we had to cross. The first at over 16,000 feet had 48 hairpin bends on the ascent! The second had an elevation of over 17,000 feet and the third was more than 15,000 feet. There can't be many places in the world you can traverse such terrain in a single day.
Towards the end of the day the road crossed the Mekong River. We would follow the Mekong south for the next two days.
Tuesday 18th
The weather changed and we rose to rain and light snow. The road, which had been very dusty the day before had become a mudbath, which required real caution when negotiating the mountain passes. The Mekong River has carved a huge gorge through the mountains and at times we estimated we were at least 5,000 feet above the river. It felt like looking down at the ground from an airplane!
We left Tibet and entered China once again. I think everyone will be sad to say goodbye to the Tibetans. They have a hard life coping with the rigours of high altitude but at all times they were smiling and friendly. I can't wait to return!
The conditions of the past few days have left their mark on the participants' vehicles. Suspensions, shock absorbers, brakes and engines have all suffered, but the resourcefulness of the drivers and the organisers has meant that everyone has been able to continue the Tour.
Tonight we are in Deqen, and tomorrow we head for Lijiang, a popular place of back packers and trekkers heading into Tibet.
Friday, May 14, 2004
Friday 14th May
Today has been a wonderful scenic drive crossing the Lhasa river shortly after leaving the capital.
Since yesterday,events have moved on regarding the Mitchells. Their rented car is being repaired in a Lhasa garage and rather than wait for it to be ready they have joined us as passengers. Chris, our co-driver, has teamed up with Richard Smith's Landcruiser until they are mobile again. The aim is for their car to be driven to meet us at one of the next stops along our route. It remains to be seen if this can be achieved.
The weather continues to amaze us, with temperatures in the low 70's. The forecast for eastern Tibet is changeable and we can expect our first rain since leaving Xi'an in the next few days.
Our route has taken us down below 12,000 feet for the first time in 10 days and many participants are no longer taking Diamox, a drug used to combat the effects of altitude sickness.
The road followed the river for more than 200 miles as we headed east down the valley, with towering snow peaked mountains all around us. Once again we had to negotiate a mountain pass taking us to over 16,000 feet, but now the vegetation changed. All our time in Tibet has been in very arid, high areas of the country and there are very few trees. Now, we saw conifers on the side of the mountains and the scenery became very reminiscent of the high Alps. The almost total absence of traffic on the tarmac road meant that we could make the 250 mile journey in under 6 hours.
We were very interested to see that the small villages and towns had numerous new buildings and homes. The whole area we have just travelled through seemed to be relatively prosperous.
The Tibetan people continue to amaze me with their friendliness and willingness to attempt to communicate with us. As we were passing one of the many fields that lined the road, we saw a farmer ploughing behind two yaks. We stopped and I went up to him with my camera and indicated I wanted to take some photos of him ploughing. To ensure I did not offend him I offered him 5 Yuan (30p). He simply refused to take the money, smiling all the time. I took my photos and thanked him profusely, again offering the money. Once more he said no. It was a wonderful moment and typical of the Tibetan people. I can't wait to return here again.
Our stay tonight is in the small town of Bayi. Tomorrow we can expect much tougher road conditions as we return to the gravel roads on our journey east and back into China.
Today has been a wonderful scenic drive crossing the Lhasa river shortly after leaving the capital.
Since yesterday,events have moved on regarding the Mitchells. Their rented car is being repaired in a Lhasa garage and rather than wait for it to be ready they have joined us as passengers. Chris, our co-driver, has teamed up with Richard Smith's Landcruiser until they are mobile again. The aim is for their car to be driven to meet us at one of the next stops along our route. It remains to be seen if this can be achieved.
The weather continues to amaze us, with temperatures in the low 70's. The forecast for eastern Tibet is changeable and we can expect our first rain since leaving Xi'an in the next few days.
Our route has taken us down below 12,000 feet for the first time in 10 days and many participants are no longer taking Diamox, a drug used to combat the effects of altitude sickness.
The road followed the river for more than 200 miles as we headed east down the valley, with towering snow peaked mountains all around us. Once again we had to negotiate a mountain pass taking us to over 16,000 feet, but now the vegetation changed. All our time in Tibet has been in very arid, high areas of the country and there are very few trees. Now, we saw conifers on the side of the mountains and the scenery became very reminiscent of the high Alps. The almost total absence of traffic on the tarmac road meant that we could make the 250 mile journey in under 6 hours.
We were very interested to see that the small villages and towns had numerous new buildings and homes. The whole area we have just travelled through seemed to be relatively prosperous.
The Tibetan people continue to amaze me with their friendliness and willingness to attempt to communicate with us. As we were passing one of the many fields that lined the road, we saw a farmer ploughing behind two yaks. We stopped and I went up to him with my camera and indicated I wanted to take some photos of him ploughing. To ensure I did not offend him I offered him 5 Yuan (30p). He simply refused to take the money, smiling all the time. I took my photos and thanked him profusely, again offering the money. Once more he said no. It was a wonderful moment and typical of the Tibetan people. I can't wait to return here again.
Our stay tonight is in the small town of Bayi. Tomorrow we can expect much tougher road conditions as we return to the gravel roads on our journey east and back into China.
Thursday, May 13, 2004
Thursday 13th May
Lhasa, Tibet, the home of the Potola Palace, the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas. We arrived here yesterday afternoon after an amazing drive through the wild and sparsely populated area of central Tibet, between Shigatse and Lhasa.
Our route took us south-east from Shigatse to rarely seen villages and magnificent mountains and lakes. At first we drove on a fast tarmac road with very little traffic apart from farm vehicles, the ever present three wheeled motorised carts and the occasional truck. After about 50 miles the road changed to smooth gravel but with an unbelievable amount of dust. It was impossible to drive within 400 yards of another car without being completely blinded by clouds of dense dust. Overtaking of slow moving trucks and farm vehicles was always a problem as you needed a fair bit of luck to have the road wide enough for two vehicles as well as straight enough to be able to be sure there was nothing coming towards you.
We rose up to out first mountain pass at about 4,500 metres and passed a wonderful lake with a small island on which was a ruined monastery. It was here many centuries ago that one of the early Panchen Lamas came to spend five years in solitary meditation and enlightenment.
We then came to a modern hydro-electric scheme. It was a reminder of how much Tibet is a contrast between the 21st century and the past. The road became progressively worse as we encountered 25 miles of road works alongside one of the holiest lakes in Tibet. The lake at over 14,800 feet (about 3,000 feet above Lake Titicaca in South America) must make it one of the highest navigable lakes in the world. We say quite a large trawler docked in one of the small villages on the lakeside.
We then had to negotiate another mountain pass at over 5,000 metres before we descended to the central valley and our drive into Lhasa. The green valley is such a contrast to the dry conditions of the mountains. It reminded me very much of rural southern France or Italy. Quite unlike my expectations of Tibet.
Lhasa is a modern bustling metropolis which is dominated by the Potola Palace. Much renovation work is being done on the palace and the damage done during Mao's Cultural Revolution is gradually being repaired.
I must relate the story of one of our competitors, the Mitchell's from New Zealand. They rented a car in Beijing to do the Tour. Unfortunately their Jeep Cherokee has been a disaster from the very beginning, with numerous faults and breakdowns. The one thing about the Mitchell's is their determination to continue, even when the odds are overwhelmingly stacked against them. Yesterday they set off two hours before the rest of us as the car could only do about 30mph and often stalled when trying to negotiate the passes. After about three hours the gave up, but not the Mitchell's or Hero, the organisers. The back-up car, with Tim (Jingers) Riley and our doctor, Greg Williams, towed them for 16 hours over the most atrocious roads imaginable. When I heard they were being towed in, and how far they had to go, I thought it was impossible to achieve. They negotiated a 5,000 metre mountain pass in the dark, with the Jeep having no powered steering or brakes. The had to ford numerous streams which were no easy task in my Land Cruiser. They arrived in Lhasa at 1.30am, after over 21 hours of driving. A Herculean effort by all concerned.
Tomorrow, we lose several of the competitors, who only signed on for the first half of the Great Tour. New participants are joining us to take their place. It will be sad to see the two French couples go; they have been such fun. Also, Mary, Terence's daughter will be missed. Linda, from Atlanta, leaves Bernard's Hummer and Tom from Holland leaves Jan's Toyota.
Tomorrow (Friday 14th) we head off to the wild region of eastern Tibet and south-west China. The organisers say this is where the adventure really begins! I know that internet access will be difficult for at least the next five days, so please bear with me until I can post again to the site. A big thank you to all those who have let me know they enjoy reading about the Tour.
Lhasa, Tibet, the home of the Potola Palace, the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas. We arrived here yesterday afternoon after an amazing drive through the wild and sparsely populated area of central Tibet, between Shigatse and Lhasa.
Our route took us south-east from Shigatse to rarely seen villages and magnificent mountains and lakes. At first we drove on a fast tarmac road with very little traffic apart from farm vehicles, the ever present three wheeled motorised carts and the occasional truck. After about 50 miles the road changed to smooth gravel but with an unbelievable amount of dust. It was impossible to drive within 400 yards of another car without being completely blinded by clouds of dense dust. Overtaking of slow moving trucks and farm vehicles was always a problem as you needed a fair bit of luck to have the road wide enough for two vehicles as well as straight enough to be able to be sure there was nothing coming towards you.
We rose up to out first mountain pass at about 4,500 metres and passed a wonderful lake with a small island on which was a ruined monastery. It was here many centuries ago that one of the early Panchen Lamas came to spend five years in solitary meditation and enlightenment.
We then came to a modern hydro-electric scheme. It was a reminder of how much Tibet is a contrast between the 21st century and the past. The road became progressively worse as we encountered 25 miles of road works alongside one of the holiest lakes in Tibet. The lake at over 14,800 feet (about 3,000 feet above Lake Titicaca in South America) must make it one of the highest navigable lakes in the world. We say quite a large trawler docked in one of the small villages on the lakeside.
We then had to negotiate another mountain pass at over 5,000 metres before we descended to the central valley and our drive into Lhasa. The green valley is such a contrast to the dry conditions of the mountains. It reminded me very much of rural southern France or Italy. Quite unlike my expectations of Tibet.
Lhasa is a modern bustling metropolis which is dominated by the Potola Palace. Much renovation work is being done on the palace and the damage done during Mao's Cultural Revolution is gradually being repaired.
I must relate the story of one of our competitors, the Mitchell's from New Zealand. They rented a car in Beijing to do the Tour. Unfortunately their Jeep Cherokee has been a disaster from the very beginning, with numerous faults and breakdowns. The one thing about the Mitchell's is their determination to continue, even when the odds are overwhelmingly stacked against them. Yesterday they set off two hours before the rest of us as the car could only do about 30mph and often stalled when trying to negotiate the passes. After about three hours the gave up, but not the Mitchell's or Hero, the organisers. The back-up car, with Tim (Jingers) Riley and our doctor, Greg Williams, towed them for 16 hours over the most atrocious roads imaginable. When I heard they were being towed in, and how far they had to go, I thought it was impossible to achieve. They negotiated a 5,000 metre mountain pass in the dark, with the Jeep having no powered steering or brakes. The had to ford numerous streams which were no easy task in my Land Cruiser. They arrived in Lhasa at 1.30am, after over 21 hours of driving. A Herculean effort by all concerned.
Tomorrow, we lose several of the competitors, who only signed on for the first half of the Great Tour. New participants are joining us to take their place. It will be sad to see the two French couples go; they have been such fun. Also, Mary, Terence's daughter will be missed. Linda, from Atlanta, leaves Bernard's Hummer and Tom from Holland leaves Jan's Toyota.
Tomorrow (Friday 14th) we head off to the wild region of eastern Tibet and south-west China. The organisers say this is where the adventure really begins! I know that internet access will be difficult for at least the next five days, so please bear with me until I can post again to the site. A big thank you to all those who have let me know they enjoy reading about the Tour.
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Tuesday 11th May
Hi again to everyone who has been reading my posts from China and Tibet.
Since the last posting on the 8th from Shigatze we moved on to New Tingri, about 200 miles to the west. The central valley of Tibet is mainly occupied by peasant farmers who use methods which have changed little in hundreds of years. The yak is used for all ploughing and the women follow behind throwing the seed into the furrow. Quite a change from western methods!! The weather continues to be very good with temperatures rising to the low seventies. All those winter clothes we bought with us to cope with the cold of the Himalayas have become redundant.
Once again we have left behind tarmac roads and the best one can say about the gravel pot holed tracks we are travelling on is that there is no rain to make them impassable. As we came down from one of the many mountain pases exceeding 5,200 metres, we had our first glimpse of the Himalayas, some 100 miles away. We stopped our car to take photos and realised the mountain on the left with snow blowing from its peak was Everest!
New Tingri is a small town which we had to reach via a track along the river because the track into the town was closed for upgrading. The hotel was quite acceptable for such a wayout place and is used as a stopping point for trekkers and mountaineers on their way to the Himalayas.
We were up at 5am to make sure we could see the sun'as rays strike Everest, which we were told was a sight not to be missed. The road eneterned an area of Tibet which is on the border with Nepal and passports had to be shown. We were now in no man's land on our way to Everest. We stopped at athe top of a mountain pass to watch the sun rise in the east and to the south-west of us we saw the north face of Everest become illuminated. It was a magical moment. The journet to Base Camp was another 50 miles of bone shaking potholes, but it was worth it. We passed the Rhonphu Monastery, the highest in the world and then entered the Base camp areas. Everest, even though it was 50 miles away, towered some 13,000 feeet above us. The top of the mountain had a halo of clouds surrounding it and at times was obscured. Base Camp had dozens of tents for climbers and was a very fobidding place to spend a night let alone many nights.
After a couple of hours and many photos we drove back to New Tingri.
Today we made the return journey to Shigatze before we head to Lhasa tomorrow. We have just learnt that several of the roads are blocked and we will have to make detours through mountain rivers to get to the capital. Let's hope we all make it!
Hi again to everyone who has been reading my posts from China and Tibet.
Since the last posting on the 8th from Shigatze we moved on to New Tingri, about 200 miles to the west. The central valley of Tibet is mainly occupied by peasant farmers who use methods which have changed little in hundreds of years. The yak is used for all ploughing and the women follow behind throwing the seed into the furrow. Quite a change from western methods!! The weather continues to be very good with temperatures rising to the low seventies. All those winter clothes we bought with us to cope with the cold of the Himalayas have become redundant.
Once again we have left behind tarmac roads and the best one can say about the gravel pot holed tracks we are travelling on is that there is no rain to make them impassable. As we came down from one of the many mountain pases exceeding 5,200 metres, we had our first glimpse of the Himalayas, some 100 miles away. We stopped our car to take photos and realised the mountain on the left with snow blowing from its peak was Everest!
New Tingri is a small town which we had to reach via a track along the river because the track into the town was closed for upgrading. The hotel was quite acceptable for such a wayout place and is used as a stopping point for trekkers and mountaineers on their way to the Himalayas.
We were up at 5am to make sure we could see the sun'as rays strike Everest, which we were told was a sight not to be missed. The road eneterned an area of Tibet which is on the border with Nepal and passports had to be shown. We were now in no man's land on our way to Everest. We stopped at athe top of a mountain pass to watch the sun rise in the east and to the south-west of us we saw the north face of Everest become illuminated. It was a magical moment. The journet to Base Camp was another 50 miles of bone shaking potholes, but it was worth it. We passed the Rhonphu Monastery, the highest in the world and then entered the Base camp areas. Everest, even though it was 50 miles away, towered some 13,000 feeet above us. The top of the mountain had a halo of clouds surrounding it and at times was obscured. Base Camp had dozens of tents for climbers and was a very fobidding place to spend a night let alone many nights.
After a couple of hours and many photos we drove back to New Tingri.
Today we made the return journey to Shigatze before we head to Lhasa tomorrow. We have just learnt that several of the roads are blocked and we will have to make detours through mountain rivers to get to the capital. Let's hope we all make it!
