A three day horse trek at 4000m high.

Trip Start Sep 21, 2006
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Trip End Ongoing


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Flag of China  ,
Friday, October 12, 2007

Chinese people are happy with noise. They're so used to it that it seems like they're uncomfortable with silence. I sure found that out on this trek.

This was a 3 day trek to the so called Ice Mountain so we had to be escorted by guides. It would have been unthinkable to do that on our own. Those guys were some characters. They were talking, singing and screaming on top of their lungs and on top of their MP3 player all the time. They drove me nuts. When one of them turned a radio on as we riding in a valley, I lost it. I had to get them to stop right away. I didn't speak their local dialect but they understood quite well what I was talking about, my body language must have helped. Hahaha. And we had our first relatively quiet day in the mountain.

But when we got back to base camp that night, I soon found out that all the guides were very offended I'm a poor lonesome cowboy, lalala
I'm a poor lonesome cowboy, lalala
 . They were all giving me attitudes and I could feel they were becoming more and more aggressive and the alcohol was making its way to their brains. They thought I intended to insult their culture. It's not what they were singing that bothered me it's the fact that they were singing out loud while we were horse trekking in the nature. My idea of such a trip was to hear the birds sing, not the guides. There were about half a dozen of them because all the teams camped at the same location. Those guys were providing absolutely everything and it was so cold at night that we could hardly sleep in our tents.  Clearly, having them mad at me was a very bad idea. So I had to bite the bullet and apologize to the oldest one, who was so drunk that he immediately started singing again and I was back in their good grace again.

It's funny the problems cultural differences can cause you sometimes. To stay out of trouble, as a general rule, never get mad at anyone in China. What ever you do, don't make anyone loose face. It's much easier that way.

It still was a wonderful experience. Cold as hell but so beautiful.

Andre.

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We're just starting to climb. We're just starting to climb. A buddhist monastery. A buddhist monastery. Young buddhist monks. Young buddhist monks. A small prayer wheel building. A small prayer wheel building.
Woman praying by spinning the prayer wheels Woman praying by spinning the prayer wheels The wheels are very colorful. The wheels are very colorful. A child shoe left in the field. A child shoe left in the field. It's always snowing in those clouds. It's always snowing in those clouds.
A little tiger... A little tiger... ...and his mom. ...and his mom. You must forget about the cold. You must forget about the cold. Going though a blizzard. Going though a blizzard.
Tibetan Prayer Flags. Tibetan Prayer Flags. Near base camp. Near base camp. Base camp. Base camp. My team mates at the camp. My team mates at the camp.
Roofs are made of rock sheets. Roofs are made of rock sheets. We're headed to the snowcap mountaintop. We're headed to the snowcap mountaintop. Reminds me of Grizzly Adams. Reminds me of Grizzly Adams. She's hauling rocks !!! She's hauling rocks !!!
Sheeps along the way. Sheeps along the way. A tree stands proudly against the cold wind. A tree stands proudly against the cold wind. This home is almost entirely made of rocks. This home is almost entirely made of rocks. It's getting much colder by now. It's getting much colder by now.
By looking at your guide you know it'll be cold. By looking at your guide you know it'll be cold. The last stretch is going to be steep as hell. The last stretch is going to be steep as hell. We're nearing the top of Ice Mountain. We're... We're nearing the top of Ice Mountain. We're... My friends still have a long way to go. My friends still have a long way to go.
From now on it will be snow. From now on it will be snow. We made it horsy, we made it. We made it horsy, we made it. My friends ara arriving at the top. My friends ara arriving at the top. With my friends Rolf and Kristine. With my friends Rolf and Kristine.
I beleive I can fly, lalala. I beleive I can fly, lalala. Ice mountain is right behind me. Ice mountain is right behind me. Now time to go back down, on foot ! Now time to go back down, on foot ! I'm on the far right, wearing a yellow scarf. I'm on the far right, wearing a yellow scarf.
On the way down. On the way down. The horse are on the right. The horse are on the right. What a trail. What a trail. As basic as it gets. As basic as it gets.
Locals are happy to see us. Locals are happy to see us. Some kind of Yak. Some kind of Yak. We do you do when you run into those? We do you do when you run into those? Friends coming back to base camp. Friends coming back to base camp.
Something's cooking. Something's cooking. The food wasn't bad. The food wasn't bad. A basketball to hold the food for the horse. A basketball to hold the food for the horse. Diner time for the horse after a tough day. Diner time for the horse after a tough day.
Having a hot coffee at the camp, priceless ! Having a hot coffee at the camp, priceless ! Back to Songpan. Back to Songpan. I like when I can point out the food I want. I like when I can point out the food I want. Urinals on the left, the rest is on the right. Urinals on the left, the rest is on the right.
Buying fresh fruits in the street of Songpan. Buying fresh fruits in the street of Songpan.
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