Friendship Hwy

Hi everyone!

Apart from WHAT...?

The Friendship Hwy is the road that connects Lhasa with the Nepalese border. The road, which is a bumpy dirt trail for most of the way, gave us an idea of what Tibet is like beyond the Lhasa prefecture. Very barren and mountainous with the only vegetation being these very strange and hardy tussock grasses that you wouldn't want to step on with bare feet.

After brief stops at the townships of Shigatse and Shegar, we headed up to Rongphu Monastery, which is only 10km from Everest Base Camp. The monks and nuns residing at Rongphu number only few, but are very happy and warming people. We sat and talked to them for a while. Although most of the talking was done with hand gestures and facial expressions, there was an understanding there which was very nice.

Dame from Everest Base Camp

Everest Base Camp, at 5,200m, has an oxygen capacity of only 50% of that at sea level. Breathing was surprisingly easy though, probably due to our time in Lhasa. Breathing the freshest mountain air while gazing at the monster in front of us was a very powerful experience. Everest (8,850m) is known as Qomolangma in Tibetan and Sagarmatha in Nepalese. Both of these terms translate to 'Goddess Mother of the Universe,' a very fitting description of her. From one of the high road passes on the journey to Rongphu, the entire panorama of the Qomolangma Himalayan region was visible, including the huge massifs of Cho-Oyu, Makalu and Lhotse that are all well above 8,000m.

From the small village of Tashi-Dzom, I set out on an eventful 2 day trek through a valley, over a pass and across a plain to meet Lina at the small and friendly town of Tingri. Started off in a comical fashion. While hiking with my 20kg pack in the early morning shadows, I accepted a ride on the back of a mule for 1-2km. This ended abruptly when my mule slipped on a rock and I was thrown over its head to land hard on my back (only minor injuries). I decided at that point that it might be more pleasant to walk the rest of the way. This opinion also changed abruptly, when I was faced with a cold and fierce headwind descending from the top of the valley. Pushing through this was probably the most arduous thing I had ever done at that point, but I didn't know what was coming the following day. After trudging approx 18km I set up camp. The wind threatened on many occasions to lift my tent away with me in it. Had to cook my very poor pasta dish on my little butane cooker in the centre of the tent while the sides were flapping like birds wings. To my liking, the night was silent, though cold at -5 degrees.

Lina with Qomolangma from the high pass

I started day 2 as I left day 1, struggling up the valley toward a high pass. The day before had taken all my energy away from me, so every step was agony. At some points I think my stick was the only thing holding me up. After 3-4 hours and all of my determination, I finally made the pass and for the first time looked down at something instead of up. With my pack pushing me down instead of dragging me back, a healthy pace was set. The plain that would take me to Tingri and a bit of love and affection was in sight. Managed to hitch a ride with a very opportunistic Tibetan woman and her mule and cart. After agreeing to giving her most of my remaining food, she stopped short of the plain and demanded money and other things such as my gloves. She got nothing more, and I continued on foot. Shortly after another fierce wind swept across the valley, and by the time I reached the plain, it had doubled its intensity and thrown in a little whipped sand as a surprise. I could now see my destination, and the tiny town seemed 100km away (it was really about 10). It took every bit of my will power to keep going. 2 hours later, when I was contemplating setting up camp another night with little rations, a mule and cart presented itself along the trail. Paid the guy handsomely and 30 min later I was in Tingri. To my surprise, Lina had also been suffering without a shower, internet access and warm accommodation and, had she not been in a cosy restaurant when I found her, would have ringed my neck. Hardly would have been in the mood for that....

Rongphu chorten and Qomolangma

I will never again trek in high altitude desert. It is cold and harsh and over-demanding; I like trees.

We continued on the following day to the border, crossing 2 high passes and descending into the deep valley that unfolds inself in Nepal. Passing through the Himalayas was amazingly beautiful and on many occasions we had to pass parts of the road that had recieved 10m of snow only a few days before. The locals had done an amazing job ploughing the track clear.

Will be in Nepal soon, provided there are no delays at the crossing. The Maoists (Nepalese communist insurgents) are making things difficult at the border, so we may be stuck a couple of days.

see you all in Nepal,

The avalanche-ridden trail to Zhangmu

Lina and Dame.