Intrigued by the way tributaries cut through the landscape in straight lines.

They also form the northern boundary of the Tibetan Plateau.

We are climbing steadily to the plateau.

Here its made waves.

Most of the road is excellent. But a high level of concentration is required.

Within about 20 minutes the engine stopped. Not a nice feeling.

A quick guess at loss of fuel. Switch tanks and prime the pump we are under way again.

Later found a fuel line broken. 

Qitai Daban.

But not so much down this time. Just a couple of hundred meters.

Lots of them.

Salt.

And deep colours.

The posts are to conduct some warmth into the foundations.

We had to drive round.

Police and army checks are in much more convenient places.

At least the snow is on the eastern sides of the mountains.

To be pedantic they are more like saddles than passes. And we don't lose much altitude in between.

There's an earth ramp. The truck got a bit too close to the edge of it.

Just enough room for us to squeeze past.

Vicious steps in and out.

No warning, and at times we are traveling near 80 km/hr.

 Hard to wqtch the road and the scenery.

But it wasn't behaving like a fox. It wasn't the slightest bit concerned about us.

Though our gps would suggest that the official heights have the passes a bit mixed up.

Jishan Daban.

We've crossed a third pass. Hongtu Daban.

Though the food is Chinese.

Rob and Clary joined us.

As did the sheep and goats.

Tibetans, and an interesting practice of tying the goats together for the night.

It was the women looking after the herd.

We missed how the goats were moved when tied together.