To Zhada,  Tibet, China Week 129 September 18th 2013
                       
A bit of up and over from our roadside campsite.

We are now headed a bit east.

Then a bit south.

And so on.

Tibet is bordered by the Kunlun Mountains to the north and the Himalayas to the south.

 
A strange (to us) place to put an airport.

44km from town.

 
Sometimes the rivers flow on the surface.

Other times below ground.

 
Another little bit of up and over, around a bluff.
 
Look.

No wires.

And significantly, no high fence around it.

How odd in a "sensitive area".

But whereas we camped beside comms towers with fences in some other countries we wouldn't consider it here.

 
Stones like these were regular along the side of the road.

Best we could come up with was that they were the local equivalent of cats' eyes.

 
And up again.

Our average height seems to be above 4,500m.

 
We've turned south west. To Zhadar.

Surely there must be something worth mining in all this colour.

 
But too hard to try and figure it all out without some analysis equipment.
 
Salt.
 
And yet more colours.
 
Plus some more.
 
And even some high level sheep.

About 5,000m.

 
Either Kamel or Nanda Devi is in the Himalayas, in Western Nepal.
 
Part of the line of peaks in the far distance.
 
And between us and the mountains is an earth forest.

Clay.

 
Honest, it really is between us and the mountains.
 
And we have to drive through it.
 
Deeper and deeper.
 
And deeper.
 
Until we reach Zhadar.

For food, registration, and a look at the solar kettles on the main street.

 
Thence to the Guge Kingdom.

A 10th century origin formerly walled city.

We are at the top. A steady breathtaking (as in out of breath) climb.

The doorway leads down steps cut inside the clay.

 
Founded by a great grandson of the last monarch of the Tibetan Empire.
 
The first Guge King split the lands between three sons, one of whom ruled Ladakh, another Puran (to the east).
 
A Jesuit Minister arrived in 1624.

The land was wetter then than now.

He was allowed to establish a church.

 
Which was possibly the beginning of the end as some dissidents invited Ladakh to invade.
 
The fifth Dalai Lama, based in Lhasa and leading the Central Tibet Government, conquered the remnants of Guge in 1679-80.
 
There are three temples preserved on the site.

All contain Buddhist frescoes.

One was closed. Two didn't allow photos.

 

 
We decided to drive back through the earth forest, as the sun lowered, and camp higher up, with a view.
 
Photos are always better with a low sun.
 
Aren't they?
 
Camped with Rob and Clary again.

A room with a view.

 
La Ang Cuo, Barga, Tibet, China Week 129 September 19th - 20th 2013
 
Gateway
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Ian & Jan Fri, 20 Sep 13 06:02:22 +1000
Hi Folks! By any chance did you get a copy of how that 'Solar Kettle' works please? I would like to try and replicate it for Morocco just in case the gas runs out or the inverter packs up! At least then we could make a cup of Tea, or even Berber Whisky!!
FABULOUS Pictures again, you are certainly having a superb time now, while we sit here in the rain getting very jealous!

Peter Fri, 20 Sep 13 09:59:44 +1000
Great Trip Julian, but so remote, Great pictures, I like the Sola Kettle also, great invention perhaps they could use this idea elsewhere.


 
 
 
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