16 January 2009
We didn’t do the kora today, it was too cold and we just couldn’t be assed. SB is feeling very monasteried out.
The breakfast at the hotel has to be the worst I have ever had in my life – never been a big spam person.
Today is a long drive, so we set off early and put the peddle to the metal. We drove along the Friendship Highway – there was no requirement for us to stick to the 40kph speed limit today to we stayed around 120kph. We only had q quick fuel fill up before getting to Tingri and the same hotel we stayed at last time and had lunch before getting back in the car.
The scenery is of mountains, mountains and more mountains and the road soon deteriorated from tarmac to gravel and even then sometimes you could hardly tell you were on the road it just disappeared altogether. To say it was bumpy was an understatement and felt like it went on forever, at one point to save driving through all the switchbacks we just drove off the road and straight down the middle – as there was a track it obviously wasn’t the first time this drive had been done. We finally started dropping in altitude and noticed the ice and snow on the roads and trees. There are some major roadworks along this stretch of the road which just makes the ride even worse.
We finally made it into Zhangmu at bout 0630pm ish and checked into our hotel – The Gang Gyen Hotel and a wonderful dorm room overlooking the street. Hmm not impressed.
We headed straight out to dinner knowing the Tibetans penchant for either not opening or closing early and had dinner at the Karma Restaurant which was nice and the guy there even spoke English.
We headed back to our crappy room and retired to the sounds of trucks and deafening squealing brakes of the trucks, hoping that as the border is now closed the trucks will also stop for a few hours at least.
We will certainly miss the people here in Tibet, their colourful attire and total devotion. Although SB is of the opinion that being part of China has brought some benefits I am not convinced they are all for the better. However, Iam mightly impressed with the sustainability efforts here – solar cookers, solar hot water, recycling bins and signs everywhere about protecting the environment and biodiversity (not of Tibetans though). I hope the Tibetans can find a voice – the 2 child policy is in place and they are able to continue their way of life.