Today was a fabulous day. Our last day in tibet was all downhill!!! The first 30 km were through a canyon just as the sun was coming up. It was fast and cold but fun and scenic. After the tea stop we kept on going.
Hill with trees to the top, white clad mountains in the background, dandelions on the roadside, a glacier fed river rushing beside us. So much like the Rockies that I could have been home. Until I looked up and saw a monastery high up on the hill. Ginsing said it was originally a cave built in the 13th century. Eventually they built a building and a walk way to get up there. Currently there are 6-7 residential monks living there.
The border crossing was interesting. We have a van with our day packs and other gear and a big truck with the tents, personal, dining and cooking tents along with all the food and more gear. Everything had to be unloaded from both vehicles and brought into the Chinese border crossing building - a huge air conditioned building. Then everything had to be carried across to the Nepalese border...now a dirt road and a small shack with two windows, with a piece of paper taped to each window one saying in Nepal and the other said out Nepal!
Now we are sitting down to a Nepalese style BBQ, pork pieces over an open fire and rum to wash it down! Although we still have two more days of riding, today feels like a celebration.
Today's route begins with 42km on undulating road; we then drop over 200m for the next 50km as we follow the Girong Zangbo river, to reach Mangmu. We continue on for 8km to the border to cross the Friendship bridge bidding Tibet farewell. The border point between the two countries sits in a valley of approximately 300m. On the Nepalese side is the Rasuwa Fort, the site of a three-day battle during the second campaign of Sino-Nepalese War in 1792. The fort was constructed on the site in 1855 when Nepal invaded Qing-ruled Tibet in the Nepalese-Tibetan War. We stay tonight at Rasuwa Ghadhi.
Accommodation: Guest House
Maximum Altitude: 4,093m
Sleeping Altitude: 2,046m
Distance: 92km
Hill with trees to the top, white clad mountains in the background, dandelions on the roadside, a glacier fed river rushing beside us. So much like the Rockies that I could have been home. Until I looked up and saw a monastery high up on the hill. Ginsing said it was originally a cave built in the 13th century. Eventually they built a building and a walk way to get up there. Currently there are 6-7 residential monks living there.
The border crossing was interesting. We have a van with our day packs and other gear and a big truck with the tents, personal, dining and cooking tents along with all the food and more gear. Everything had to be unloaded from both vehicles and brought into the Chinese border crossing building - a huge air conditioned building. Then everything had to be carried across to the Nepalese border...now a dirt road and a small shack with two windows, with a piece of paper taped to each window one saying in Nepal and the other said out Nepal!
Now we are sitting down to a Nepalese style BBQ, pork pieces over an open fire and rum to wash it down! Although we still have two more days of riding, today feels like a celebration.
Today's route begins with 42km on undulating road; we then drop over 200m for the next 50km as we follow the Girong Zangbo river, to reach Mangmu. We continue on for 8km to the border to cross the Friendship bridge bidding Tibet farewell. The border point between the two countries sits in a valley of approximately 300m. On the Nepalese side is the Rasuwa Fort, the site of a three-day battle during the second campaign of Sino-Nepalese War in 1792. The fort was constructed on the site in 1855 when Nepal invaded Qing-ruled Tibet in the Nepalese-Tibetan War. We stay tonight at Rasuwa Ghadhi.
Accommodation: Guest House
Maximum Altitude: 4,093m
Sleeping Altitude: 2,046m
Distance: 92km
1 comment:
I have so enjoyed “travelling alone with you” on this epic journey. I am reminded of a recent conversation we had, and I am so happy for you that you have been able to return to your heart’s desires!
Post a Comment