View looking towards Namtso lake from the top of Tyson's scramble
I think i just finished lunch i look a little tired, or enjoying the view.
Typical view on the way to Namtso Lake , those are Yaks mom just like cows you see in alberta.
Sunset at Lake Namsto
Sara, freezing her arse off! (She shouldn't lean against the wall!) Also thats not a cold face, its a sunburnt face.
Our lovely Guest Shed.
So earlier today we returned from our overnight visit to Namsto Lake which is about 250 kilometers southwest of Lhasa. Almost as soon as the drive started, I realized that what we saw between Lhasa and Gantse and Shigatse was only one corner of Tibet, and we were about to see another. I'm also very sure there are many areas of Tibet that we've missed, but we'll save those for another trip. The agriculture that dominated the valleys on the way to and from Shigatse were replaced with pastures used for grazing sheep, goat, cow, and yak. Within half an hour as we followed the new train tracks up the valley, snow capped peaks were seen between the clouds. Now this was the Tibet of my dreams and imagination. Wide flat valleys with a small creek flowing through it filled with grazing animals, herders, tents made from yak skins, and then the flat valley ending in a wall of granite and sandstone that rose to snow capped peaks. I was giddy as could be. After climbing over a pass of approximately 4750 meters we dropped into the next valley, before taking a shape left. After paying 80 Yuan a piece to enter the area around Namsto Lake we switchbacked our way up. At the summit of the road (appromixately 5000 meters) there were terrific views of Namtso lake, but these weren't good enough for either me or Sara. As soon as the Land Cruiser stopped, we jumped from the truck and started towards the taller of the two peaks on either side of the pass. After about 5 minutes I stopped to look around and realized how hard I was breathing and how over the strong wind I could still hear my heart pounding. Sara decided at the first rock outcrop to turn around, while I continued upwards. This is where I made my mistake. If I had turned right I would have looped around to the back side of the mountain and made it all the way to the top. I turned left for quicker views. While I found myself terrific views I couldn't go any higher as the gulleys between the granite outcrops while not being as steep as other gulleys I've scrambled, at 5000+ meters, 3.5 hours from a hospital, and three people waiting for me in a truck, I was satisfied with where I was.
Half an hour later we arrived at Namtso lake, a massive salt water lake 4870 meters above sea level. We checked into the guesthouse (I'll let Sara describe the guesthouse later) and took our lunch and headed out around the pinnicula. Along the water, I told Sara that this was her Greece, because the color of the water, the pebble beach, and the blistering hot sun were all like I remember Greece to be like. The ice cold water, pilgrims, and the backdrop of snow covered peaks were the only things that said otherwise. It was a picture perfect spot with the mountains falling into great green plains dotted with sheep and yak and with very few people (5 minutes away from the guesthouses). This place was everything I thought Tibet could be and more. Favorite everything so far.
We returned from our walk for a dinner of rice and fired potatoes (french fries), and met a nice British couple currently living and working in Hong Kong. After taking some sunset pictures we retired to our room for the night. What a night it turned out to be...
The room was a sheet metal shed. There was sheet metal dividers between the rooms, not at all sound-proof. Also note that sheet metal is not a good insulator. You could not lock the door from the inside (although we were able to use some metal cable we had to make it so someone couldn't get in during the night. The floor was dirt covered with a piece of plastic that had wood panelling detail. The lone light in the room flickered with the generator. The sheets did look not too bad though. So Sara put on everything she owned, and I put on my long johns, socks, and a toque (I was too hot for most of the night). We got into our sleeping bags on one double bed (if they make a single this would be it. Jamed the provided pillows against the sheet metal (so Tyson wouldn't wake up stuck to the wall) and dresser that we pushed against the bed (so Sara wouldn't fall out). We then layered the provided blankets on top of the sleeping bags, and tried to go to sleep to the gentle purring of the generator. Next door our Driver, Sara says she reconized the voice decided to have a house party with music till well past the time the generator was suppose to turn off. And then it started, I don't know when but it lasted till sunrise. A dog barked nonstop for hours, no word of a lie. Lets just say with the noise, cold, and small bed there were lots of tossing and turning, and little sleep. Not to mention I was freezing and it took me all the way back to Lhasa to re-gain my body temperature (and im still wearing a sweater and a vest). I thought for we hit rock bottom for guesthouses here.. i was so close to just taking my sleeping bag and sleeping by the lake, at least if i was freezing i could freeze there and hear the soothing water insted a dog barking. Since we were up at 6:00am this day has felt like a marathon with it not even being dinner time yet. It was also hard to sleep because of the headaches we had with being 4870 meters up. (sara).
We were up at dawn and took some more photos before returning to Lhasa. Tomorrow I'm off on a day hike and Sara is relaxing here in the city. I have had enough of altitude trekking and scrambling my head throbs with every step.. Tyson is just crazy he also has a throbbing headache. (sara). Thursday morning we ride the Train to Golmud.
Tyson and Sara
Half an hour later we arrived at Namtso lake, a massive salt water lake 4870 meters above sea level. We checked into the guesthouse (I'll let Sara describe the guesthouse later) and took our lunch and headed out around the pinnicula. Along the water, I told Sara that this was her Greece, because the color of the water, the pebble beach, and the blistering hot sun were all like I remember Greece to be like. The ice cold water, pilgrims, and the backdrop of snow covered peaks were the only things that said otherwise. It was a picture perfect spot with the mountains falling into great green plains dotted with sheep and yak and with very few people (5 minutes away from the guesthouses). This place was everything I thought Tibet could be and more. Favorite everything so far.
We returned from our walk for a dinner of rice and fired potatoes (french fries), and met a nice British couple currently living and working in Hong Kong. After taking some sunset pictures we retired to our room for the night. What a night it turned out to be...
The room was a sheet metal shed. There was sheet metal dividers between the rooms, not at all sound-proof. Also note that sheet metal is not a good insulator. You could not lock the door from the inside (although we were able to use some metal cable we had to make it so someone couldn't get in during the night. The floor was dirt covered with a piece of plastic that had wood panelling detail. The lone light in the room flickered with the generator. The sheets did look not too bad though. So Sara put on everything she owned, and I put on my long johns, socks, and a toque (I was too hot for most of the night). We got into our sleeping bags on one double bed (if they make a single this would be it. Jamed the provided pillows against the sheet metal (so Tyson wouldn't wake up stuck to the wall) and dresser that we pushed against the bed (so Sara wouldn't fall out). We then layered the provided blankets on top of the sleeping bags, and tried to go to sleep to the gentle purring of the generator. Next door our Driver, Sara says she reconized the voice decided to have a house party with music till well past the time the generator was suppose to turn off. And then it started, I don't know when but it lasted till sunrise. A dog barked nonstop for hours, no word of a lie. Lets just say with the noise, cold, and small bed there were lots of tossing and turning, and little sleep. Not to mention I was freezing and it took me all the way back to Lhasa to re-gain my body temperature (and im still wearing a sweater and a vest). I thought for we hit rock bottom for guesthouses here.. i was so close to just taking my sleeping bag and sleeping by the lake, at least if i was freezing i could freeze there and hear the soothing water insted a dog barking. Since we were up at 6:00am this day has felt like a marathon with it not even being dinner time yet. It was also hard to sleep because of the headaches we had with being 4870 meters up. (sara).
We were up at dawn and took some more photos before returning to Lhasa. Tomorrow I'm off on a day hike and Sara is relaxing here in the city. I have had enough of altitude trekking and scrambling my head throbs with every step.. Tyson is just crazy he also has a throbbing headache. (sara). Thursday morning we ride the Train to Golmud.
Tyson and Sara
1 comment:
Haha, did that bring you back to the bunk bed days in Camrose? Surprising you never fell out of there!
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