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We hit the first check point of the day and this took about an hour. A lot of checking of paper work and searching the gear. Trevor had his Jetboil fuel canister confiscated. While we were checking Trevor noted his Nescafe jar had opened in the top box and he cleaned it out and took it off to get the worst out. About 10 km later he was just in front of us and the top box came crashing off…he did not notice. Dan picked it up and waited for the van. Top box that was born in China died in China!
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4473/...9c6600a4_b.jpgFILE2194 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4449/...aab8b150_b.jpgFILE2202 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We did stop at the highest pass today at 5234 m, but did not stay long. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4499/...ece71fe4_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-38 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4505/...8125201b_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-39 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4506/...1e291fbd_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-40 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4477/...34e0fd63_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-44 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4490/...93870661_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-45 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4503/...1da44e88_b.jpgIMG_0092 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
your trip
I have followed your travels from day one. I am totally blown away from your adventures. Not sure where your final destinations will take you but will be following your progress and hoping for the best. Take care and safe journey.
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Thanks so much! We are in Cambodia right now and plan to ship to Oz in early December!!! Cheers. S&D! |
It was then down from there to Amdo after 276 km. We had crossed into Tibet, but there is no marker at least in English. The last 20 km it was raining and at times almost snowing. It was pouring when we got to the town, but by the time we made it to the far side it was sunny. The gas stations here you must show your ID card even to get into the station. There is a gate and a policeman checks ID. They saw us and let us in first and then asked for our DL and gladly sold us fuel…from a can. We had to wait a while for the guides as we knew there was a police check point at the end of town and so we heated up some noodle soups.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4463/...8be435da_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-47 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4451/...37c24f90_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-48 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4457/...f8fb860e_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-46 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
The sky is again looking black in our direction. While we were waiting at the police check there was huge dust storm and the fierce winds blew the black clouds away. We had some wet road, but no rain.
You descend from 4600 m at Ando, but rise again to 4863 over another pass. The descent continues to 4500 m at Nagqu. The number of truck in lines in both direction is mad. About 15 km from the town the road is totally destroyed and the trucks are jostling for position to avoid the deepest holes. We weaved in and out to keep us some speed to get over the biggest dips, which are death defying at a snail crawl. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4468/...15988945_b.jpgFILE2263 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4482/...c0ed590e_b.jpgFILE2288 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4473/...6f928f01_b.jpgFILE2305 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4505/...8e981112_b.jpgFILE2312 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
There is another police check 8 km from town and our guides were 45 min behind us because of the insane traffic. The police were very nice to us, asked us out of the line to park ahead, and invited us into the office with the coal burning stove to warm up and get out of the now brief rain shower. So happy we have the 20$ SIM cars as it has come in so handy to text the team as they are usually far behind us and for the police to call them. They made 3 call while we waited here as they to talk to Toni and Pam, which meant that once they showed up all they did was photocopy our Tibet permits and we were done in 5 min.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4467/...ebc83889_b.jpgFILE2354 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The ride to the city was uneventful and we were into the hotel by 6. Orvar is again not well but it seems he has what I had in Mongolia more of a low salt issue than altitude. Trevor was initially ok and came down for dinner and then was sick again. He has his O2 bag and we refilled it. Neither has now eaten all day. The plan is to get an early start as we are down hill all the way to Lhasa at 3500 m. The hotel was again ok and pricey. We had just an ok dinner in the hotel “dining room”. We were again asleep before 10 and had a restful night (no calls or knocking). The hotel include breakfast was also ugh, but there was steamed buns and boiled eggs and we had our own Nescafe so we survived. Both the other 2 did not eat this morning. It is sunny, but 2.5 degrees. We geared up and were about to set out when Orvar was again very dizzy. He recovered and insisted on riding. We had only gone about 6 blocks when he pulled beside be to saw he was unwell and we pulled over. He was sweaty and ill looking and likely hypoglycaemic. We pulled out the glucose ampules we had and he felt better in a few minutes, but we convinced him to ride in the truck. |
We have 332 km today to Lhasa and if it is like the last two you need all your wits.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4462/...b414c568_z.jpgScreen Shot 2017-09-29 at 21.53.40 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Our driver Mr Tang is a motocross rider with lots of experience. Orvar’s BMW suit is 4 sizes too big for him and so fits the much larger Mr Tang pretty well. His wind breaker as well, but the helmet is another story since he could not do up the chin strap or put the visor down…this made for some cold riding. We taped up the legs of the rain pants that he wore over long johns and jeans. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4473/...652b0aa9_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-49 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4484/...459a331e_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4494/...0bd0894f_b.jpgFILE2455 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Prostrating Pilgrims on the way to Lhasa. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4488/...fb69d3a7_b.jpgFILE2494 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4446/...b8fef57f_b.jpgFILE2515 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Mr Tang rode the first 160 km to the first check point. We had to stop a few times so he could get the helmet off and warm up. We also stopped a lot today unlike the last few for pictures. The altitude rises to 4700 m and does not drop until about 80 km from Lhasa, which is at 3656 m. It is cold and windy for sure this morning, but better than yesterday. We sure saw a lot of Yaks today. We passed thru a number of small villages, which are much tidier and nicer than most of the Chinese ones we have seen.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4485/...ef55c246_b.jpgFILE2550 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The road surface as well today is very good. There is much less truck traffic as they stop in Nagqu in the day and then drive at night because they are not allowed to enter Lhasa after 730 am until late in the evening. There was however almost constant construction as they are reinforcing the road on both side with a concrete pad. There is nowhere for construction vehicles to be off the road so they are parked there and traffic fights to get around them. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4498/...cd78e62c_b.jpgFILE2579 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Leaving the city we actually first went up in altitude and over a high plateau with panoramic mountain views.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4463/...89f82f63_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-51 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4453/...6aa1affc_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-52 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4493/...eaa0bdae_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-53 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4514/...4ea7ff39_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-54 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4482/...6eb737f7_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-55 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4452/...b47aa93b_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-56 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4477/...6c9a37eb_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-57 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4504/...1ef10578_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-58 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4514/...0d2130f0_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4463/...3714b53d_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-62 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4450/...e4e13873_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-63 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4479/...aea58323_b.jpg |
There was a checkpoint 160 km from Naqgu. We stopped just before it so Orvar could ride the bike thru the Police check. It was fairly quick to get thru. Then we rode the 6 km to Danxung where we got lunch and gas. It was mayhem at the gas station with all the local with small bikes and only 3 cans to fill with. There was some pushing and shoving inside as the locals prepaid for their gas and then running to get a can from a guy filling his bike. For us we could pay after, but you always have an extra liter or 2 and you can not just put it in the jerry can. Dan bought 2 litres from the guys beside us who had too much and so we got a can!!! Orvar gave us his 2 litres he had and then Dan gave a local guy the 1.5 we had left….pay it forward.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4458/...83636a4f_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-66 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4498/...9e0d5e44_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-67 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4473/...4cd04ba5_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-65 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Lunch was noodle soup cooked in a pressure cooker as we are still above 4600 m. We also ran into a Chinese rider here on his way to Lhasa. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4495/...719f9dd4_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-68 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
There is a huge festival starting Oct 1 in 2 days time and Lhasa will become very crowded. All the non tourist businesses will be closed for a week. All the hotels will be booked. This is partly why we have had to press so hard as we had to pre-book and prepay the hotel there for 3 nights (200$ us/night 3 star and this is a good deal for Lhasa). Ours is a very popular hotel as it has an excellent location.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4477/...a0d00227_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-69 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4507/...5e363f1b_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-70 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4484/...75e3f0aa_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-71 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4454/...0b1bf497_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-72 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
For the last three days we have been along or near the new rail line and for all this way there is a security guy is a yellow jacket at every bridge, pillar, overpass, or spot you could plant a bomb. This means every 500 m to 2 km!
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4468/...efa2afcc_b.jpgFILE2592 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We have seen a few crazy bicyclists an a few walkers in the last 2 days, but today we saw many more pilgrims along the roadside. Some were walking 3 steps then throwing themselves to the ground in prostration. They wear special paddles on their hands that slide out along the ground as they slide out flat on their belly. That makes for a very long 300 km. 35 km fro the city we saw masses of pilgrims and in fact they had the oncoming traffic blocked for a km. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4466/...97f4e118_b.jpgFILE2637 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4494/...235d55a0_b.jpgFILE2638 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4483/...21a0dee0_b.jpgFILE2644 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4474/...408544e6_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa-73 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Yet another amusing bathroom sign in China https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4499/...6970dcb1_b.jpgRoad to Lhasa by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Once we dropped in altitude it suddenly became green everywhere. 63 km from Lhasa there is a checkpoint and we pulled up and were asked to park to the side. We did not have to wait for the guides long and were only there 5 min after they arrived. There is another checkpoint 43 km from the city and it was the same story. We hardly had time to get off the bikes. The road now is thru a deep valley and is more winding.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4493/...782d3c57_b.jpg About 25 km from the city it is suddenly a 8 lane divided road. We waited for the guides 15 km from the center and then followed them to the hotel. This was a bit of a stressful drive, not that there was that much traffic, but the number of times we were almost taken out by people pulling into our lane from right beside us or merging at high speed was crazy. I think Dan beat his personal record of number of car doors and hoods slammed in payback for nearly hitting one of the 4 of us. It was a long 15 km. About 2 km from the hotel we actually rode right by the Potala palace! We can see it from the street in front of the hotel. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4498/...5058f371_b.jpgFILE2654 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4462/...c6b196fc_b.jpgFILE2662 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4506/...7cc76c53_b.jpgFILE2685 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4455/...29c5f65f_b.jpgFILE2695 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4462/...15354b6b_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4480/...94de1ea6_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4459/...a2cc1508_b.jpgFILE2713 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4501/...b0d7894a_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4447/...50239132_b.jpgIMG_0097 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4495/...5170175b_b.jpg |
In our hotel lobby-an altitude sickness treatment center.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4467/...a824299f_b.jpgIMG_0104 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4499/...3fe7286b_b.jpgIMG_0156 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr THE most important issue now it to get the suits to the laundry as they have never been so disgusting. Luckily there is a laundry across the road and 200 m right from the hotel. The guy there said he could not guarantee how they would look as they were so bad. He has huge industrial machines and so we are sure it will be ok and it is what it is. We are all bagged and made a minor effort to see the streets near the hotel. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4448/...e1222976_b.jpgLhasa-5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4504/...ce74ecb8_b.jpgLhasa-6 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr There is a pedestrian overpass 200 m left from the hotel and a great spot for photos and then dinner at steam bun only place. Time laps of Lhasa. https://youtu.be/d-EvzySU9cE |
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