Date: Friday 6th August 2010

It is very cold but we are still away by our standard 8am. After Chando the road turns north and starts to climb.

We have dramatic views as the road zig zags it way up past Yak herders. 

Finally the top of Shel-La pass is reached at 4,905meters and we see snow capped mountains both to the South and....

......on the other side of the pass to the North.

This is the highest pass on our northern route to Lhasa, the weather is perfect.

We are stopped at yet another check point at Ronpo and looking back up the street is not a perfect sight.

Such a contrast to the surrounding beauty

However looking towards the west more snow capped mountains.

Motor bikes used as timber trucks!

Yaks ploughing the barley fields.

A well dressed Tibetan woman complete with expensive Turquoise head dress.

The northern Lhasa highway is No 174 and we start to again climb.

Yak herders dot the grassy upper plains.

At yet another pass the top is reached at 4,500,

But do not make a mistake on the road or it is a long way down.

Travel is a constant battle with single lane roads and on coming trucks, this one, we actually scraped by.

Sox is actually a tidy town where Andy found good accommodation and we camped below the Monastery.

An interesting fact was that in 2001 some foreigners smuggled out a letter from the monks here to the Dalai Lama and now the monastery is closed to all foreigners.

There is a Y60,000 (US$10,000) fine imposed for those that disregard the warning!

Camp 61: Potala Monastery Camp -3,900 metres

Max Altitude Today: 4905 meters

Distance Today: 208 Kms    

Total Distance: 10,974 Kms

N31* 52.289  E93* 47.404

Date: Saturday 7th August 2010

Refuelled and on the road by 8.30. Today we plan to do the 230kms to the ‘T’ junction where we turn south to Lhasa. It is from this point we will return to after Lhasa and continue our China journey north.

On the single roads, constantly the smaller vehicles just push in. They do not wait for the road to clear ahead but simply drive into an obvious situation and grid lock everything.

What makes matters worse is they do not have any idea how to reverse. Thus these hold up continue to occur and can take up to ½ hour plus to clear.

3kms down the road the flags are drawn across the road at yet another construction si

One side of the line of flags is held by a stick the other by wrapping the flags around a human ‘flag man’.

It is an hour before we move on.

29kms further on and at 10am another problem.

The orange truck is on a single lane part of a cutting; he has ripped the rear axle off the leaf springs, and in an effort to still drive the vehicle forward has cooked the motor! 

There is no way round.

At 1am we are still waiting and it seems nothing is happening.

The now 20 or so trucks on this side simply take the opportunity and sleep in the cab. The construction workers just continue with their work.

We have had enough and now start to explore the creek for by-pass options. With a bit of manual work it may be possible.

However the river bed is old glacial moraine, and although feels firm to walk on gives way under driving motion. 

John reverses in and snatches me out easily.

Our exploration and the watching bystanders then encourages the operator of the dozer to make a track following our walked line.

At 2.30 this is finished and our group of 4 vehicles are the first to travel the track.

Andy comments that ‘We are the hope of the people’ because by now there is quite a line upon both sides.

Our elation was short lived as the path forward on the other side was blocked by many trucks and those stupid little cars. There is a way through but one truck will not move despite numerous horn blows and light flashes. In an effort to move forward unfortunately the camper lurched and caught the rear end against the tail gate of the truck. Not significant damage but I was mad as! The driver ran away and I told all the crowd that by now had gathered that nobody would move until he returned and I had a piece of him. Eventually he appeared and I guess the crowd learnt some very choice Australian words. Pacifically I recall saying ‘Andy, I do not know the words in Chinese but you tell him he is a F..... Idiot *#%#%^&^%%& etc etc!

Anyway we drove away, and it took a few kms before I was myself again. With this whole day lost meant I must make some decisions about our Lhasa visit. With the broken bridge, the rock falls and our detour we are 5 days behind our schedule. The above cost us another day. Simply to visit Lhasa for one day would now require 3 to 4 long days drive and the same back again. That was crazy. Hence with a discussion with all, we elected to cancel Lhasa and when we reach the ‘T’ junction tomorrow, turn north. We would no longer need to rush the driving and can enjoy the travel.

The rest of the days travel was rough and slow. Occasionally good views would appear.

Camp was in the creek bed. It was cold as you can see with Gay.

Andy set up his tent and we all retired. At around 11pm the winds howled. The truck shook and I lowered the roof there was so much movement.

Outside Andy used his hand held radio and called ‘Kym, Help the tent is blowing away’.

It was now raining, so with Bill’s and John’s help we retrieved the tent to the front of our truck and Andy spent the rest of the night on the floor of our camper.

Camp 62: Andy Blown Away Camp -4,500 meters

N31* 55.586  E93* 11.666

Distance Today: 90 Kms       Total Distance: 11,065 Kms

Date: Sunday 8th August 2010

Perhaps the worst roads we travelled was today. Construction for all the 135Kms, potholed and very slow, many trucks and the bull dust was never ending.

We adjusted tyre pressure to try and eliminate the harshness.

It was slow travel and the landscape of the Tibetan Plateau was uninteresting.

Coming through the last pass at 4,640m, Nagu is a large city spread out across the plain. Large enough that I wanted to finally get the front springs fixed.

The pin that holds the spring pack together had sheared in two places and that has required repositioning the spring pack a number of times over the last few weeks.

The cost Y400 (US$60) which I said was high however his reply was ‘Well this is Tibet’. I needed it done and as I watched the process I know that they know what they are doing so am comfortable and pleased it is finally fixed.

Whilst this was happening, the others went supply shopping, particularly for dinner meat.

The yak meat just did not appeal despite the well displayed heads.

Finally we found a Muslim butcher with his meat well presented and covered which was unusual.

Michael purchased ½ a lamb for Y230 (US$40)

Then Michael set about cutting it up for 2 roasts, lamb steaks etc – enough for 4 meals for the 9 of us.

Butter continues to be problematical to buy, however we did managed to get enough bread for the following 3 to 4 days.

Andy had good accommodation in town whilst we camped in an open field about 5km outside of town. A quiet night with only the odd yak noise.

With Lhasa now off out itinerary, we head north tomorrow.

Camp 63: Nagu ‘T’ Junction Camp -4,800 meters

N31* 30.946  E92* 03.820

Distance Today: 155 Kms    

Total Distance: 11,160 Kms