Near the beginning of our trip, we stopped at a police checkpoint where our guide got a time-stamped voucher. We had to take a minimum of two hours to drive the 96 kilometers to the next checkpoint. If we arrived early, we would be fined by the minute. The system ensures safe driving without having to employ an abundance of public safety officers. Although at various intervals, we were greeted by very friendly police mannequins.
We started our trip near 12,000 feet - the highest I had ever been before going to Tibet. The two-lane road took a windy path up & up through the mountain tops. We crossed over three or four passes that day, each a little higher than the last.
The final pass brought us to more than 16,000 feet, where we found a rest stop with simple bathrooms, vendors selling jewelry, & Tibetans dressed in traditional clothing looking for someone to take their picture. There we sat in front of a beautiful glacier clinging to the mountain side as our guide took a photo.
Back down the other side of the pass, more beauty as far as the eye could see.
4 comments:
Great image!
Thanks Steve :)
Beautiful! Looks pretty clear of snow at the moment... I guess that is about to change? That would explain so few people?
Not sure what you mean, Scott. Are you thinking of skiing? I'm not sure that Tibet is a ski vacation destination. They only really have one two-lane road in the whole country, & that was built in 2007. For now, tourism amounts to temples and yak dung.
Post a Comment