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1. The Promise
“Let’s go to Tibet!” This was a pact made by 3 junior high students that sat together in class. We were fascinated by the map of Tibet in our textbooks, and were measuring the Yarlung Tsangpo River with rulers. After a decade, I became one of those “migrating” backpackers. I am standing here alone on Mt. Chomolungma (Mt. Everest), fulfilling a promise 10 years too late. In 2010, from Qamdo, Nyingchi, Lhokha, and onto Lhasa and Shigatse, I have been wandering about in Tibet for over a month. Before leaving, I looking down at my postcard of the sacred Mt. Kailash of Ngari, and said to myself: I would like to go there to perform the mountain rituals someday. It is said to be the closest location heaven is to earth, where the legendary descendants of Shambala reside.
In August, 2012, I set foot towards Tibet once more. My destination, as one could guess, was Mt. Kailash, the sacred peak I made my promise to 2 years prior. Kailash, the main peak of the Gangdisê Mountains, is located at the highest elevation in the Ngari area. It is sacred to religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Bon; it is the residence of Lord Shiva. It is believed that circumambulating on foot will bring good fortune for the next life.
Tibet is considered as the third polar region, the highest region on earth with an average elevation of 4000 meters. The oxygen amount on the plateau is only half of that of the Tibetan valleys. The death zone for an average man is 6500 meters, meaning that without the oxygen tank, most would die in such a climate. Yet most of the Ngari region is above 5000 meters; the pilgrim route to Mt. Kailash starts at 5650 meters. Having to embark on such a pilgrimage, and at the same time, carrying so much baggage, indeed can be a near-death experience for those who grow up on a plain. I recall my first journey from the Rongbuk Monastery at foot of Mt. Everest to the Base Camp, the mere 9-kilometer hike had already left quite an impression on me. This time we are looking at a 56 km challenge at an elevation of 5650 meters circulating Mt. Kailash.
▲Route: Starting from Lhasa, past Lake Yamdork, Gyangze, Shigatse, Saga, Paryang, and finally into Ngari; then to Burang county to visit the sacred Laked Manasarovar and Rakshastal, the lake of demons.
2. On the Road
I took a train from Shanghai and across Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, Shaanxi, Gansu and Qinghai; after 49 hours of a bumpy, restless ride, I arrived at Lhasa on Aug. 6th. Once reaching the hostel in Lhasa, I started to recruit other backpackers to join me to Ngari. There are many methods to recruit company during traveling. The most common one, is to post fliers all around. You can “hitch” another, or you can be “hitched”.
There is no distinction between nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, class or political stance among backpackers. Everyone is glad and honored to meet each other, and would share any information on hand, no matter in terms of personal experience, or traveling plans. It didn’t take me too long to find 9 companions willing to trek to Mt. Kailash together. So, we rented a van and began an expedition that would ultimately span across 4000 km.
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▲Walking along the sacred Lake Yamdork
The south line of Ngari is a public road that streaks through Lhasa, Shigatse, Saga, Paryang, Champlain, and Shiquanhe; it literally goes through almost half of the Tibetan plateau. These region is mostly no man’s land, so vast that it is large enough to fit in the entire continent of Europe. we refresh and eat at rest stops, and sleep in damp, wobbling huts. We walk through wind and snow, and worn down roads, until we finally come to the sacred Lake Manasarovar. This lake is recognized by the Tibetan Buddhists and the Hindus as the “lake of all lakes”, one of the 3 sacred lakes in Tibet. It was raining in Champlain, and here, too; while visiting the famouns Jiwu Monastery, we needed to be careful not to slip and fall into the pit of the canyon. The cold and diarrhea were constantly among us, and even during the raining season, it was tough not to feel chilly and damp in Ngari. Some roads were in such bad condition that vehicles could not pass, and had to be treaded by foot. Despite all that, after dipping into a natural hot spring, the soreness and fatigue disappeared; this was the first warm bath we had since the trip took place. This was also the only other time we had a shower or a bath.
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▲Walking along the sacred Lake Manasarovar
After a long, long day, our jeep ambled over to a cluster of houses. This was a village not far from Kailash, with a nice hostel and clear water. We tended to all our sick or injured companions here. We one with a limping foot, and another with a serious case of AMS were blessed by the gods here, and could continue on with us without having to stay
3. At the Center of the World!
▲2011 G-Voice (Jun) on Gamania Treks, I found a picture online and stated my wish to visit that site. And then… I was there!
I was at the center of the world, Kailash. On the first day of the circumambulation, there were many pilgrims. Since we could not carry as much water as we needed, there were often times we quenched our thirst with glacier water. There were often forked roads, in which one would usually led to gushing water, then we would have to head back. . . . . . Although the water isn’t deep, glacier water is so freezing cold that your limbs go numb almost instantly. There are other potential dangers, such as falling boulders- Tibet is widely famous for its cracks in the earth. The elevation gradually rises from 4500 to 5200 meters. Increasing hikers are expressing discomfort from AMS, and the further we went, the quieter the trip became.
▲During the circumambulation, many paths led to dead ends
It was almost sundown when we arrived at the camp: several sturdy huts huddled together. Two of my friends and I started out immediately towards the glacier at the foot of Mt. Kailash, eager to be closer to the sacred mountain. There are no paved roads here at all, and we were free to leap from rock to rock, stream over stream. The slopes were challenge, to say the least, not to mention that we were 5300 km above the ground. A break was needed almost every 20 minutes. Things got harder after we ran out of drinking water. My throat was tight, and the best I could do was to fill my bottle with the rain water that trickled down the mountainside.
Then, we encountered a legendary pilgrim dog. It led us onto the right path at every fork road, but it would not come near us. When we made a wrong turn, it would bark to tell us to turn back. Finally, when we were about to leave the sacred mountain, it halted, and watched from the darchor platform as we treaded back.
▲Encountering a soulful dog at the foot of the mountain
It was pitch black 5 hours after sunset. We dragged ourselves back to camp, and had a simple meal before crawling under the covers. The night was damp, chilly, and restless for me. Nevertheless the next day, we started on the trail towards the Zhuoma Canyon. Here we encountered the most physically exhausting part of our hike, with nothing other than a steep slope full of cracked rocks at 5650 meters high. I threw a handful of prayer flags in the air, as to wish for the best fortune for friends and family.
▲Over the hills of Zhuoma Canyon
I managed to get across the rumble and stones of the Zhuoma Canyon after 6 hours. The latter half of the route was slippery and dangerous. Our bodies are already starting to shut down since the oxygen level is 70% lower than the plain areas. I was amazed that anyone could come up here without their tanks. To make things worse. . . . . . We ran into a threatening storm. It happened during the last 2 hours of our journey, long after we already handed our raincoats back to the guide. Thunder cracked through the skies, with us in the middle of all it, with nothing above us. Everyone warily turned off all electronic devices in the hopes that no one is struck by lightning. It really started to pour, and the roads started to wash away. It we had arrived here an hour late, we would have surely been trapped in the closed passages and rocky surroundings we just passed. We got to our destination safely in the end. Drenched from head to toe, we were all just glad to get here in one piece.
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▲The Sky Burial Platform has many clothing the pilgrims left behind, symbolize a spiritual “death” and rebirth
▲Other pilgrimage companions
4. We Will Be Back
Coming down from the sacred mountain, I kept my promise from 2 years ago. Next stop before heading back to Lhasa, is the ruins of the ancient Guge kingdom. We opted to stay one more night in Shigatse after reaching Lhasa and visit my favorite site, the Tashilhunpo Monastery. Afterwards, we headed to Shishpangma from Tingri County. The south line of Ngari counts as one of my earliest expedition routes, a warm-up for the yet-to-come north line of Ngari journey. This will be my next challenge. It is amazing how far one can go with a strong will. It is not as much about the scale of the landscape as it is about the determination to conquer it. It is also important to always have company along the way. Nothing can stand in your way if you have a great support system standing beside you. Now, being back in the city, I still carry hope that each person that brushes past me have the potential to be great companions, despite the poker face.
▲A Guge castle buried in sand
I am more conscious about the rules of nature after stepping foot out of an urban environment. The help one can give another provides more strength than it has ever been given credit for, especially when nature reckons you to be fragile in comparison. No matter being in the midst of the thick forests of Sichuan, the jungles of Yunnan, the roaring rivers of Guilin, the beaches of Sanya, or even the night markets of Taipei. Anywhere you go, known or unknown, desert or populated, lonely or crowded; the fact is that, with my backpack, I realize how big the world truly is, and for that, I carry hope.
5. Final Act
▲A view of the Polata Palace from the hostel
Now it is November, 2012, and only one year away from the rumored end of the world. I turned 30 years old on July 2nd, and I have no regrets, no wish to return to my past, no envy for those whose live has just started to blossom. I see my 30-year-old self as a milestone of my life. In this year, I walked around the center of the world once. In this year, I witnessed the fine line between life and death. In this year, I decided to live my life to its fullest and not hold anything back; no matter if the world ends in 30 days, or if I die in the next 30 seconds. I look forward to the day an unexpected wrinkle appears, or the day my back finally stiffens; the day will come when I can no longer read anything close up, or when I finally meet the girl I was always waiting for.
Either way, some of my prayers have already been answered after I set foot on Mt. Kailash. The dog led me to the foot of the sacred mountain, past the platforms with prayer flags, up to the sky burial ground, and in front of the lake closest to the heavens. Suddenly everything becomes clear to me, as if my connection to the world is visualized through threads spreading out from this very location on earth. Those that are lost are now found; we are no longer alone. All those you hated, loved, stood beside, or passed by; they will all returned to that exact location on earth. I have circumumbulated the center of the world once; and completed a cycle of my being once. Until upon death will I able to see the course of the next cycle. Yet, now, I understand what it all means to exist. I cannot find words to describe it, but now, the universe and I are as one. Every journey to Tibet has made me cherish those around me ever more. Thank you, Tibet of 2012. Thank you, my friends in Ngari!
