Travel Notes | Ali in Tibet, stepping into the endless realm - Ali Small Ring Road (2)

After putting the spare tire on the car, we tried to walk. The brake pipe also cracked and it couldn't run very fast. For safety reasons, the police from the police station suggested that we call a tow truck and tow it directly back to Dingri County. We made a call by the way and asked the car repair shop in Dingri County if they had the old Buick GL8 wheels. The answer was that they didn't and they needed to order them. But if we wanted to order them, they would have to be mailed from Shigatse. The fastest it would take is tomorrow. The car can't be repaired until 11 o'clock. I couldn't help but feel nervous, for fear that something would go wrong and our trip would stop at Mount Everest. But now, we can only take one step at a time and prepare for the worst.

We drove the car to the entrance of the Mount Everest Scenic Area and waited for the tow truck to pick us up and take us to Dingri County. Fortunately, things went smoothly. I contacted the tire seller and the tires will arrive tomorrow. After they are repaired around 11 o'clock, I can continue on the road. oh! Thank God! We stayed in Dingri County this night.

I had a late sleep in the morning, had breakfast, and picked up the car at the garage at 11 o'clock. Brother Dao checked it all over and found that there was no problem. You can continue on the road!

Set off!

Along National Highway 219, walk back to the original road to where we were yesterday, and then enter the Shishapangma Nature Reserve.

I looked at the blue sky and the withered yellow meadows on the ground, and a feeling of emptiness and loneliness came to my face. The altitude here is not low. Perhaps everything on the plateau has long been adapted to this openness and loneliness. Even the sound of the wind is so distant, rough and empty.

Ahead is Shishapangma Peak, but unfortunately it is hidden in the clouds.

Brother Dao told us: "There are a lot of wild animal resources here, please pay attention to observe!" After hearing this, I cheered up and stared at the grass and mountains outside, for fear of blinking. , something flashed before my eyes.

Suddenly, on my left side, I saw a group of black dots, and I hurriedly said: "It's in stock, it's in stock!". Brother Dao took one look and said: "Hidden wild donkey!", so he parked the car on the side of the road and said: "Go down and have a look! Move slowly, don't disturb them." I hummed excitedly.

The car behind saw us stopped, looked at it curiously, and pulled over. I turned around and gestured to the people in the car, "Shh!"

This Tibetan wild ass has brown-yellow back hair, white belly and neck, its coat is smooth and oily, and it looks very delicate. I can’t count how many there are, but I guess there are more than 10. Brother Dao said: “To be honest, the Tibetan wild donkeys I saw before were only 5 or 6 in a group, but this is the first time I have seen so many. See!"

We saw them staring at us warily, and we were afraid of disturbing them. I pressed the shutter in my hand carefully. The oxygen on the plateau was thin. At this time, I had to breathe constantly even if I was focusing. Under the reflection of the snow-capped mountains, it really looks like a group of elves.

Other cars also stopped when they saw us on the side of the road. More and more people were watching, which seemed to disturb their lives. Gradually, they walked towards the snow-capped mountains in the distance without looking back! At this time, I thought to myself, this may be the only time I see such wild animals on the road! However, Tibetan wild ass can be seen everywhere on the road. It seems that it is no longer worthy of the title of national second-level protected animal. There is even a wonderful encounter later in the journey!

The snow-capped mountains are looming in the clouds and mist, like local women wearing white scarves that can even wrap their faces.

I suddenly had a premonition that maybe one day I would hike on the east slope of Mount Everest or Shishapangma. Maybe when I saw them up close, their huge size and high and steep side walls would make people feel uncomfortable. It reminds me of the Potala Palace in Lhasa - a building built on the mountain and dedicated to ascetic meditation.

In the distance is Pegucuo

I don’t know how long we walked before Shishapangma was fully exposed. Among the 14 peaks in the world with an altitude of over 8,000 meters, it is the only snow mountain that belongs entirely to China. It is only 120 kilometers away from Mount Everest and is also one of the famous peaks in the Himalayas. one.

After traveling for about 20 kilometers, a long and narrow blue lake that seemed to be embedded in the wilderness appeared in front of us. This is Pegucuo. According to the introduction, it has an altitude of 4,590 meters and an area of ​​more than 300 square kilometers. It is in the remote Xixia Reflected by Bangma Snow Peak, the lake is blue and tranquil. Most of the lakes in Tibet are spread out along the long and narrow mountains. The mountains and rivers echo each other and lean against each other. Under the shining sunlight, the lake water glows with white light. This scenery looks extremely unique and wonderful, as if the air is mixed with water. A rough taste! Since we had to rush on our way, we could only glance at it and then leave in a hurry.

From the commanding heights, overlooking Pegucuo

Continue walking along the national highway. After passing this mountain pass, there will be a bifurcated road. The left is in the direction of Jilong and the right is in the direction of Saga. Many tourists will go directly to Saga, but we chose to stay in Jilong for one night.

To go to Geelong, you first have to climb this mountain. The narrow mountain road should have been built by the early troops, and now a tunnel is being built under the mountain. Maybe in a few years, when the tunnel is opened to traffic, there will be no need to climb that far. The mountain road to Geelong will be more convenient for the people and national defense. Our car was driving through high mountains. I don’t know what kind of snow-capped mountains they are. Although they are not that famous, they still look majestic and majestic. The charm of the snow-capped mountains is also awe-inspiring.

Ahead is Geelong Town

After passing Jilong Town, we headed to Jilong County. I forgot what kind of temple this temple is. It is built on a mountain. If I have time, I would like to climb up to see this mysterious temple, but it will take at least more than an hour to climb up. If it’s not enough, we can only keep moving forward.

After passing this temple, the scenery suddenly opened up. This land does not have a rough and heroic style, unlike the Tibet in my impression. A lush, green scene. The altitude also began to decrease. We opened the car windows, and the natural breath came to our faces. Breathing in the breath of the natural oxygen bar, if we came here in summer, it would be very comfortable, and there would be no need for air conditioning to cool us down.

There were virgin forest vegetation on both sides of the car window. At this time, I finally understood that under the influence of the warm and humid air currents from the Indian Ocean, the originally dry and dry surface began to become warm and moist, and the life of the earth began to tremble, and green buds began to peek out. It thrives under the care of the sun and creates the scenery we see today.

Geelong Falls

The warm Indian Ocean current did not stop its pace. She continued to move westward, but the tall mountains blocked her progress, making the other side of the mountain dry and with sparse vegetation, giving rise to the rough side we saw before.

Jilong Valley is a deep and long ditch. The biggest feeling that gives people is to be surprised by the magic of creation. I didn't expect that the dry and rough Tibet would allow four seasons to coexist in such a small valley. Going south from here is the subtropical land where the warm and humid air currents of the Indian Ocean linger, which is Nepal, the land of India; going north from here is the alpine world of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau!

The car drove to today's destination, the town of Jilong, the border between China and Nepal.

It is worth mentioning that due to the influence of climate, the Tibetans here are different from traditional Tibetans. They do not have dark skin. Due to the influence of eating habits, traditional Tibetans will have inconvenience in their legs and feet, hunchback, etc. when they get older. Characteristics, but the people here, even in their old age, seem to be in good spirits. Affected by the port, prices here are much lower than in Lhasa. Maybe most fruits and supplies can be transported from Nepal.

This is today’s dinner. I had a meal in a Nepali restaurant, one curry chicken and one vegetable. But to be honest, just to experience it, if I can cook it myself, I can make it!

At 6 o'clock in the morning, the whole town was still sleeping and it was still dark. We got up early just to watch the sunrise in Naixia Village.

We drove to the viewing platform, with meadows at our feet and snow-capped mountains all around. Three pagodas stood in front of us. The naturally formed puddles reflected the misty snow-capped mountains. Please close your eyes and listen to the sounds of nature. The breeze is blowing, the clouds are wandering, and the birds are chirping in the morning... Everything is a bit unreal, but when you open your eyes, it is right in front of you!

Rizhao Jinshan also depends on luck. It depends on whether the wind is strong enough to expose the clouds. Sometimes the snow-capped mountains are exposed, and sometimes they hide in the clouds. However, I still managed to capture some of the scenery of Rizhao Jinshan.

If you look carefully, you will see moving pictures. How to describe this kind of tranquility? Fascinating and awe-inspiring, always compelling and inscrutably rich, unknown and wild. It is the "back garden of Mount Everest"!

If you have enough time, you can make a cup of tea here, quietly feel the passage of time, and feel the tranquility and tranquility. We just have to wait for the sky to fully light up before we continue on the road. Due to car repairs, we have to travel two days a day, more than 600 kilometers, and a 10-hour drive to reach Manasarovar before dark. , I can only say goodbye to Geelong first. I really like this border town. I don’t know when I will come next time. Maybe I will enter Geelong from Geelong on foot in Nepal!

We are walking through the winding and rugged mountain road in the clouds and mist.

Returning to yesterday's scenery again, the difference is that yesterday we walked into the ditch with our back to the snow-capped mountains, but today we are facing the snow-capped mountains directly. The bright light is reflected on the snow-capped mountains, and combined with the green vegetation, the colors are more diverse!

After crossing yesterday's mountain, we returned to yesterday's track and now headed towards Saga.

Back to that rough landscape.

Lunch was a simple matter. I parked the car on the hillside, took out the hot pot I bought in the supermarket, and ate directly on the ground. I met a man riding a bicycle. The Shandong people born in the 1980s and veterans will go to Ali, Manasarovar Kailash and Kashgar in Xinjiang from 219 to Urumqi. It has been more than half a year since we set off on April 28. The purpose is to tour China, and there is still half a year left before the ride can be completed. I really admired this elder brother. I took out my fruit and gave him an orange. If you have a Douyin account, you can follow this brother’s account: szj15552298762

Since my eldest brother was in a hurry and we wanted to eat where we were, we asked him to take the first step. When we set off, we caught up with him in just a few minutes. After the horn rang three times, I, who was sitting in the passenger seat, stretched out my hand to the car. He made a greeting gesture outside the window, and then hurried past. Because I got up too early in the morning, I felt sleepy at noon, so I dozed off in the car.

Not long after, I was woken up by Brother Dao: "There are black-necked cranes!" I regained my energy, looked into the distance, and saw two black-necked cranes on the lake. It looks very much like a red-crowned crane, wandering gracefully in the water. This is a national first-level protected animal. In the eyes of Tibetans, it is a "crane" and a "sacred bird". It appears in the poems of Tsangyang Gyatso and also appears in "The Biography of King Gesar", giving it a mysterious color, but I prefer to compare this animal to a symbol of love, because they appear in pairs. Unfortunately, I dare not go too close for fear of disturbing these two gods, so the camera can only hold One, so I simply took photos of both.

Continuing to drive towards today's destination, the scenery always feels like walking in the sky. Strange landforms, lakes reflected in clouds, and pastures rich in water and grass, like road construction workers working on the horizon, are constantly coming into view.

Because the sky is high, our hearts are also flying high; because the earth is broad, our minds are also broad.

Leaving Zhongba, the first thing you see is a desert with fine golden sand, but this desert is not big. After stretching for a while, there is a grassland. After the grassland is a blue lake, and echoing the lake are distant snow-capped mountains. Sand dunes, grasslands, lakes, and snow-capped mountains all appear together in one picture, making everyone who passes by have to stop and admire this strange picture.

The desert in the northwest makes people feel vast, empty and mysterious, but when you walk into every sand dune, you will always feel poetic and picturesque, and you will always be amazed by its wonderful changes. At this time, standing in front of the sand dunes and looking at the grasslands, lakes and snow-capped mountains outside the sand dunes, what I feel is the happiness of the people here.

Continuing to walk along the beautiful scenery, the feeling of happiness becomes even stronger. The further you go, the fewer sand dunes there are and are replaced by large areas of grassland with rich water and grass. I can't help but imagine that being a free sheep here seems to be a kind of happiness. Snow-capped mountains, lakes, grasslands, sheep, and small rivers, creeks, and small puddles that appear and disappear form the three-dimensional structure of the grassland. In autumn, Tibet has entered the season of pure gold. The sky is high and the clouds are clear, and gold is everywhere. If heaven is better than If it's beautiful, of course I'm happy, and I'm willing to stay there until I grow old.

Finally entering the Ali area, we started climbing over the mountains again.

Chili, who was sitting in the back, was suddenly startled. "What kind of sheep is that?" Brother Dao stopped suddenly and looked out the window, "It doesn't look like a domestic sheep, it should be a Tibetan antelope!" Oh my god, we actually met a Tibetan antelope here. Our luck is really not bad!

How to distinguish between Tibetan gazelle and Tibetan antelope? Look at whether the sheep has a white peach heart on its buttocks. If it does, it means a Tibetan gazelle. If it does not, it means a Tibetan antelope. However, among this group of Tibetan antelopes, we did not see the ram, so he should be at the front of the team. Now they are crossing this hillside in groups, where are they going? I don’t know, but when we encounter it, I can’t help but sigh, this is the wonderful drift and pause of life! The one at the end stared straight at me, looking nervous, as if he heard someone whistling. At that moment, I experienced the tension in the space between humans and animals. I seemed like a bad person, disturbing their lives and destroying the vibrant atmosphere. In order not to play this bad guy role anymore, I could only leave quietly.

The lake on the left is Gongzhucuo. You can see Tibetan wild donkeys every 100 meters on the right. Maybe sometimes they come to the lake to drink water and play.

After passing Gongzhucuo, Kailash will naturally appear in front of us. Perhaps it was influenced by the movie "Kangrenboqe". Among the many snow-capped mountains, she is the most recognizable one. From a distance, Like a little steamed bun, sacred and cute, this place is recognized as the center of the world by Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism, Bonism, and Jainism.

Gang" means snow or snow mountain, "Rinpoche" means "Rinpoche", which means living Buddha, eminent monk and great virtue. Gang Rinpoche is the "mountain of gods". The greatest long-cherished wish of a Buddhist in life is nothing more than Going on a pilgrimage to Kailash, you will still be happy even if you die on the way, because your soul will ascend to heaven. Our trip tomorrow and the day after tomorrow will be to circle around Kailash.

The holy lake corresponding to Kailash is Manasarovar. It is the birthplace of the four major rivers in Asia. It is known as the "Mother of Rivers in the World" and is also one of the three holy lakes in Tibet.

At this moment, my heart can't help but be filled with doubts, what exactly is the Holy Lake? Is it a Buddhist place in the hearts of Tibetan pilgrims, or is it a symbol of inner rest? Pilgrims throughout the history have regarded it as the greatest blessing in life to turn around and bathe here.

Believers believe that the holy water here can wash away the five poisons of people's souls (greed, anger, ignorance, laziness, jealousy), and even Mahatma Gandhi once scattered part of his ashes here. Xuanzang also said in the Tianzhu Book of Sutras that this lake is the location of the Yaochi of the Queen Mother of the West. I believe these as beliefs or legends, but here, the pace of pilgrims has not stopped. They are not afraid of hardships and trekking thousands of mountains and rivers to come here for pilgrimage.

Once people have faith, strangers don't seem to be scary. In the dark, I don’t know the exact way to go, but on such a plateau, maybe there are roads everywhere.

Here, every breath is filled with solemnity and sanctity.

Pilgrims around the lake

This is a place where you can just see Mount Kailash. The combination of sacred mountains and holy lakes always makes people feel relaxed and happy. Put your hands together, look at each other and pray for blessings, and pray that everything will be fine.

The lake adjacent to the Holy Lake is the Ghost Lake Laangcuo, which means "poisonous black lake" in Tibetan. Compared with the Holy Lake, it really feels like a match between an angel and a devil. Although the two lakes have the same water system, the strange thing is that Manasarovar Lake is a freshwater lake and Laangtso Lake is a saltwater lake, and the scenery is also different. The lake water is not drinkable by humans and animals, and there is almost no grass growing around the lake shore, so it is called "Ghost Lake".

Standing by the Holy Lake, you can feel a quiet, peaceful and joyful dream. But when you go to the Ghost Lake, you can feel a strong sense of loneliness. How to describe it? The dark wind is howling, and the turbid waves are emptying!

On the back side of Laangtso is Namunani Peak. Some people say that Namunani and Kailash are mother and son facing each other from a distance, and the Holy Lake Plateau is their beautiful home. It is now evening, the setting sun hangs over the mountains, and the sky is still bright and golden. Although the rippling lake surface cannot reflect the full view of Namunnani Peak, it still gives people the illusion that "the clouds are moving under the boat, lingering up and down, and it is suspected that there is a special sky in the lake."

As the sun gradually set, waves appeared on the lake in the west. For a moment, it was unclear whether the afterglow of the setting sun or the scattered stars of the Milky Way were shining.

We will stay in Taqin County at night. Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, we will hike Mount Kailash. What interesting things happened during the hike? Stay tuned for the third article!