2021.6.3-4
Due to road construction on the G318 line from Batang County to Zhubalong, traffic control is implemented from 8:00-12:00 and 14:00-18:00 every day. We set off from Batang early this morning in order to be in time at 8:00 Pass through the restricted road section before the traffic control time. This section of the road is really bumpy and dusty, and it is even more miserable when encountering a large truck. The dust it brings makes the eyes confused, like entering a chaotic world. The distance of 17 kilometers took a full 36 minutes.
I entered Tibet at about 9:00 and encountered the first checkpoint in Tibet - the Qamdo Public Security Checkpoint in Tibet. There was a long queue of vehicles and it took more than 40 minutes. During the inspection, all personnel except the driver will get out of the vehicle for inspection, and their ID cards and itinerary health codes will be checked. The driver drives to the checkpoint and only checks his ID card. There are none of the legendary inspections of gas tanks, knives, etc.
The first checkpoint entering Tibet
After passing the checkpoint, we crossed the Zongla Mountain pass with an altitude of 4150 meters. After passing Mangkang, the first county town entering Tibet, we started to climb the Lawu Mountain with an altitude of 4376 meters. Standing on the viewing platform of Mount Lawu, you have a wide view. Although the altitude is very high, the mountain is gentle. The vegetation is not bad at such a high altitude.
Lawu Mountain Pass
After crossing Lawu Mountain, we arrived at Lawu Village, Rumei Town, Mangkang County at 11:50. Although it was still early, we decided not to leave and just stayed here. And we even had a rest here the next day. There is no scenery here, so why do you have to rest here for so long?
Lawu Village, Rumei Town, Mangkang County
Lawu Village Party and Mass Activity Center
On the Sichuan-Tibet Line, we saw that every village has a beautifully built "Party and Mass Service Center" (Village Committee), equipped with toilets with very modern facilities (a toilet revolution is being implemented in Tibetan areas). These are generally built with assistance from the mainland. However, many of the "party and mass centers" we passed did not allow room/bed cars to park, and even many toilets were locked.
In 2018, Chongqing Yubei District assisted in the construction of the Party and Mass Service Center project in Lawu Village. Since then, this place has become a magical place on the 318 Sichuan-Tibet Line. Lawu Village established the "Lawu Village 318 Love Station" relying on the Party and Mass Service Center. It not only warmly accepts beds/motorhomes, bicycles and hikers passing by on the Sichuan-Tibet Line to camp here, but also provides services such as water, electricity, resting places and bicycle tire repairs, all free of charge.
Lawu Village 318 Love Station
Free services provided by Love Station
Here, you will also see many thoughtful details. There are multiple power sockets, a pump, and even tape, a flashlight, cotton swabs, and moisturizer, which is very heartwarming.
See the truth in the subtleties
There are also convenience supermarkets and health clinics here, which not only serve the villagers, but also facilitate travelers to Tibet who stop here. This has become a temporary home for those who drive into Tibet.
Convenience supermarkets and health clinics
This place has become a temporary home for those who drive into Tibet
There is something special here. The Love Station provides fresh vegetables and mineral water for those who rest here, but no one sells these items. Buyers scan the QR code and pay by themselves. This kind of thing would happen in an ordinary village in Tibet. This surprised everyone and even made them uncomfortable. This reminds me of the self-service egg cartons and self-service micro supermarkets we saw during our self-driving tour in the British countryside in 2017: pick up the goods by yourself and pay consciously (see "British Tour (16) and (17)". In the past two years, unmanned sales stores have appeared in China, but they are covered with cameras inside and outside. Like the self-service sales in the British countryside, there are no surveillance equipment. Secretary Bin said that someone suggested that they install cameras, but they insisted not to install them. As a result, there was no phenomenon of picking up goods without paying.
This is the vision of Lawu Village Love Station, which not only provides material convenience, but also gives people full trust! Don’t you see, people are more on guard at the moment and lack trust. When Lawu Village treats you with such broad-mindedness and trust, will you not only feel emotional and moved, but also live up to this trust?
A self-service egg box in the British countryside. You can pick up the eggs yourself and put the money in the iron box (photo taken in June 2017)
"Mini self-service supermarket" in the British countryside, unattended, buyers take it by themselves and pay voluntarily
Self-service sales at the Love Station in Lawu Village, pick up the goods by yourself, scan the QR code to pay (taken in June 2021)
The walls on both sides of the lounge at the Love Station are covered with stickers from people who drove into Tibet from all over the country. They are full of heartfelt praise, thanks and blessings for the Love Station.
A corner of the lounge of Love Station
The wall full of stickers is everyone’s affirmation of the Love Station
Finally, there was something stuck in my throat, and I couldn't spit it out. I don’t want to say more about this scandal. You will know it by looking at the two pictures below. I want to say to the person who did this, are you worthy of the good service that Love Station has selflessly provided you? Is it worthy of your conscience? You are a piece of shit that ruins the soup for bed/RV travelers. Nowadays, many places do not welcome self-driving cars/RVs, and it’s people like you who are the cause. wake up!
ugly things
The leader of Lawu Village is Tian Bin, the village secretary sent by the Mangkang County Organization Department. Secretary Tian is from Hebei and has been serving as a soldier and working in Tibet for 21 years. Secretary Tian is ambitious, visionary, thoughtful and action-oriented. Working in a plateau village at an altitude of more than 3,500 meters, the living conditions are not good, and you have to cook your own meals. Secretary Tian comes over every day to greet the guests. The guests also saw Secretary Tian cleaning the toilets himself in his spare time at night, and everyone was amazed by this. Under the leadership of Secretary Tian, Lawu Village Love Station has become a pearl on the Sichuan-Tibet Line, making bed/RV self-driving travelers feel at home. At present, Secretary Tian has new ideas and has reported that 9 projects including "shared kitchen" will be added, and the 318 Love Station in Lawu Village will be taken to the next level.
Secretary Tian Bin, leader of Lawu Village Love Station
I stood in the yard of the Party and Mass Activity Center of Lawu Village, looking over the fence into the deep mountains. I saw the open-mindedness and lofty vision of the people of Lawu Village.
The people of Lawu Village have a high vision, looking beyond the fence into the deep mountains.
Secretary Tian Bin asked me to think of a slogan for the Love Station. What I gave him was "Go to Lhasa City and Sherau Village". Lawu Village is the only place to go to Lhasa along the Sichuan-Tibet Line. You can rest here, it is worth resting, and resting here is a kind of enjoyment. This slogan is also concise and easy to remember.
To all bed and RV enthusiasts, those who ride motorcycles/bicycles and those who travel to Tibet on foot, I strongly recommend: Go to Lhasa City and Sherau Village.
Tips:
You can find the Lawu Village 318 Love Station by searching for "Lawu Village Committee" or "Mangkang 318 Love Station" on the Gaode map.
Lawu Village is 3538 meters above sea level.