Day 1 - Preliminaries

Pre-Lhasa

The stress of the past 24 hours has been immense. While the plane ride to Hong Kong and Chengdu were incident free, my arrival at Sim’s Guesthouse brought a bombshell: trouble in Tibet. For the past six months the journey I had been planning was accessible to cyclists. Today, it appears, it is not.

Apparently two events had coincided to cause a clampdown on independent travel in Tibet. The first was an anti-Chinese protest on the Indian border, which had made the Chinese Government sensitive about similar protests in the sensitive autonomous region of Tibet. The second was the staging of the 17th Communist Party conference in Beijing, which had drawn the world’s focus to China and made conditions ripe for a high profile protest in Tibet. Paranoia in China translates immediately to restrictions in Tibet.

So where does this leave me? Well, sleepless on night one for a start.
To sum up the situation I find myself in:

• I have a Tibet `pass’ but it’s not genuine, as these can only be issued to tour groups
• The guesthouse I am staying at has contacts at the airport and have agreed to use them to get me a boarding pass (you can’t get one without a genuine permit)
• There was a good chance that I would be stopped for an inspection of the pass on arrival in Tibet. Because the pass is not genuine the guesthouse won’t even allow me to carry it. I have to give it back to the person who gives me the boarding pass so it never leaves Chengdu
• If I am stopped at the airport I can be immediately deported
• Even if I get through the airport check there is a chance that the hotel I am staying at in Lhasa can report me to the PSB (police) as they get closed down for harbouring

Lhasa

Well so far so good. Thankfully, there were no checks at the airport and I used a `friendly’ hotel recommended to me by people at the guesthouse in Chengdu. Despite my immediate relief I am extremely nervous about whether I can do the trip that I have put a fair bit of money and planning into. The report on the ground is that they will not start issuing permits for another 10 days. Given the fact that I was going to travel without permits this shouldn’t make a difference on the surface, but the reality is that the current situation draws a lot more attention to travellers at the military checkpoints. Where I might have slipped through before I am more likely to have my passport checked in current conditions.

I am contemplating a side trip north where I will attract less scrutiny (I will be camping so no fear of hotels reporting me), but I also have to acclimatise to the altitude and the side trip would take me up to 5000m from the current 3600m in Lhasa. I have a few days to pull a plan B together if things go pear-shaped.

Back to Chengdu…

On arrival on this small Chinese city of 10 million people I headed out to the panda nature reserve. While I’m normally not one for zoos or tourist traps, this was different as it was main giant panda research breeding facility globally. The province I was in – Sichuan – is the only place in the world where pandas remain in the wild. Saw about 50 pandas – most of them sucking on a bamboo shoot (pictured)– and had a feed of Sichuan chicken at a cool little bar in town.

Day 2 - Lhasa

Distance - 20kms

Max Alt – 3600m

Riding Time – 1 hour

Lhasa is spectacular, including the flight in where you weave through massive valleys. In the three or four hours I had been in Lhasa I managed to get the bike box on to a rickshaw (didn’t thrill the driver but I was coming here to cycle so he didn’t get a lot of sympathy from me), strolled around the Barkhor – or old town – and caught a glimpse of the Potala Palace which was home to the Dalai Lama before his exile.

The first full day in Lhasa was spent on `housekeeping’ and chores. The housekeeping consisted of applying for my Nepalese visa and ended up more of a circus than anticipated. First, they needed a photograph which I didn’t have. The only photographer I could find was one who takes pictures of tourists standing in front of the Potala Palace (pictured below). As part of the deal they dress you up in ceremonial clothes to make it look like you are a high monk, and were offended when I said I wanted to remain in my humble clothes. The guy rigged up a velvet backdrop for me and said it would be ready by 11.20am – the consulate shuts at midday… The other problem was that the money for the photo ate into my cash reserves, and I had to find a bank (quickly) to change my US dollars while I waited for the photo to be developed.

At 11.58am I was still standing in line about 20 people from the front of the queue. To my shock, the guy on the door pointed at a monk and I and called us to the front before dragging us in the door that was locked behind us. The Chinese and Tibetans I had to push through were understandably pissed off that the white man and man of the cloth got preferential treatment. First time I’d felt like a pro footballer at a nightclub., and the gesture saved me another day in Lhasa…

The chores were less complicated: unpack the bike (nothing broken) and take a shower (a disaster because I grabbed my sleepsheet not chamois and so had to put my clothes on while wringing wet in a freezing outdoor shower).

Aside from all that had a great day, much of it subconsciously spent acclimatising to altitude. The effects so far have been a strong desire to sleep, shallow breathing and the slightest nausea. The effects were heightened by a 20km bike ride around the Barkhor, taking in the smell of incense and whirring of prayer wheels while people watching (one of those people pictured above). Had dinner at Spinn Café – a restaurant set up by a cyclist from Hong Kong – where I had a Lhasa Beer and Tom Yum soup.

Day 3 - Lhasa - Ganden Monastery - Ganden

Distance - 110kms
Max Altutide – 4300m
Riding Time – 4.5 hours

Wanted to have a solid hit out today before starting the trip proper and certainly achieved that. I chose Ganden Monastery for three reasons:

1. It looked spectacular, set high on the side of a mountain
2. It was about the right distance
3. It has a nasty climb and rose to 4300m – enough to test the extent of my acclimatisation

The day started frustratingly – no one was in reception to open the room where my bike was being stored, which meant I had to cool my heels for 45 minutes. I did manage to do some laundry so the time wasn’t completely wasted and was on the road by 8.45am. The trip to the base of the final climb felt very much like Vietnam with people working in the fields, some ugly little villages dotted along the road and lots of smoky farming equipment on the road. The most interesting site was a guy prostrating his way down the road – a ritual that signifies his religious commitment. In essence, people believe that prostrating increases your connection to Buddha and some people will travel hundreds of kilometres in this fashion to make the point.

The climb to Ganden was spectacular but tough – 9.5kms at 10% in places. The altitude made life even more difficult and every time I took a sip of water it would take 30 seconds for my breathing to return to normal. I made it to the top OK and left my bike with a monk on the front gate before setting off for some thin-air exploration. The monastery was spectacular and real `working’ monastery – unlike the Potala Palace which is more of a museum piece – which meant there were monks to-ing and fro-ing everywhere.
Met a French girl – Karine – who had cycled solo from Pakistan to Lhasa on her maiden bicycle ride. An incredible effort, which I was to hear about over dinner later that day. She was also able to provide me with some good tips about the road ahead, including advice on the current situation with regards permits. Her words were encouraging.

The ride back to Lhasa was difficult as I battled a headwind and dehydration. I stopped for two litres of water and two bananas about 30kms from home, but couldn’t really linger as I had to get to the Nepali consulate before closing. I got there with a few minutes to spare, and turned my attention to packing.

Spent most of the night at the Barkhor, which was now subject to a much heavier police presence. I was to learn later that the reason for this was that the Dalai Lama had been given an international award and the Chinese Government were worried that a `Free Tibet’ protest might erupt. The irony is that the police presence only drew more attention to the achievement, as most people would not have even heard about the award. I couldn’t help but think that with all these police around and mass anxiety that tomorrow might not be the best day to head off….

Day 4 - Lhasa - Chingtong

Distance - 90kms
Max Alt – 3600m
Riding time – 4 hours

The first real day on the road. Being relatively
short, and on paved, flat roads, I set of at 11am
rather than the preferred early start. Before leaving I visited the Jokhang Temple in the Barkhor, and was confronted with absolute pandemonium with pilgrims everywhere. In silent protest at the police presence the pilgrims had stoked the incense furnaces and the whole city was a sea of smoke (pictured). The temple is magnificent, and I can see why monasteries attract monks to them with their silence and serenity. The thought of lounging around, drinking tea and doing the odd chant looked appealing, though I’m not sure the commitment’s as simple as that.

The next task was packing my bike. Having never carried so much gear on just two panniers (on my long trip 15 years ago I had front and rear panniers) it was a struggle to work out how to keep the bike balanced and secure. Much of the weight is from food – three days worth – and books which I am determined to read quickly and dispense with. I took the obligatory photo in front of the Potala Palace (below), but was moved on by two police officers who obviously considered me a threat or menace or both. I didn't linger...

Stopped at a service station on the way out of town to fill my fuel bottle, and started the long ride into the imposing mountains ahead. It was flat but warm, and I got extremely sunburned. You are pretty close to the sun up here and so burn quickly. The ride itself was different to what I expected, with lots of trees as I snaked along a river. Travelling along the valley I was dwarfed by mountains on both sides, with even larger ones ahead. This is pain country for a cyclist.

I went through my first military checkpoint – successfully – about 10 kms from the bottom of the first major climb the Kampa La. This climb is reportedly the most difficult of the trip, partly because you are still acclimatising and partly because it’s 34kms and rises 1400m to almost 5000m. I spent a bit of time trying to find a reasonable campsite, and though the one I selected was not ideal I didn't want to give back any of the kilometres I had ridden. From the campsite I I can see the road snaking above me. Gulp.

Cooked myself a passable meal on the campstove. Actually it was terrible. I overcooked the noodles and undercooked the flavour. One of the mistakes was adding spice to the starchy water instead of draining it. The concoction tasted like a wet book.

Just as I pitched camp (pictured right) a pack of dogs – maybe 10 – came towards me. These things made Cujo look like Benji and were going absolutely berserk. One of them sprinted towards me, teeth gnashing, and I took the closest thing to me (a water bottle) and squirted it into his face. It had the desired effect luckily but made me pretty edgy. As I write this I can hear them outside the tent and just took a peek to confirm it. As I lay here I realise that this is not going to be a particularly restful night’s sleep. It’s now 8pm, dark and the only sound out here is the barking of hounds and ever-faster beating of my heart…

Day 5 - Chingtong - Ngartse

Distance - 85kms
Max Altitude – 4810m
Riding time – 6 hours

Zero sleep last night – who said camping was peaceful. The barking of dogs was incessant and a few times I could hear their breathing right outside my tent. I tried not to breathe, but they knew I was there.

Woke up this morning to two nice surprises: the tent was covered in ice and had frozen into place and the same pack of dogs that had harassed me all night were staring menacingly at me from 50 metres away. Rolling up a frozen tent with one eye on the beasts I managed to get on the road by 8.45am (it doesn’t get light til 8am). The climb started 100m into the day and I would spend the first two and half hours crawling up the Kampa La. The climb was absolutely relentless and I forced myself to do 17.5kms before stopping for break and some food. When I say food it was an army biscuit I had picked up in Lhasa. Do they sound appetising? Worse than you think…

The next 7kms to the top were incredibly steep and with the rise in altitude oxygen was at a premium. The strong headwind in some sections made it difficult just to keep upright. But oh was it worth it! The view from the top (pictured) was the most magnificent I have ever seen. Below me was the might Yamdrok Tso (Scorpion Lake), in an amazing shade of turquoise, flanked by mountains and with 8000m snow covered peaks in the distance. At 4800m it was cold and so after a few photos I plunged down to warmer climes for about 8kms to a still-high 4500m, an altitude that I would remain at for the rest of the ride.

The road followed the lake for the next 30kms or so – a truly magnificent setting dulled only by the ferocious headwind. I pulled into the town of Pede Dzong for lunch and was absolutely spent. I had been on the bike over four hours with no sleep and one army biscuit for sustenance. Lunch was a scream. It was in a mud brick hut with one window and four armchairs. The only food on offer was instant noodles – a meal I would come to expect and loathe – but they did have Coke which was what I needed more than anything. As I ate the place slowly filled up with interested passers-by, until eventually the armchairs were occupied and the room crowded with chain-smoking farmers. My Tibetan and their English were of a similar standard, so conversation was limited to a few chuckles. The focus of the `discussion’ was them poring over my maps and taking great delight in me pointing out their own little hamlet of Pede. Even they couldn’t believe this place was on a map.

The next hour continued to follow the lake (pictured right) but progress was slow with a brutal 60kph headwind that threatened to blow me off the edge of the road in places. I hadn’t experienced a headwind like that since Iceland, though expect I will feel it again before this trip’s over. It seems the westerlies pick up in the afternoon and I’m heading west for the whole trip.

About 10kms from my destination I ran into a Canadian couple cycling the other way. Dave and Arlene had ridden from Denmark – putting me in the shade – and were looking forward to hitting civilisation in Lhasa. A 15-minute chat and I was off, making my way into Ngartse six hours after I left the hounds. A paltry 15kph average but a 1000 metre gain in altitude. Checked into a dodgy hotel complete with pit toilet and a draft that would have made Mawson uncomfortable. Good news is that I can bring the bike into the room with me, where I have been trying unsuccessfully to dry out my tent which was still covered in ice. The mess in the room is considerable but I figure the place hasn’t been mopped for a while and is due. To top things off there was no shower and so my cleansing took the form of putting my head under an icy tap with an audience of people chuckling at the sight. The place is also a construction zone and sleep is going to be difficult between the paint fumes and incessant hammering.

At dinner I sampled my first yak butter tea. You are supposed to drink it quickly while it’s hot, as the butter eventually sets and tastes ordinary. All I can say is that I’d hate to taste it cold. Hideous stuff that tasted like an armpit strained through a tin of sardines. Will have it again no doubt…

It’s 8.30pm, I’m tucked in bed and contemplating two passes that greet me tomorrow. In a strange way I cannot wait to get on the bike again and amongst this scenery.