China, Tibet - The closest place to heaven & closer to God

[franki]

How lucky we were having no rain





Soft ground is very difficult to ride through




The closer we get to Nima, the worse the 'road' condition





There is an expedition team camping by a lake.




All the hardship was paid off by views like this





Daze Lake





Hail storm arriving





Can only get one rainbow in the frame

[franki]

Even with the help of my GPS giving the general direction we are travelling, it did took us almost one hour to figure out which is the right way to start heading for Wen bu. Tracks made by other vehicles are very confusing on the savanna as they go almost every direction. Sometimes we have to ride the opposite direction to get over a hill in order to get on the right track. The ground is not all hard pack even they all look the same to us. Suddenly I will hit a soft sandy patch and the bike’s front wheel will start digging in and the rear wheel will start to dance. For the first 2 days, we were tight and nervous but by day three, we sort of worked out the way to deal with it and riding became more relaxed. We arrived at Wenbu’s northern village early afternoon where it is situated next to the Lake Dangqiongcuo (当琼措) and we decided to stay at the temple for the night. It is too beautiful to pass without spending some time appreciating the scenic view.

I like Wen bu very much because the people there are very simple and friendly. Though life is hard and poor there, the village and homes are very clean. We were treated like a friend from far away places and not as tourists. A very warm feeling that I can’t find in big cities like Lhasa any more.





Coming out of Nima, this is what we see. Now we are we and what direction to go?





Kuchily we met a couple of Tibetans on motorbikes and they gave us some pointers and found the landmark, a river and a bridge. From there, we just follow the tracks to Wenbu.











Making the desent from the mountain pass











My first view of the lake, Dangqiongcuo










A convoy of pilgrimers stopped by to admire the view





We must look very alien to them in our riding outfit

















Video camera must be an rare item among these people and must be treated with care





Father & son traveller

[franki]

Look at the colours of the earth





Look at the reflections of the lake





Arriving at the village was big news of the day (or year?) 2 girls still in their school uniform came inside to tea house to investigate. Here is Jon trying to be-friend with the curious but shy girls.




The ice soon melted with I took out 2 Candy from my pocket





Jon smiled nervously when the village man decided to walk into our room and just sat on his bed watching every move we make. Non of them speaks much Mandarin.





But as soon as we started to communicate with body language and smiles, it turned into a party mood. We swap hats to show we are brothers.




It seems to them posing with our bottled water is a cool thing to do





Motorcycle is a part of their life here as there is no public transport available. But they have never seen bikes like ours before and they like what they see.




I always use my camera to make friends





Brother and sister

[yamalama]

Fantastic photos.
Your eye for composition is unbelievable.
Thank you.

[franki]

This lama also loved to take pictures and asked me to photography him everywhere we go. So I got to see the new temple they are building next to the existing one.





Intricate wood carving still in its unfinished form










All the paintings are hand painted





Painter proudly display their work





Just look at that ceiling, all painted by hand





I gathered all the painters (artists) together to make a group photo so I can send them copies after my return as my appreciation to their wonderful work.





The lama proudly show off his new temple.




\
24K gold leafed roof decorations ready to be installed onto the roof of the temple.





We couldn't help to make a photo with us in it.





This 16 year old girl went to school in a big city and can speak good Mandarin. She volunteered to be our translator when touring the temple





Roof structure waiting to be painted and install





The village school





We stayed at this North Village of Wen bu, there is a South village some 40km away by the sacred lake.





Rain storm at a distance





We stet up our tent at the top of a hill to stay away from the cold wind while waiting for the sunset to come.





Yak horn on the Mani pile





Studying











Goat horns Mani pile

[TallRob]

This looks like its a part of some bad bottled water commercial. (2 out 3 Tebetens prefer cool clear bottled water over Cola).The before and after photos of the guys on the bed. All serious and then laughing was priceless.

[franki]

Biuling her Mani pile





Hiding inside our tent waiting for the sunset





Friendly village kids





Our bikes in the morning sun





The village we stayed










My first sighting of the sacred lake Dangreyongcuo





We followed the road that goes around the lake shore





This is the acient site of Xiangxiong Kingdom origin of the Benjiao (苯教) religion









At this high altitude, the clouds are so low that it felt like I can reach out and touch them





The snowy mountain is also a sacred mountain to the local people











I took lots of photos while Capt. Kool is taking a break from the long hours of riding





We went into the South Village to take a break and have some lunch




Fried bread, kind of like donut without the sugar




The village is very poor but kept very clean. This is a rich man's home.




There is room for rent at USD6.60/bed/nite










There is no gas station for the next few hundred kilometers. This is the only private gas fueling station and the price is the same as in bigger towns

[akshaymurthy]

Franki, I am totally hooked! Stunning pics and thanks for taking us through....



Akki

[TallRob]

the scenery just begs to be a source of meditation. No wonder their culture is so into it. I could just sit there all day and think. Or not think. Which of the latter I am pretty good at doing.

[Klay]

Thanks for the fascinating views of remote places. The world is a strange and wonderful place.

[franki]

Originally Posted by akshaymurthy

Franki, I am totally hooked! Stunning pics and thanks for taking us through....



Akki

You are welcomed, my Indian friend

[franki]

Originally Posted by TallRob

the scenery just begs to be a source of meditation. No wonder their culture is so into it. I could just sit there all day and think. Or not think. Which of the latter I am pretty good at doing.

We all do that every now and then. Only more so in Tibet

[franki]

Originally Posted by Klay

Thanks for the fascinating views of remote places. The world is a strange and wonderful place.

Roger that, 73

VR2WYB

[cgwt]

Originally Posted by franki

Wow, your mode of travel is similar to mine. I always ride a section and leave the bike there and return on some other day to continue. I also encourage you to continue and wish you all the best in your travelling.

I shall be starting my research on ADV Rider soon for my plan to travel through North America in 2011 and then come back in 2012 to continue my journey to Latin America. Any pointers shall be greatly appreciated.

Franki

I sure will return and enjoy the remainder of the trip, thank you for the best wishes. Best part is that I don't have a 'set in stone' trip route at all!!

For your travels through N. America, we both are hunting for pointers. Have a look at this link, I also just finished reading it. It will show you more of 'my side of the world'.

http://www.wilddog.za.net/forum/index.php?topic=52625.0

Enjoy!!

[Klay]

Originally Posted by franki

Roger that, 73

VR2WYB

73, AA0WW