Khampa man in Daocheng enjoying conversation and tea with the owner's daughter. As of right now, I have 8 full days left for my travels around Kham, before I must return to Chengdu and close up shop there. Additionally, I am having difficulty deciding where to go for these last 8 awesome days and how to get there when I decide! I know I do not want to spend much more time on a bus, simply because the bus rides between town are long and -- believe it or not-- exhausting. Even only 3-6 hours' worth of traveling feels like a full day. It is impossible for me to relax and let my head loll while spittle hangs from my open mouth like some locals can do! Nothing wakes them unless we hit a sink hole, screech to a halt, or nearly fly off a cliff. For me, there's so much to see on the drive; it becomes an incredible journey where my attention level is on full-alert. To the incredible scenery, add the stops and van-switches at in-between towns, where communication misunderstandings and all-out failures prevail due to the mix of three languages in one conversation. And lastly, let's not forget the bumpy, exciting rides over incomplete or destroyed roads, boulder-strewn diversions due to recent mini- or grand-avalanches caused by rainfall, off-road detours when there is no road (avalanche again), passing on curves, near-misses with other vehicles, and my side of the bus sometimes being withing spitting distance of a cliff (No, no guardrail. Don't be ridiculous!), the constant up-and-down over mountains combined with curves of gorge roads, and elevation changes of 500-2000m -- all during one trip! My explanation that road trips through Eastern Tibet are exhausting is not a complaint, it is a fact! My food intake has been irregular as well: I am either skipping meals or eating a massive meal (what feels like a large meal to me, and yet my hosts keep encouraging me to eat more). Therefore, at the end of one of these cross-province trips, I am famished! Yet I still must hike to my hotel, check in, and then find a place to eat! But that's part of the fun of this adventure! The 6th or 7th Dalai Lama's House (I must check my facts, apologies) in the old town portion of Lithang, still majority Khampa and not turned into a Chinese town... yet. For more photos and narrative, click "Read More"! After karmic meetings and serendipity, I've decided to end my journey at Labrang Gompa (Buddhist monastery) outside the city of Xining, in Gansu Province. Gansu is north of Sichuan province. Labrang is 1200km NE, which amounts to 3 days of 8 hour bus rides, thanks and no thanks! I can fly into Xining, yet that is still 4-5 hours hours on a bus from Labrang. Most likely, I would have an overnight connection in Chengdu. I would also have to decide from where to fly: Ganzi, Kangding, or Daocheng. Ganzi would be perfect, because I can see my friends and hike there (you may recall I spent the majority of last summer's vaca in Ganzi); however, the airport just opened and flights are not yet listed online. I know I can fly to Chengdu from Ganzi, just don't know when or the cost (yet)! Taking a local bus from Bathang (where I am now, and have no desire to stay because they've basically turned it into Chengdu with fake-Tibetan style buildings and high-rises aaargh! It doesn't even look Khampa here!) to Pelyul (famous monastery) is 4.5 hrs., then continuing up to Derge (another famous monastery and antique printing press still in use) is another 2.5 hrs. I could make it to Ganzi in another 3.5 hours, but that is a nightmare trip on the local buses that run between towns. An accurate picture of these local buses: they are high-mileage minivans packed full of people to a high-level of discomfort if you are in the back or middle seat, sometimes someone may be allowed to smoke, the vehicle may just smell foul, or a rare alternative, it may be a wonderful ride in an uncrowded newer SUV! That situation has happened ONCE in the 18 months I've been traveling around China. Beside that, I want to spend a day in each of those towns to explore. Pelyul (Ch. Baiyu and Derge (Ch. Dege) are places I'd like to visit for a day or two. I only now determined that I can fly from Ganzi to Chengdu, but for 1000rmb and only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I doubt that will work. Option #2 is to head back the exact way I came, leaving Bathang and heading east back toward Litang and then south to Daocheng (5.5 hr drive with bus switches and waiting in Litang or an overnight stay in Litang). But the flight cost from Daocheng to Chengdu and then on to Xining is over 2000rmb, not to mention the all-day misery of airports and the very specific drama of a Chinese Airport. Ugh. My last option is to head east to Kangding (8.5 hours from Bathang or 5.5 from Lithang) and either fly or ride back to Chengdu (about 4 hours either way), then catch a flight to Xining. But then I miss Pelyul, Derge, and Manigango! Sigh. Around Lithang, a lovely "Wild West" Khampa town full of nomads trading and resupplying, monasteries, and history! I love this town!! I could live here! Even though it's above 4100m! That's what keeps it small and authentic! The culture here has not been decimated too much by the invaders. All of this comes down to the time factor of 8 days and how much time-stress I want to cause myself. Answer: zero. I do not want to spend the last week of my trip rushing about and attempting to meet time deadlines in the far reaches of Eastern Tibet when I am dependent upon local bus travel. Today, I will ask my new friends here in Bathang if they can help me find the Express Bus schedules that run between small towns and big cities, but run on a set schedule rather than departing "when the van is full". I've also finally accepted that "leaving now" means 30-60 minutes later in local bus terminology. For instance, yesterday the driver told me he was leaving "now" when I asked him using my translator app. Well, "now" means waiting for one other person to show up and in real-time was 45-60 minutes later. But that's how the local mini-vans run, plus they are cheaper and run more frequently than Express Buses. Opting for the local buses frequently offers the opportunity to meet locals and gain local information. It's not a bad rip as long as a front seat can be wrangled. Otherwise it's not so great if they cram everyone in like sardines. To clarify, the buses aren't always over-crowded, but it is a frequent occurrence!
I'm going to go rest my mind, unwind, and let the trip unfold and the answer will come! I still really, really want to visit Labrang, because the meeting with Dorje in Gyaltheng/Shangri-la was karma, and he is the one who put me in touch with the with the monk at Labrang. I have a strong intuition it is important. for me to visit Labrang and meet this monk. Yet I don't want to kill myself trying to get there. I do believe; however, that my presence in Labrang during this particular trip is vital, the journey will unfold a little easier than what appears above. As for today, I am in Bathang for two days, so I have all day today and tomorrow morning to allow the answer to present itself! Oh! And I just thought of the train as a method of transport! I love the high speed trains here (only Business Class baby)!
1 Comment
Karen Parks
9/12/2019 11:12:33 pm
Is the “8 days left” a time limit imposed by you? Do you need to be somewhere else? Go to Labrang if women’s intuition is leading you there. Hang the rest. IMHO
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