Days 6 & 7

We're 7 days in, and 500+ kms completed. We've been over 4 passes more than 4000m and one over 5000m. We've had 2 glorious days weather wise, and great riding conditions.  Day 6 was 90+km pretty flat with one small climb and today was shorter but a big climb over Yulong Pass.  The scenery continues to change all the time, and the campsites are special - a few visitors of the human and bovine variety.  Aprt fromthe scenery the best thing about the trip is the interaction with locals.  Almost everyone calls out hello and small children want to hi five as we go past, and we have to avoid both running over a child or getting knocked off the bike!  Met  some Chinese tourists from Shanghai at the monument marking 5000km from Beijing. All the road markers tell you how far you are from Beijing, not how far to your destination.  We passed through Lhatse - the only town so far with an English sign announcing its name. We have a chance to see Everest tomorrow for the first time, on our biggest climb of the ride, up to 5220m. Just hoping the weather holds for a bit longer.  Will write again in a couple of days if computer power and internet capacity hold on.

Gyantse to Shigatse

We're now in Shigatse, Tibet's 2nd largest city, and a good (poor) example of the industrialisation of a remote Chinese city. Huge expansion but dirty, dusty and nothing to recommend it. The roads are much worse in Shigatse than in the countryside.  Last night in a hotel, with 9 more nights camping, so not much blogging over the next week or so. Will try to get photos up every couple of days.  Today was a 92 km ride, completely flat and not nearly as scenic as yesterday. It was overcast and pretty dull, which didn't help. We're still a source of much interest to locals, and stop regularly to chat (as best we can) and take photos. They are all very friedly. Nearly everyone, even in the fields, calls out "hello".  Its harvest time so there is a lot of activity, and it looks to be a pretty good harvest.  All still well and coping. Another relatively easy day tomorrow before the serious hills start again. Our main hope is for clear weather to see Mt Everest; first chance should be in a couple of days time

From Gyantse

we're 4 days into the ride, have done 250km, climbed 3 passes  of 4790m (Khamba), Karo (5039) and Simi (4330), and camped in the middle of nowhere for 3 nights. Tonight we're in a hotel in Gyantsa. 100km tomorrow to Shigatze (2nd biggest city in Tibet). All good so far. No altitude issues or other health or mechanical issues.  The road is great and the traffic not too bad. Worst on the steep 1100m climb up Khamba pass on Day 2 but the view from the top and teh descent made it worthwhile.  The top of Karo Pass was cold and bleak, with some sleet, and huge ice walls only 100m or so above us. The scenery today on the valley leading into Gyantse was spectacular - a mixture of desert, farmland, ancient ruins and modern infrastructure. The engineering on roads, power, dams and particularly water control (aquaducts, causeways etc) to prevent the snow melt from washing everythig away has to be seen to be believed, yet the people still live a primitive and isolated live. We're told the scenery tomorrow oput of Gyantse is even better than today. Photos do not do justice to this part of the world.  I will be able to add photos very couple of days but not sure how often I can get to this blog (only a very circuitous route gets around the Chinese block on blogspot). Flickr is nt blocked so uploading photos is easy. After tomorrow night we have 9 nights camping, so will probably runout of computer power, so won't be able to post anything

Last day in Lhasa

Riding around the outskirts of Lhasa today; altitude noticeable as we seem to get short of breath more quickly. Heading off at 8am tomorrow for 80km first leg. Photos of today will be posted later. There's a great photo of the whole group, and lots of locals were asking to photograph us

video

A very short video of riding in kathmandu will be posted shortly to the my tibet photos link

Lhasa

Nearly, but not quite, over the internet issues. Have now had 2 full days in Lhasa. A fascinating mix of old and new, old still faithfull to the Dalai Lama and Buddhism, with a large "old city" in the midst of a modent, centrally planned city that has been the subject of much infrastructure spending by Beijing. The Tibetans  are particularly distinctive and I have never seen a city with some many folk in traditional dress as they go about their business. Our hotel is right in the old city, where therer are extensive markets and the principal temple of Tibet (with huge numbers, overwhelming the tourists) of Tibetan pilgrims. Today we visited the Potala Palace, the palace of the Dalai Lama sitting on a pinacle overlooking Lhasa.  A huge  and commanding home, sacred site and living temple.

Tomorrow we have a ride around Lhasa and then on Thursday finally hit the road to Mt Everest. Weather is currently great and can only hope it stays that way.

(One of the internet problems I still have is I can't get a photo into the comment, so please look at My Tibet Photos link)

Acclimatisation in Lhasa

Couple of days in Lhasa getting used to the altitude (3600m). All ok so far. Still working on getting photos uploaded as there seem to be Chinese internet restrictions in play. Can only write text via Blackberry so may not be much text. Hopefully photos resolved soon

Lhasa

We're in Lhasa, unaffected by the terrible earthquake on the Nepal/India border. Will post more later

Hills around Kathmandu

5 hours on the bikes today, with our group and a guide, around the hills that surround Kathmandu. Great weather (30+ degrees, which was a bit warm given that we've been riding in cold weather for 6 months). "Roads" are dirt tracks badly carved up by trucks and motor bikes, but some great uphill and downhill riding. Most of the day was spent in farmland, with stops in little villages where all the residents would come out to say hello.

This morning we fly to Lhasa, so hopefully we'll get a glimpse of Everest from the plane, but its looking pretty overcast right now.  Later today we'll find out if we feel any altitude sickness

Our Group

Dinner with our Group, Amy from Canberra, and Scott and Darren from Launceston. Apparently, we also have 2 cooks, 2 drivers and 2 guides (the support team left Kathmandu for Lhasa by road this morning)

On the road again

On the bikes today, for the first time.  Through Kathmandu traffic (actually safer than Beach Rd) to "the Monkey Temple", a special place overlooking Kathmandu.  Then we headed about 20kms into the hills. Probably the best ride we've ever done. Quickly losing the traffic and dust, the air is noticeably fresher and cleaner, as it the water, as trucks fill up (and cars are washed) from water cascading from the hillside.  Lunch at a genuine Buddhist commune in the middle of nowwhere (where a A$13 donation to the local foundation earned a calendar and lost of thanks).  From there through spectacular terraced countryside. Amazing people who want to help and talk.Two guys left their workshop by motor bike to see if we needed help down the road (where we had stopped to take photos) (see photo of Robert and 2 friends). Riding is a totally different experience, engaging with road workers, police, stall holders etc, all who have questions, amidst spectacular countryside. Photos don't really do it justice. Will try to mount the camera tomorrow and get some video. 60km ride around Kathmandu tomorrow, then fly to Lhasa on Sunday. Its raining tonight, but forecast is looking ok

Shades of Heston Blumenthal in the Black Forest right here on the streets of Kathmandu.  The butcher told us it was good to eat; then by co-incidence our dinner tonight included a very tasty wild boar curry (part of a Nepalese banquey shared with 2 of the guys we'll be riding with)

Streets of Kathmandu

Some scenes from the "good" area near our hotel in central Kathmandu. Chaotic traffic on crumbling streets, bordered by some amazing buildings from orginal Kathmandu, with traders working from holes in the wall

Day 2

Managed to assemble 2 bikes without a problem.  Will hit the roads around Kathmandu tomorrow.

Arrived

In Kathmandu, after 14 hours flying and stops in Kuala Lumpur and Delhi. All good and bikes made it, but one bag didn't. Will now arrive on Thai Airways at lunchtime tomorrow after a short detour via Bangkok. First impressions of Kathmandu; a real frontier town; rough, disorganised, people from everywhere, but fascinating.

Packing

24 hours to go; packing the bike was more complex than anticipated; had to take more bits off. Hope it makes it to Kathmandu in one piece, and that I can put it back together again