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Mt Kailash Kora: My bad attitude
Darchen is a boom town. Construction all over the place. Tons of tourists arriving by Land Cruiser everyday. Why? Because it's the holiest site for Hindus, Tibetan Buddhists, and Bons (ancient Tibetan religion). A walk around the mountain, known as a "kora", erases the sins of a lifetime. Something like 108 koras takes you instantly to nirvana....blah, blah, blah
Now this is what I don't understand: why is it that once Western tourists (like ourselves) enter Tibet, they instantly believe the mumbo jumbo and do the kora like the pilgrims as if it meant anything to them? I mean it's hard work doing the kora so why put yourself through it? What a bunch of posers!
So I did the kora along with my cycling mates, mainly to keep the team together. Throughout the 2 days of the kora, I kept trying to find the meaning in what I was doing. I couldn't find it, and I was very glad to be back on the bike. Maybe I just don't like walking.
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We get there and the hot springs have been converted to a private bath house, not the communal tub we were hoping for. No Korean girl either. Ferran is very heartbroken. He even brought candles from Darchen for the the possibility of entertaining his guest in his tent.
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Saga to Lhasa: Bittersweet nostalgia.
The last part of this trip was not what I expected. In February, when I started this trip, I envisioned rolling into Lhasa overjoyed by a sense of accomplishment and relief. But as we approached Lhasa, I began to feel a little sad. This was by far the best trip I've ever taken and it's not because of the scenery, nor the road's reputation as "the hardest road in the world" (whatever that means). It was great because I got the chance to cycle with three other like minded people, and by facing challenges together and supporting each other we became good friends. Lhasa took on a different meaning. It became the place where we would split up. Martin is going to Eastern Tibet and maybe eventually Kabul to start a climbing gym there. Ferran is going to Kathmandu so he can finally return home, where he's become quite a celebrity. Sato is going to Yunnan so that he might finally return to Japan and live a "normal" life after 5 years on the road. As for myself, I know that I will never have an opportunity again to take 5 months away from my future profession.
But hopefully, I will never forget the meaning of:
backpacker girls, Korean girl, pajama girl, chicken paper, rivercrossings, 7% sausages, Goa, army biscuits, chai party, three dishes and a soup, shitting points, crazy Tadeshi, night punctures, and prostitute chocolate
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