Paryang, Tibet: We've been on the road for three nights now, headed for Mt. Kailash. Our biggest news is that we've christened our trusty Land Cruiser, Tenzing, which I think suits her perfectly. Otherwise, our trip is unfolding at the perfect rolling tempo of a summer road-trip. The six of us bounce along the dirt roads, thinking our own thoughts but all affected by the wildness and beauty of the passing scenery.

Yesterday, we made a stop in the dusty village of Sakya and were immediately surrounded by a pack of filthy but adorable kids begging for photos. (I'm shy about taking photos of people so this one is rare.) It's nice to be such a celebrity and everyone left happy.


We didn't make it far before Tenzing got the first of many flat tires. Nawang says she's a real lady: always needing new shoes. Luckily, Chi-me is a whiz at changing a tire and we were soon on our way again.


Unfortunately, it wasn't long until we had stopped again...


But, as a reward for our patience, Tenzing drove us to the bluest clearest lake and waited while we skipped rocks and basked in the sunshine.



The plateau is the most beautiful place that I've ever been. It's vast and wild and I'm constantly reminded that nature is in charge here and that people are only the guests.



Most of the time, the only sign of human life is found in the cairns and flags at the passes and in far-off grazing yaks.

Lhasa, Tibet: I'm writing now from Lhasa at the end of our journey. So many things have happened that it 's hard to know where to begin...

Our first major stop out side Lhasa was Mt. Kailash in the western province of Ngari. In addition to being one of the most stunning peaks I've ever seen, Kailash is the most sacred spot in the world for Bhuddism, Bon, Janism and Hinduism. Ever since the idea of travelling to Tibet was just a seed in my mind, I have wanted to visit this mountain and as the day drew nearer I found it hard to contain my excitement. Adding to my festive mood was the chance to see my two closest friends who had been cycling down the Xinxiang-Tibet highway. When I saw their tent at Chiu monastery, our renedez-vous point, I bolted towards it. They weren't inside but I heard heard shouts and turned to see them careening across the field at top speed. I started into an all-out sprint as well. In near-perfect joyful reunion style, we ran into each others arms only to fall, panting, to the ground after our high-altitude exertion. After we recovered and took the requisite goofy photos, we cooked up a delicious vegetable feast...Nothing in the world can compare to good friends.


The next morning we joined Bernd, Flo and Nawang (whose cheerful grins I'd missed, even for one night) and we set off on the two day pilgrimmage circuit around Mt. Kailash.



The path was packed with pilgrims leading loaded yaks, singing and praising the great mountain. I felt small beside the mountian's majesty and the people's faith but I also felt at home in that crazy and beautfiul wrold of pilgrims, prayer flags and mountains.


"Just as a white summer cloud, in harmony with heaven and earth freely floats in the blue sky from horizon to horizon following the breath of the atmosphere--in the same way the pilgrim abandons himself to the breath of the greater life that...leads him beyond the farthest horizons to an aim which is already present within him, though yet hidden from his sight."

Lama Govinda, The Way of the White Clouds