NYLAM TO DONGBA A MEMORABLE JOURNEY
On the fifth day of the yatra after a day's rest for acclimatization to high altitude and trekking practice we traveled from Nylam to Old Dongba and stayed there. It was a memorable trip from Nayalam to Old Dongba, in the "Friendship Highway" between we crossed La Lung La pass the highest in this stretch. In between it was a feast of snow covered peaks. Azure lakes, sand dunes and the Brahmaputra River. It's not a drive on highway of the plains but a travel in the half desert mountains in unfavourable conditions.
A Halt in between for adjusting time
As the Chinese Govt. had restricted the no of passengers per bus , it has also imposed speed restrictions also. The time between one Check-post to other is fixed if the vehicle reaches earlier than the stipulated time. The driver will be fined, so the drivers normally stopped the vehicles at unscheduled places, this is one such place.
A tiny tot from a nearby hamlet
As soon as the bus stopped a small boy ran and came near the bus and started taking alms.
A quaint Tibetan hamlet
The group of drivers and Police men
We crossed the La Lung La pass (5100 mt )which is the highest point in this stretch and reached the pleatue which is called as the "Roof of the World" . AS the weather was not clear we didn't stop in between. We passed by quaint Tibetan settlements, prayer mounds with coloured prayer flags in between we saw herdsmen grazing their yak and sheep flocks on the slopes of the mountains. The road was lines with electrical poles on one side and telephone poles on the other side. Also Solar towers for lighting can be seen in all the villages.
Friendship Highway
Snow covered peaks of She Sa Pang Ma Ranges
We were treated to the wonderful sight of the snow covered peaks of She sa Pang Ma peaks. This is only peak in Tibet which is above 8000mt but one of the shortest peaks in this category. Many Europeans visit Tibet to conquer this peak. We saw many of them cycling freely on our way to Dongba.
Paiku Tso Lake
On the one side of the road it was the mighty snow covered mountains on the other side it was azure lakes. This is " Paiku Tso" lake which is salt water lake.
In between some part of the Highway was the old mud road
The mighty Brahmaputra River
On the banks of River Brahmaputra
After the pass, mountains and lakes we had lunch on the banks of Brahmaputra River. On the other bank is situated Saga town which houses many Chinese military establishments.
Our group
Lunch on the banks of the river
Some more snow covered peaks
The Guesthouse where we stayed
OLD DONGPA
After a wonderful journey with tall snow covered peaks as the back drop in the asphalted roads that stretched into eternity and passing by some of the most scenic views on the planet for about 500 Km we reached "Old Dongba" our destination on this 5th day of our Holy yatra.
As per schedule we should have been on the shores of Holy Manasarovar Lake on this full moon day because of the huge land slide which swallowed the road and converted the Bote-Kosi River into a lake and unscheduled stay at Thathopani we were delayed by one day and we were at Dongpa on the full moon day.
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The beauty of Guesthouse on the full moon day
As in any town in Tibet now we saw frenetic construction activity in Dongpa also. Instead of mud cakes they were using cement Hollow blocks for construction of buildings now.
Prayer flags
The Holy yatra continues . . . . . . . . .
