8.30am - Last night was probably a night that I slept like a log. Althought the altitude was still above 3,000, the drop in height from Tashi Chil was significant enough to give me a restful night. I woke up brushing my teeth to the view of a misty morning but with a sun that was helping to warm things up.
View from the corridor outside my room
Crossing the bridge over Dzachu in Dzato town
A view of dusty cowboy town Dzato
Restaurant serving Szechuan cuisine - our breakfast joint before we set off
View across one of the Dzachu tributaries near Dzato town
Leaving Dzato County gate behind
To search for blue skies and mountain passes
We found the blue skies... and juniper trees
Pema collecting a branch with its dark green fruits
Painting of a buddha on a rock face by the road
With scriptures accompanying to bless the area
A nomad's residence up on the hills
Tong Ren La Ka Ya mountain pass. Elevation 4760m
Latse and prayer flags at the pass
Snow filled ditches in the marshy plains
Amazing cloud formations at high altitudes
Going to the edge
Signs of spring in the highlands
Three Latse (prayer flags) marking the Chang La San mountain pass
Prayer flags frame snow-capped mountains in the distance
Prayer flags partially covered by snow on the ground
Mr Shi and his proud vehicle that took us safely through hundreds of kilometres
A nomad's house at the foot of a snow back mountain
Clouds fill the space in the valleys
A cloud sails above a knoll
One of three bald vultures scavenging for a meal
Taking flight
Soaring through the crips mountain air
A stupa aglow in the rays of the sun
Ren La Ren San mountain pass. Elevation 4505m
Colourful prayer flags sends blessings into the wind
"Mani" stones bask in the sun
The other road user
Clouds drift over the top of mountain ranges
Dashes of white on a blue sky canvas
Long road ahead with only the elements for company
Racing across an open plain with the mountains as markers
Hundreds of prayer flags stand tall like troops protecting the land
Yaks graze the open fields
The mountains part to let a river flow
The final stretch before Jyekundo
2.30pm - We arrive in Jyekundo and checked into the same Guesthouse as a few days before. The landlady wasn't there but a young assistant checked us in. We took the same room, while Mr Shi shifted to the room next to ours.
2.45pm - Hungry, we went across the street for a hearty lunch of vegetables (Shang Hai Qing), beef trips with pepper, egg omelette with tomatoes, stir-fried Bai Cai with Mushrooms, and a big bowl of noodles. The meal was excellent and we were stuffed.
4pm - After lunch, Pema and I went to a nearby bookstore in search for books that detail the location of Taschi Chil but couldn't find anything useful apart from a pictorial book containing maps of Qing Hai province. Feeling ill, Pema left me to my own devices where I decided to hunt around for a Wang Bar (Internet Cafe). I found one about 10 minutes from the Guesthouse
5pm - after fumbling about with the terminals, I found one which actually worked and allowed me to upload pictures onto my blog. I'm a happy man. I did have much time because Mr Shi had arranged to pick me up to send me to a nearby monastry famous for their "mani" stones and so I uploaded what I could and then hurried off to meet Mr Shi at 6.30pm.
