To Tibet

Border, Zhangmu and Nyalam

"I thought the Chinese ate dog"

Warwick wishing that he either had a gun or for some dog-eating Chinese in Tibet, during one of many sleepless nights.

14 April - leaving Kathmandu 1350m

The journey begins. Since most of us had been in Kathmandu for such a long time we stayed the night at Dhulikhel, on the rim of the Kathmandu Valley. Although it is famed for the mountain sunrise, we didn't see any of the Himalaya, but it was peaceful.

15 April - Zhangmu 2220m

The drive to Kodari took around 4 hours by private bus, our truck full of gear had already arrived and by magic our 2 tonnes of equipment was carried over to the Tibetan side without anything being lost.

Crossing the border the change is abrupt. Nepal is dirty, chaotic but friendly and easy-going, our staff handled Immigration with out us even leaving the restaurant.

In China we had to line up in order behind the line until called, 25 year old Toyota Corollas replaced by the latest Landcruisers, concreted roads and rampant construction.

Our single sherpa, Tawa, and single Moe avoided the numerous brothels, everyone in their own bed by 8:30 because:

16 April - to Nyalam 3750m

Getting up at 7am sounds OK, but Tibet runs on Beijing time and that is really a still dark 4:45am Nepali time. Warwick reckons this was a Jamie tactic to disguise the the stupendous drop offs in the gorge - we had enough diarrheoa!

The road a little out of Zhangmu.

We reached Nyalam with the sun rising on a crystal clear Shishapangma, but with the gain in altitude we took it easy, just some wandering around the developing town and plenty of fluids. The pace of construction here is truly staggering with new buildings going up, the concrete road thru town almost complete and internet and mobile service available.

We eat Chinese 'banquets' for the next few days until base camp.

17 April - The adventures of Jamie

Nyalam doesn't have a club, it is called the disco. Once seedy and run by a Chinese brothel madame with extras encouraged, it is now seedy and Tibetan-run and a friendly experience of remote Tibet that just shouldn't be missed.

Despite that, I (Jamie) turned down offers from our hotel staff to join them, but in a later moment of weakness I realised it was Saturday night, and momentarily forgetting previous nights there, and in what I hope is the biggest omission of the expedition, I neglected to drag any of the team along.

This is a place where PLA (People's Liberation Army) soldiers dance with each other, men with men; imagine being asked by a soldier to dance? It has happened!

Complicated Tibetan line dancing is mixed with Venga Boys with ball room dancing and karaoke, all in a traditionally decorated concrete fridge. Drinks are all one price, 10 Yuan or US$1.25, coke, red bull, canned or bottled beer, mineral water, quarters of vile Chinese brandy, and some other fire water so repulsive you would only wish it on your worst enemy.

With traditional Tibetan hospitality hostesses keep serving you in pseudo shot glasses (yes, even beer), then they occasionally dance Tibetan on stage, the toilets are a cesspool, typical of China, but everyone either drinks themselves senseless or had a good time, or possibly even both.

Alcohol while gaining altitude is not a good idea (ask two of the German team); half a dozen Red Bulls isn't either, but we weren't seeing double there really were dancing Dutch twins, and no beer goggles required either! Unfortunately with their beer goggles well and truly on, the German lads missed them leaving and woke everyone in the hotel trying to find those elusive twins. Jamie managed to stay out of trouble, just.