Extremes meet in long drive from Bangkok to Tibet
Liz Price
The Brunei Times
Sunday, January 13, 2008
IT WAS the longest drive of my life. Almost 6000km in 10 days, through three countries, and from sea level to 3500m, and from 34 C to -6 C. I was on a 4WD adventure expedition, from Bangkok, through Myanmar and into China's Yunnan province and up to Shangri La, close to the Tibet border. Many of my friends thought I was mad to go on such a trip. But I loved every minute. Time flew, even though we were on the road for more than 12 hours most days. There was always something different to see, a whole variety of every changing scenery, different style architecture, varying costumes and faces of the local people.
Having lived in the Tropics for so long, I don't have any winter clothing. It was only a few days before departure that I realised that the temperatures would be around freezing up in the Himalayas, which came as rather a shock. Luckily I managed to borrow some warm clothes from a friend. It felt strange going to KL airport laden with jumpers and jackets, sun screen and scarf. The only items I lacked were gloves and a hat.
Bangkok was the starting point. The group assembled with people arriving various days before the official start. On Day One my wake up call was at 4.50am. This came as quite a shock as I hadn't been expecting such an early awakening. But it was to be the norm for the next 10 days, wake up calls always before 5am with the exception of one day when we had a lie in until 6am. We all assembled outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok for the official start. There were 15 4WD vehicles, all from Thailand except for two from Malaysia, one from Singapore and one from Taiwan.
After a photo session we began the drive to Chiang Rai in northern Thailand. We mostly drove as a convoy, and apart from a lunch break we had occasional toilet and petrol stops. It took 10 hours to reach Chiang Rai, where we checked in to our hotel.
Next morning we left at 7am and there was thick fog all the way to the border town of Mae Sai. One car had already dropped out due to mechanical problems. We cleared Thai immigration then crossed to no man's land and waited on the bridge over the Sai River which separates Thailand from Myanmar. Our cameras were clicking the whole time as we snapped the locals walking across the borders. Once we had clearance, we set off through the town of Tachilek. We drove as a convoy the whole way, which made it easier for the SE Asian drivers to remember to now drive on the right side of the road.
There is now a new sealed highway all the way to the Chinese border, built by a Chinese company. We had an official escort, and fortunately our group was exempt from paying the tolls. It was a very scenic road, initially following a river, then going up and over some small mountains.
We stopped for lunch at Kengtung, which is the sleepy but historical capital of the Shan State's Khun culture. The town is built around a small lake and has crumbling British colonial architecture and aging Buddhist temples. It is probably the most interesting town in Myanmar's entire Shan State, and in fact was the only town we went through. Later that afternoon we reached the border town of Mongla and soon crossed through into China. Phew! Three countries in one day.
Normally right hand drive vehicles are not allowed in China but we had special permission. We had to have our vehicles inspected and have temporary Chinese number plates affixed. Throughout our entire trip in China we had a police escort leading the way. This was actually a great help as we were able to cross red lights in the towns, and on the narrow mountain roads the police would stop oncoming vehicles, thereby enabling our convoy to keep together.
The other big advantage of having a police escort is we were able to beat the queues for fuel. Diesel is scarce in Yunnan province, and is only sold from 9am to 5pm. Consequently trucks would start queuing in the evening, resulting in huge lines. The truck drivers were probably not happy when our police escort would allow us to jump the queues. Fuel is expensive, a litre of petrol being more than RM2 ($0.90).
At the Chinese border, 10 expedition cars forming the team from China met us. Leaving Jinghong behind, we drove through the mountainous Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, which is tropical rainforest, and then went past the famous tea plantations of Pu'er. A new highway is being built and it was amazing to see the construction of the new road through valleys and along the mountainsides, over huge bridges and through numerous tunnels. We stopped for a late lunch in Simao, then went on to Kunming. This stretch of highway was already completed and was a superb road with great views. Again we were exempt from paying tolls. We had a photo stop at the highest bridge in the world, 169m; a few months later a bridge in France took over this record.
We reached Kunming at night and it was a major to shock to feel the seven degrees Celsius temperature. At lunchtime it had been 27 C. We got to the hotel at midnight, and our wake up call was 4.15am. I wondered if instead of a holiday I had come on some form of endurance test! It was time to get out the cold weather clothes. Many of the Thai drivers had never used their car heaters before and later that day we stopped to put antifreeze in the radiators. We stopped at Dali for lunch, and that night stayed at Lijiang. I enjoyed warming my hands by the coal fire. Already, I was noticing the effects of the higher altitude.
From Lijiang it was a beautiful drive and we saw our first snow-capped mountains of the trip. We climbed up into the mountains, and followed the mighty Yangxi River for a while. Throughout the entire 10 days we had less than half a dozen stops for photos, but this was one of them, a stunning scene of mountains and river, snow and blue sky. This is the place where you can enter the famous Tiger Leaping Gorge. The highest mountain here is Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, an impressive 5500m.
The road went up and up onto the plateau of Shangri La. We stopped at a pagoda and had a welcoming ceremony by singers and dancers in Tibetan dress. We had made it to Shangri La.
The town is actually named Zhongdian. It is the last major stop in Yunnan before Tibet. It lies at an altitude of 3500m, which was a problem for many of us, as we suffered from altitude sickness. As we drove through the streets there was fresh snow on the pavements. The temperate was -6 C when we got up the next morning, so I don't know what it went down to during the night. Quite a contrast to the tropical climes of KL and Bangkok!
Despite the temperatures and altitude, we were elated to reach our destination of Shangri La, high in the Himalayas. We had got there in four days, a distance of some 2560 km. We wondered if this was a world record. As far as we know this is the first "Asia international touring event" to cover such a route. All that remained was the long drive back to Chiang Rai.
The Brunei Times
Enjoy!!!
Showing posts with label Shangri La. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shangri La. Show all posts
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Maxxis, Shangri La & back - Star 2005
THE STAR
Saturday January 29, 2005
To Shangri-La and back
Story & pictures by Liz Price
It was the longest drive of my life. Almost 6,000km in 10 days, through three countries, from sea level to 3.500m, and from 34°C to –6°C. Many of my friends thought I was mad to go on such a trip. But I loved every minute of it.
Time flew, even though we were on the road for more than 12 hours most days. There was always something different to see, a whole variety of ever-changing scenery, different styles of architecture, varying costumes and faces.
It was November, and I was on a 4WD adventure expedition from Bangkok through Myanmar, into China’s Yunnan province and up to Shangri-La, close to the Tibetan border.
Women in tribal costumes sharing a giggle.
Having lived in the tropics for so long, I didn’t have any winter clothing. It was only a few days before departure that I realised the temperatures would be around freezing up in the Himalayas. Luckily, I managed to borrow some warm clothes from a friend (thanks, John).
Bangkok was the starting point. I had the option of joining a car from Johor, and driving up to Bangkok, but I elected to fly this section. The group assembled in Bangkok with people arriving various days before the official start.
On Day One, my wake-up call was at 4.50am. This came as quite a shock to the system as I hadn’t been expecting such an early, rude awakening. But it was to be the norm for the next 10 days. We all assembled outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok for the official start. There were 15 4WD vehicles, all from Thailand except for two from Malaysia, one from Singapore and one from Taiwan.
The Singaporeans, Ang Choon Kiat, 61 and his wife Sum Yoke Jeng had had the longest drive, in their new Landrover Defender. This turned out to be one of the most admired vehicles in the group. Other makes included Ford, Isuzu Rodeo, Mazda Ninja Fighter, Mitsubishi Strada and Pajero, Nissan Frontier, and a Toyota Landcruiser.
We mostly drove as a convoy, and it took 10 hours to reach Chiang Rai, where we checked into the Rimkok Resort Hotel.
Next morning, we left at 7am, and there was thick fog all the way to the border town of Mae Sai. One car had already dropped out, the sole Taiwanese entrant, due to mechanical problems. We cleared Thai immigration, then crossed to no-man’s land and waited on the bridge over the Sai River which separates Thailand from Myanmar. Our cameras were clicking the whole time as we snapped the locals walking across the borders. Once we had clearance, we set off through the town of Tachilek.
My car companion Jessie told me she did this route four years ago when it was just a dirt road and they got stuck in axle-deep mud several times. Now there is a new sealed highway all the way to the Chinese border. It was a very scenic road, initially following a river, then going up and over some small mountains.
We stopped for lunch at Kengtung, which is the sleepy, historical capital of the Shan state’s Khun culture. The town is built around a small lake and has crumbling British colonial architecture and ageing Buddhist temples. Later that afternoon we reached the border town of Mongla and crossed into China. Phew, three countries in one day.
Normally right-hand drive vehicles are not allowed in China but we had special permission. We had to have our vehicles inspected and had temporary Chinese number plates affixed. We even had a police escort leading the way throughout. This enabled us to cross red lights in the towns,. On the narrow mountain roads the police would stop oncoming vehicles so our convoy could keep together. We were also able to beat the queues for fuel. I can’t imagine the truck drivers were very happy when our police escort allowed us to jump the queues.
At the Chinese border, 10 expedition cars from China met us. This called for more photos. Leaving Jinghong we drove through the mountainous Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, which is a tropical rainforest, and then went past the famous tea plantations of Pu’er.
A new highway was being built and it was amazing to see the construction of the new road through valleys and along the mountainsides, over huge bridges and through numerous tunnels. We stopped for a late lunch in Simao, then went on to Kunming.
Colourful shawls on display in Shangri-La.
It was night when we reached Kunming, and it was a major shock to feel the 7°C temperature. It was time to put away the shorts and get out the warm clothes.
Next day, we stopped at Dali for lunch, and that night stayed at Lijiang. I enjoyed warming my hands by the coal fire, and already I was noticing the effects of the higher altitude.
From Lijiang it was a beautiful drive and we saw our first snow-capped mountains of the trip. We climbed up into the mountains, and followed the mighty Yangxi River for a while. Throughout the entire 10 days, we had less than half a dozen stops for photos, but this was one of them, a stunning scene of mountains and river, snow and blue sky. This is the place where you can enter the famous Tiger Leaping Gorge. The highest mountain here is Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, an impressive 5,500m.
The road went up and up onto the plateau of Shangri-La. We stopped at a pagoda and had a welcoming ceremony by singers and dancers in Tibetan dress. There were group photos of the entire convoy. We had made it to Shangri-La.
The town is actually named Zhongdian, but is now commonly known as Shangri-La. It is the last major stop in Yunnan before Tibet. At an altitude of 3,500m, the town was a problem for many of us, as we suffered from altitude sickness. As we drove through the streets, there was fresh snow on the pavements. The temperature was -6°C when we got up the next morning – quite a contrast to the tropical climes of Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.
Despite the temperatures and altitude, we were elated to reach Shangri-La, high in the Himalayas. We had got there in 4½ days, a distance of some 2,560 km. We wondered if this was a world record. All that remained was the long drive back to Chiang Rai. On the way back, we stopped at the newly opened Maxis shop in Kunming.
It had been a wonderful tour, with excellent organisation and planning. It is quite a feat to arrange for 25 vehicles to cover such distances, especially across three international borders and back. W
Related Story:
Getting a feel of Tibetan life at Shangri-La
Saturday January 29, 2005
To Shangri-La and back
Story & pictures by Liz Price
It was the longest drive of my life. Almost 6,000km in 10 days, through three countries, from sea level to 3.500m, and from 34°C to –6°C. Many of my friends thought I was mad to go on such a trip. But I loved every minute of it.
Time flew, even though we were on the road for more than 12 hours most days. There was always something different to see, a whole variety of ever-changing scenery, different styles of architecture, varying costumes and faces.
It was November, and I was on a 4WD adventure expedition from Bangkok through Myanmar, into China’s Yunnan province and up to Shangri-La, close to the Tibetan border.
Women in tribal costumes sharing a giggle.
Having lived in the tropics for so long, I didn’t have any winter clothing. It was only a few days before departure that I realised the temperatures would be around freezing up in the Himalayas. Luckily, I managed to borrow some warm clothes from a friend (thanks, John).
Bangkok was the starting point. I had the option of joining a car from Johor, and driving up to Bangkok, but I elected to fly this section. The group assembled in Bangkok with people arriving various days before the official start.
On Day One, my wake-up call was at 4.50am. This came as quite a shock to the system as I hadn’t been expecting such an early, rude awakening. But it was to be the norm for the next 10 days. We all assembled outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok for the official start. There were 15 4WD vehicles, all from Thailand except for two from Malaysia, one from Singapore and one from Taiwan.
The Singaporeans, Ang Choon Kiat, 61 and his wife Sum Yoke Jeng had had the longest drive, in their new Landrover Defender. This turned out to be one of the most admired vehicles in the group. Other makes included Ford, Isuzu Rodeo, Mazda Ninja Fighter, Mitsubishi Strada and Pajero, Nissan Frontier, and a Toyota Landcruiser.
We mostly drove as a convoy, and it took 10 hours to reach Chiang Rai, where we checked into the Rimkok Resort Hotel.
Next morning, we left at 7am, and there was thick fog all the way to the border town of Mae Sai. One car had already dropped out, the sole Taiwanese entrant, due to mechanical problems. We cleared Thai immigration, then crossed to no-man’s land and waited on the bridge over the Sai River which separates Thailand from Myanmar. Our cameras were clicking the whole time as we snapped the locals walking across the borders. Once we had clearance, we set off through the town of Tachilek.
My car companion Jessie told me she did this route four years ago when it was just a dirt road and they got stuck in axle-deep mud several times. Now there is a new sealed highway all the way to the Chinese border. It was a very scenic road, initially following a river, then going up and over some small mountains.
We stopped for lunch at Kengtung, which is the sleepy, historical capital of the Shan state’s Khun culture. The town is built around a small lake and has crumbling British colonial architecture and ageing Buddhist temples. Later that afternoon we reached the border town of Mongla and crossed into China. Phew, three countries in one day.
Normally right-hand drive vehicles are not allowed in China but we had special permission. We had to have our vehicles inspected and had temporary Chinese number plates affixed. We even had a police escort leading the way throughout. This enabled us to cross red lights in the towns,. On the narrow mountain roads the police would stop oncoming vehicles so our convoy could keep together. We were also able to beat the queues for fuel. I can’t imagine the truck drivers were very happy when our police escort allowed us to jump the queues.
At the Chinese border, 10 expedition cars from China met us. This called for more photos. Leaving Jinghong we drove through the mountainous Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, which is a tropical rainforest, and then went past the famous tea plantations of Pu’er.
A new highway was being built and it was amazing to see the construction of the new road through valleys and along the mountainsides, over huge bridges and through numerous tunnels. We stopped for a late lunch in Simao, then went on to Kunming.
Colourful shawls on display in Shangri-La.
It was night when we reached Kunming, and it was a major shock to feel the 7°C temperature. It was time to put away the shorts and get out the warm clothes.
Next day, we stopped at Dali for lunch, and that night stayed at Lijiang. I enjoyed warming my hands by the coal fire, and already I was noticing the effects of the higher altitude.
From Lijiang it was a beautiful drive and we saw our first snow-capped mountains of the trip. We climbed up into the mountains, and followed the mighty Yangxi River for a while. Throughout the entire 10 days, we had less than half a dozen stops for photos, but this was one of them, a stunning scene of mountains and river, snow and blue sky. This is the place where you can enter the famous Tiger Leaping Gorge. The highest mountain here is Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, an impressive 5,500m.
The road went up and up onto the plateau of Shangri-La. We stopped at a pagoda and had a welcoming ceremony by singers and dancers in Tibetan dress. There were group photos of the entire convoy. We had made it to Shangri-La.
The town is actually named Zhongdian, but is now commonly known as Shangri-La. It is the last major stop in Yunnan before Tibet. At an altitude of 3,500m, the town was a problem for many of us, as we suffered from altitude sickness. As we drove through the streets, there was fresh snow on the pavements. The temperature was -6°C when we got up the next morning – quite a contrast to the tropical climes of Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.
Despite the temperatures and altitude, we were elated to reach Shangri-La, high in the Himalayas. We had got there in 4½ days, a distance of some 2,560 km. We wondered if this was a world record. All that remained was the long drive back to Chiang Rai. On the way back, we stopped at the newly opened Maxis shop in Kunming.
It had been a wonderful tour, with excellent organisation and planning. It is quite a feat to arrange for 25 vehicles to cover such distances, especially across three international borders and back. W
Related Story:
Getting a feel of Tibetan life at Shangri-La
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Tibetan life at Shangri-La 2005
THE STAR
Saturday January 29, 2005
Getting a feel of Tibetan life at Shangri-La
STORY & PICTURES BY LIZ PRICE
When I was invited on a trip to Shangri-La, I had no idea where it was. Of course, I was familiar with the term Shangri-La, the name of a hidden Tibetan valley in James Hilton’s Lost Horizon (1933).
The writer (above) enjoyed her time in Shangri-La.
As we entered the town, I was excited to see snow on the pavements. It had been many years since I last saw snow. The temperature was about 5°C in the bright November sunshine, and to combat the cold I was bundled up in five layers of clothing. The town, which had quite a Tibetan feel to it, consisted of wide streets with small but brightly painted shops.
Zhongdian is the last large town in China before the Tibetan border. It is a boomtown, the rise in Shangri-La-driven tourism having brought about a bland Han Chinese town. Our hotel, the Holy Palace, was in the new part of town.
On our first afternoon, we drove out to see the sights. First we went to Napa Lake, about 7km northwest of town. I was surprised to see no water. Napa is actually a seasonal lake, and at the time of our visit was dry. It is part of a nature reserve and is surrounded by a large grass meadow, and is an important area for bird-watching. One of the more common avian visitors is the black-necked crane.
The easiest way to see this large meadow is by horseback. A large group of locals dressed in their traditional Tibetan costumes were waiting with their horses and ponies. It was a photogenic sight, but the locals were more interested in getting our custom than having their photos taken. I paid my 30 Yuan (about RM15) for the half hour ride, and followed the herd of ponies trekking across the plateau.
We didn’t go far, but it was a pleasant way to view the small hills, blue sky and snow-capped mountains in the distance. West of Zhongdian, the mountain range includes 13 summits, all peaking over 6,000m. The main peak, Kagebo, towering at 6,740m above sea level, is the highest in Yunnan and one of the eight sacred mountains worshipped by the Tibetans. Legend has it that it is the incarnation of a Tibetan God who helped local people drive away evil spirits.
For those who didn’t want to ride, there was the chance for them to try their hand at archery. And, of course, there were the inevitable souvenir shops. And modern technology has arrived in this part of the world, as there were stalls offering to take visitors’s photos and digitally printing them.
The Ganden Sumtseling Gompa was my undoing. It is a 300-year-old Tibetan monastery on the edge of town. Some 600 monks stay here. As I began to climb the long flight of stairs up, the altitude got to me. I had had altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness, three times previously and had vowed not to go to high-altitude places if I could help it. But here I was again.
As I climbed the steps, a thumping headache began pounding in my skull and I was getting short of breath. I had to frequently stop and rest. I felt like an old grandmother creeping up the stairs. An elderly lama overtook me, but even he was puffing and panting.
The monastery is of typical Tibetan design. Dark interiors, with lots of colourful thankas or religious paintings adorn the walls, and the air is thick with the smell of rancid butter and oil from the lamps. I shuffled around very slowly; I just couldn’t go at normal speed as there wasn’t enough oxygen getting to my lungs.
In mid-June the town plays host to a horse-racing festival which lasts several days, and comprises singing and dancing, eating, and, of course, horse racing. In September there is a festival featuring minority artistes from southwest China.
On our first evening we were invited to a cultural show, but several of our group had to give it a miss as we were suffering from altitude sickness. There isn’t a great deal to do in the town, other than wander around and absorb the atmosphere. But it is a good place to get a feel of the Tibetan way of life. W
Useful info
There are flights to Zhongdian from Kunming (Yunnan Airlines) and Chengdu (China Southwest Airlines).
Alternatively there are buses to Lijiang (five hours) and sleeper buses to Kunming. These sleeper buses consist of three rows of double-tier bunks.
Note that some flights may be cancelled due to ice in the winter, and that the roads out of Zhongdian may be temporarily blocked by snow or closed by ice from Nov-March.
There is a range of accommodation from backpacker types to three-star establishments.
Related Story:
To Shangri-La and back
Saturday January 29, 2005
Getting a feel of Tibetan life at Shangri-La
STORY & PICTURES BY LIZ PRICE
When I was invited on a trip to Shangri-La, I had no idea where it was. Of course, I was familiar with the term Shangri-La, the name of a hidden Tibetan valley in James Hilton’s Lost Horizon (1933).
The writer (above) enjoyed her time in Shangri-La.
As we entered the town, I was excited to see snow on the pavements. It had been many years since I last saw snow. The temperature was about 5°C in the bright November sunshine, and to combat the cold I was bundled up in five layers of clothing. The town, which had quite a Tibetan feel to it, consisted of wide streets with small but brightly painted shops.
Zhongdian is the last large town in China before the Tibetan border. It is a boomtown, the rise in Shangri-La-driven tourism having brought about a bland Han Chinese town. Our hotel, the Holy Palace, was in the new part of town.
On our first afternoon, we drove out to see the sights. First we went to Napa Lake, about 7km northwest of town. I was surprised to see no water. Napa is actually a seasonal lake, and at the time of our visit was dry. It is part of a nature reserve and is surrounded by a large grass meadow, and is an important area for bird-watching. One of the more common avian visitors is the black-necked crane.
The easiest way to see this large meadow is by horseback. A large group of locals dressed in their traditional Tibetan costumes were waiting with their horses and ponies. It was a photogenic sight, but the locals were more interested in getting our custom than having their photos taken. I paid my 30 Yuan (about RM15) for the half hour ride, and followed the herd of ponies trekking across the plateau.
We didn’t go far, but it was a pleasant way to view the small hills, blue sky and snow-capped mountains in the distance. West of Zhongdian, the mountain range includes 13 summits, all peaking over 6,000m. The main peak, Kagebo, towering at 6,740m above sea level, is the highest in Yunnan and one of the eight sacred mountains worshipped by the Tibetans. Legend has it that it is the incarnation of a Tibetan God who helped local people drive away evil spirits.
For those who didn’t want to ride, there was the chance for them to try their hand at archery. And, of course, there were the inevitable souvenir shops. And modern technology has arrived in this part of the world, as there were stalls offering to take visitors’s photos and digitally printing them.
The Ganden Sumtseling Gompa was my undoing. It is a 300-year-old Tibetan monastery on the edge of town. Some 600 monks stay here. As I began to climb the long flight of stairs up, the altitude got to me. I had had altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness, three times previously and had vowed not to go to high-altitude places if I could help it. But here I was again.
As I climbed the steps, a thumping headache began pounding in my skull and I was getting short of breath. I had to frequently stop and rest. I felt like an old grandmother creeping up the stairs. An elderly lama overtook me, but even he was puffing and panting.
The monastery is of typical Tibetan design. Dark interiors, with lots of colourful thankas or religious paintings adorn the walls, and the air is thick with the smell of rancid butter and oil from the lamps. I shuffled around very slowly; I just couldn’t go at normal speed as there wasn’t enough oxygen getting to my lungs.
In mid-June the town plays host to a horse-racing festival which lasts several days, and comprises singing and dancing, eating, and, of course, horse racing. In September there is a festival featuring minority artistes from southwest China.
On our first evening we were invited to a cultural show, but several of our group had to give it a miss as we were suffering from altitude sickness. There isn’t a great deal to do in the town, other than wander around and absorb the atmosphere. But it is a good place to get a feel of the Tibetan way of life. W
Useful info
There are flights to Zhongdian from Kunming (Yunnan Airlines) and Chengdu (China Southwest Airlines).
Alternatively there are buses to Lijiang (five hours) and sleeper buses to Kunming. These sleeper buses consist of three rows of double-tier bunks.
Note that some flights may be cancelled due to ice in the winter, and that the roads out of Zhongdian may be temporarily blocked by snow or closed by ice from Nov-March.
There is a range of accommodation from backpacker types to three-star establishments.
Related Story:
To Shangri-La and back
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Shangri La: Tibetan way of life (BT)
Published on The Brunei Times
Shangri La: The Tibetan way of life
Liz Price
SHANGRI LA
Sunday, January 13, 2008
WHEN I was invited to a trip to Shangri La, I had no idea where it was. Of course I was familiar with the term Shangri-La being used to describe an imaginary paradise on earth. When I looked it up in the dictionary, it described it as the name of a hidden Tibetan valley in J Hilton's Lost Horizon (1933).
Next task was to check my Encarta world atlas. Nothing. Shangri La didn't exist. So out came the trusty old Lonely Planet guidebook to China, and lo and behold, there it was. I realised it was a new name given to attract tourists to this area. The main town is Zhongdian and lies in the north of Yunnan province, in southwest China.
At least I knew where I was going. I enjoy mystery tours, but I also like to read up in advance of where I am going, so I have some idea of what to expect. Although there is an airport at Zhongdian, we were doing things the hard way, driving there. In a convoy of 15 cars, we had driven from Bangkok to Mae Sai, then through Myanmar and into China, and through Yunnan province, from Kunming to Dali, then Lijiang and up to the Himalayan plateau where Shangri La lies.
As we entered the town of Zhongdian, I was excited to see snow lying on the pavements. It has been many years since I last saw snow. To combat the cold I had bundled up in five layers of clothing. It was about five degrees Celsius in the bright November sunshine. The first thing that struck me was that the town consisted of fairly wide streets with small but brightly painted shops. There was quite a Tibetan feel to the place.
Zhongdian is the last large town in China before the Tibet border. It lies 198km north of Lijiang and marks the start of the Tibetan world. It is a boomtown, the rise in Shangri La driven tourism has caused the construction of a bland Han Chinese town. Our hotel, the Holy Palace was in the new part of town.
On our first afternoon, we drove out to see the sights. First we went to the Napa Lake, about seven km northwest of the town. I was surprised to arrive and see no water, but then found out this is actually a seasonal lake, and at the time of our visit, was dry. It is part of a nature reserve and is surrounded by a large grass meadow, and is an important area for bird watching. One of the more common of the avian visitors is the black-necked crane.
The easiest way to see this large meadow is by horseback. A large group of locals dressed in their traditional Tibetan costumes were waiting with their horses and ponies. It was a photogenic sight, but the locals were more interested in getting our custom than having their photos taken. I paid my 30 Yuan ($6) for the half hour ride, and followed the herd of ponies trekking across the plateau.
We didn't go far, but it was a pleasant way to view the scenery of small hills, blue sky and snow-capped mountains in the distance. West of Zhongdian the mountain range includes 13 mountains all peaking over 6000m. The main peak, Kagebo, towering at 6,740 metres above sea level, is the highest mountain in Yunnan province, and one of the eight sacred mountains worshipped by the Tibetans. Legend has it that the peak is the incarnation of a Tibetan deity who helped local people drive away evil spirits.
For those who didn't want to ride, there was the chance for them to try their hand at archery.
And of course there were the inevitable souvenir shops. Since modern technology has arrived in this part of the world, stalls were offering the possibility to have your photo taken and then digitally printed. It seems that no place has escaped from computers nowadays.
The Ganden Sumtseling Gompa was my undoing. It is a 300-year-old Tibetan monastery on the edge of town, and is the most important monastery in southwest China. Some 600 monks stay here.
As I began to climb the long flight of stairs up to the monastery, the altitude got to me. I have had altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness, three times previously and I had vowed to myself never to go to altitude again by choice. As I climbed the steps a thumping headache began pounding in my skull and I was getting short of breath. A colleague tried to help me up the steps, but it wasn't much help as I had to frequently stop and rest. I felt like an old grandmother creeping up the stairs. An elderly lama overtook me, but even he was puffing and panting.
The monastery is of typical Tibetan design. Dark interiors, with lots of colourful thankas or religious paintings adorn the walls and the air is thick with the smell of rancid butter and oil from the lamps. I shuffled around very slowly, I just couldn't go at normal speed as there wasn't enough oxygen getting to my lungs.
In mid June the town plays host to a horse racing festival which lasts several days, and comprises of singing and dancing, eating, and of course horse racing. In September there is a festival featuring minority artistes from southwest China. On our first evening we were invited to a cultural show, but several of our group had to give it a miss as we were suffering from the altitude. As we had driven directly up to Shangri La we had had no chance to acclimatise, Zhongdian lies at 3200m. But as many tourists fly in, they would also suffer from the same problem. There isn't a great deal to do in the town other than wander around and absorb the atmosphere. But it is a good place to get a feel of the Tibetan way of life.
The Brunei Times
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Source URL:
http://www.bt.com.bn/en/en/travel/2008/01/13/shangri_la_the_tibetan_way_of_life
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