TRAVELOGUE PART 6 – THE RETURN JOURNEY FROM KAILASH

There was a great sense of satisfaction as we all gathered for dinner in our hotel dining space in Dharchen. Nagu, who stayed back here to rest and recuperate, was feeling much better. The problems of high altitude faced by Sharmila and Tanmay were all but gone. But Ravi was in pain. His left knee had swollen up and there was certainly some ligament injury on the outer side of the knee and could be inside the joint as well. The first thing he did, after returning to the hotel in the evening was to contact his health insurance agent and insisted on an appointment with an Orthopaedic specialist in a hospital in Kathmandu the very next day. We knew he needed a M.R.I and he informed his agent that the hospital should have this facility. He was, in the mean time, made to lie in bed with his limb elevated and specifically told to avoid weight bearing on the injured leg. Dinner was served to him in the room.

Kailash, as seen from our hotel

The spiritual thirst however was not quenched for a few of us! Sri, Ghule and Shyam wanted to go to Mansarovar in the middle of the night because they had read that heavenly celestial bodies descended on the sacred lake when it is pitch dark and quiet between 1.30 to 3.30 AM. Our fearless leader Sudipta immediately contacted Lopsang la and a vehicle was arraned for them. The rest of us, after a sumptuous dinner were back in our rooms to rest or in the lobby to text messages and send pictures to our loved ones back home.

I was sharing a room with Tanmay and Shyam and the latter was planning to go to Mansarovar later that night.  I didn’t even realize when Shyam left the room but when he returned at around 5 in the morning I was awake. It must have been a great experience by the side of Mansarovar and under a clear and starry sky in the dead of the night, but alas, none of the three shared their nocturnal experience with us, the less spiritual lot.

September 25, 2016 - Our duffel bags were out by 7.30 in the morning and we were in the dining space for breakfast. We took an early morning stroll around the hotel. It was a clear blue sky and we could see the southern face of Kailash clearly at a distance from our hotel. Dharchen had very few shops open so early in the morning. Our bus left after 8 AM and we had a long distance to cover. We planned to recover our lost day in Chengdu today by going all the way to Lhatse, a drive which would take us almost 11 hours! We will have to cross Paryang, Dongba and Saga to reach Lhatse. Once we were out of Dharchen we hit a two-lane asphalt road with smooth road surface for most parts. In some areas, the road is a little bumpy. The landscape and vegetation on the way were ever changing including grassland, rivers, desert, barley fields, high mountains as well as Tibetan villages.

Ghule, Rajive, Tanmay, Sudipta, Nagu, Rajive, Sir and Bhaskar
enjoying apple after lunch.

Lunch today was at a place between Paryang and Dongba. A long drive was awaiting us thereafter over the sandy and rocky land of Tibet. We crossed lakes, barley fields, nomads grazing yaks and sheep and small hamlets of habitation these changing sights kept us busy. The atmosphere inside the bus, and particularly the music had changed and now we were listening to old film songs of our college days.  We were all appreciative of the positivity infused in us by the youngsters – Smita and Hyderabadi trio. They made us go faster, farther and higher than we had imagined we could ever go! Bhaskar was particularly exceptional and I made a prophetic announcement that within 5 years he will be in Aastha channel, within the next 5 he will have a channel of his own and in the next 5 his ashram will have a fleet of Rolls Royce and will be buzzing with scores of blonde devotees.  Smita almost immediately interjected and requested Bhaskar to let her have at least one Rolls Royce. Not to be left behind, Rajive wanted at least one blonde devotee, and assured him that he wouldn’t mind more. I had however much bigger plans. In the next fifteen years my Plastic Surgery practice would be almost over and Baba Bhaskarananda would definitely require a manager to look after his affairs. I put my hat in the ring for that coveted post!

The munchies, dates and Gujarati thepla were frequently circulated as were the dry fruits from Ravi’s unending reserves. By the late afternoon we were crossing the Brahmaputra River to reach a familiar Tibetan town, Saga. We could identify the hotel where we had stayed on our way to Kailash, but we were not stopping there and after getting a clearance from the police check post off we drove further east towards Lhatse.

Friendship Highway in Lhatse

Lhatse is a small town of a few thousand people in the  in the valley of the Brahmaputra River in Lahatse County, 151 Km southwest of Shigatse and just west of the mountain pass leading to it. Lhatse is 4,050 metres (13,290 ft) above sea-level. As the roads to Mount Everest and to Mount Kailas divide just west of Lhatse, the town is a popular lunch stop for tour groups heading to those locations. Lhatse is more or less a one-street town with a small square near the centre. The 3 Km-long main street runs east–west and is a part of the China Nepal Friendship Highway, which connects Lhasa to Kathmandu via Shigatse, Lhatse and Tingri. Passing traffic was mostly heading to Everest Base Camp, the Tibet–Nepal border or the turn-off for western Tibet, about 6 Km out of town past a major checkpoint.

Lhatse - main street

Lopsang told us that the town was relatively new but Tibetans have stayed in this region since ancient times and the place had quite a few monasteries, some in ruins and some renovated. Buddhist festivals were sometimes held at the various ancient monasteries, drawing inhabitants from the surrounding region. There are several hotels and restaurants in the town and we stayed in Farmer’s Hotel. The building of this two story structure was very old and the rooms very comfortable, but the water for bathing had to be heated in an electric kettle meant for early morning tea! Dinner was served in a nice and cozy dining room and as we were very tired after a long drive we all retired to our rooms.

Farmer's Hotel, Lhatse

September 26, 2016 - Next morning while having our breakfast and tea in the hotel courtyard we appreciated the old Tibetan architecture of this place. We also noticed that the lady at the front desk last night, with whom none of us had the opportunity to establish eye contact because her eyes were constantly glued to her smart phone all the time, was still busy texting messages!

After breakfast we were back in our bus and we left for Lhasa. The whole valley was covered with green barely fields and bright yellow mustard meadows. Barley harvest was in progress and we were once again driving along the Brahmaputra River. The sky was clear and the day was sunny. The day temperature was much warmer, our layers of clothing today had reduced and a wind cheater was a good enough protection. There was however a wind chill factor and so head and ears needed protection.

By the early afternoon we were entering another familiar city, Shigatse. We stopped at the hotel where we had stayed on our way up to Kailash. It was a bit longer than our regular Diamox breaks

Lunch under a canopy of trees

because the cooks had some business to attend. Lopsang returned our passports, forewarning that he might need them once or twice on our way ahead as we left for our last leg of journey to Lhasa. Lunch today was under the shade of trees at the roadside. This was a beautiful patch of land covered by an incomplete canopy of trees with sunlight filtering in and out of the shade. Today we had paratha, sabji, daal, rice, pickles, papadam and apple. The paratha was a big hit. After lunch and gathering all the used plates in a large polythene bag we again hit the road. The music volume was brought down so that those interested in a nap were not disturbed and off we went to Lhasa.

Barley crop waiting to be harvested

The rules of driving in highways are petty strict and once again we had to stop 200 meters before police check posts to avoid crossing them before time and being fined for the same. Twice Lopsang needed our passports to check us through. We had tortured him all these days with our hymns, shlokas and music which he, Tawa and the policemen did not understand. Now he planned to pay us back in the same currency by starting some Tibetan music. I somehow liked it because music really has no language barriers to cross, particularly the peppy ones which he was offering.

We crossed the bridge over Brahmaputra River and reached Lhasa at around 6 PM. Back in our Lhasa Mansarovar Hotel, after a quick round of Masala chai, a few of us left for the market place to do some shopping. Lopsang also purchased some Yak meat and once back from the market our cooks cooked us the most delicious evening snacks – plenty of vegetable fry and satey and Yak meat fry.

Rajive and Tanmay from ear to ear with glee, gazing at the gastronomic delight!

Nagu, Ghule and Sri looking at the local jewelry

The party was in the room which I and Tanmay were sharing. Two types of beer – one good one horrible and a bottle of red wine, which refused to open without professional assistance, irrigated the party atmosphere. We were so caught up in all this that we could never reach the dining space downstairs in time for dinner! Dinner today was special – soup, food – Indian, Chinese and Italian and sweet dishes, but honestly we did not do justice to it.

September 27, 2016 - Our Sichuan Airlines flight back to Kathmandu was at 12 Noon and so we had to reach Lhasa International Airport at around 9 AM. After a sumptuous breakfast we were back in

A road tunnel leading to the airport from Lhasa city

our bus for the last time and it took us almost an hour to reach the airport. Our fearless leader generously tipped Lopsang, Tawa and the policemen and we bid goodbye to them. They had been a great help and we appreciated their kindness and professionalism. Our flight was late by 2 hours and we utilized the time doing some duty free shopping. Ravi was on a shopping overdrive and managed to fill all the nooks and corners of his cabin bag. After 2 rounds of coffee it was boarding time and soon we were airborne.

We arrived in Kathmandu at 11 AM and the guys from Ravi’s medical insurance company were waiting for him to take him to the hospital. The Hyderabadi trio was staying near the airport and had their own conveyance. Meanwhile our fearless leader had already arranged an airport pick up for the rest of us and we were all back in Geje Suite hotel in Thamel. This time around I and Rajive were sharing a room. Lunch was not high on my agenda and I was more interested in the debate between Hillary and Trump. Quite a few of us got massages and facials and suddenly Shyam has shining cheeks with no beards! In the evening we walked down the market lanes of Thamel and did some window shopping. Rajive purchased a big statue of Tara after Tanmay managed to haggle it down from Nepali Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 7,000. Later we climbed a flight of stairs and graced a first floor restaurant which served us excellent momos and boneless chili chicken. Tanmay was so impressed that he taught the bartender how to make a couple of rare cocktails, and also how to bill the customers for them! Returning to our hotel we fondly remembered our entire journey of Tibet and talked about everything else till late night.

September 28, 2016 – We woke up late and after a shower went upstairs for breakfast. This was our last meal together and the poori – sabji, laccha paratha, achaar and cold coffee with ice cream were

Our last meal together!

all divine. Sharmila and I along with the Hyderabadi trio were leaving for Delhi by the 2.45 PM Indigo flight and so we proceeded towards the airport, whereas the rest of our friends were off to Pashupati Nath Temple to say ‘Thank you’ to Lord Shiva for helping us visit His abode. Sharmila’s son is a pilot with Indigo and so she was offered a very special V.V.I.P treatment in the flight as we returned to Delhi. A big thank you to all the team members for making this a memorable trip!!