Living and Loving: May 2011

我要记住那一次满心的相遇

我会守住那一份寒冷的喜悦

在天和地，山与湖之间

我们的震撼和感动，都遗留在滚滚沙尘中。。。

《那一月那一年那一世》

那一月，我轻转过所有经筒

不为超度，只为触摸你的指纹

那一年，我磕长头拥抱尘埃

不为朝佛，只为贴着你的温柔

那一世，我细翻遍十万大山

不为修来世，只为路中能与你相遇

只是，就在那一夜，

我忘切了所有

抛却了信仰，舍弃了轮回

只为，那曾在佛前哭泣的玫瑰

早已失去旧日的光泽

~~~~~仓央嘉措，西藏第六代达赖喇嘛

蓝天一片，白云在飘，艳阳高照，冷风吹散

山峰白雪，地面绿草，牛羊乱跑，男女向佛

五月。西藏

~~~ 林伯 “LimPek”

Tibet...never in my dreams

After our autumn trip to Sichuan (Sichuan,Memoirs of the Fall), we have been waiting for this day to happen. There was a series of changing of mind and changing of plans and changing of flights…and we are finally here.

What can I say, this is such an experience of a lifetime, being on a land where heaven and hell meets…where the beauty of nature has to be appreciated under such a tough weather condition.

But it’s a place where I will always want to look back and revive that moment of joy.

Travel Date: 14/5-30/5/2011

Number of pax: 8

Flight:

Airasia, KL-Chengdu (RM800++)

Air China, Chengdu-Linzhi （CNY1530), Lhasa-Chengdu (CNY1660）

Accommodation:

Besides Chengdu, all hotels are being introduced by drivers. Price range from CNY150-330 per room per night. (1 double and 2 triple rooms)

Travel Expenses (All in, exclude pocket money): ~RM7,000

我们在中国的联络, 群培次仁师傅。

Our contact in Tibet – Choepel Tsering +8613989086651 choepel_88@yahoo.com

QQ：神秘的地方 447285489

Rate: CNY1000 per car per day

他给我们的感觉是敦厚老实，但不失为一个生意人，开的价钱也算合理。他带领几个亲朋好友一起组织汽车团队。他学过英文，也考了导游执照，让他在西藏旅游行业发展的更顺心。

本来预算他会亲自带领我们，但后来是安排"郎杰"和"普布"给我们开车。郎杰会说一点华语，较好沟通。普布则无法与其交流。由于司机都不善交谈，途中可能错失了一些美好的人和事。但跟当地的奸诈地陪相比，这两位司机踏实多了。我们也无需顾虑他们脑子里面藏了什么诡计。一路上安安心心的陶醉在雪山草原的怀抱中。

Choepel is a tour guide cum driver. I contacted him through sms and emails, where he helped apply our entrance permit and booked our air ticket from Chengdu to Linzhi in advance.

He was with another group, also from Malaysia, when we arrived Linzhi. He was supposed to bring us on the second part of our trip but his permit terminated and he couldn’t renew it in time to carry on the trip with us.

We were with two other drivers throughout the trip. One named “Pukpu”, who hardly understands Chinese. Another one, “LangGe”, can speaks but cannot read Chinese. He is friendly and pretty helpful anyway. Though not much history or so called “tour guide story” we can gather from the drivers but they can definitely share a lot of their personal experience and local culture that “Chinese” tour guide won’t bother about.

Driver in Sichuan 四川司机：

当然还有帅哥小胡。Not to forget our ex-driver, Xiao Hu. +86 13666136876

原本是找他带我们从德格入藏;

即成都-日隆-丹巴-塔公-道孚-炉霍-甘孜-德格-昌都（西藏边境）-然乌-波密-鲁郎-林芝

可是当时有管制，外国人不能从陆地入藏，只好改乘飞机去林芝，再往回走去然乌湖。

我们抵达成都当天机场接机，去竹海，最后一天去都江堰都是他帮我们介绍司机。

从西藏回来，他还特地到梦之旅跟我们见个面，还带了太太和孩子。他行程很满，都是往西藏跑，所以也一直没机会包他的车。

备注：中国司机是不能带外国人入藏的，除非有藏族导游陪同。所以如果走德格路线，群培师傅的司机会在德格接我们。

Our original plan is to enter Tibet through land travel via DeGe.

Chengdu -Danba-TaGong-DaWu-LuHuo-Garze-Dege-Changdu (Border of Tibet)-Bowo-Lulang-Linzhi

However, during that period of time, foreigners were prohibited from entering Tibet by automobiles.

Tibet is celebrating its 60th Anniversary of Peaceful Liberation since 1951, in May 2011. The ceremony is held on 23 May 2011 in front of the Potala Palace.

Hey, we were in Lhasa that day...

But our drivers never mention anything about that. Maybe Tibetans view the "Peaceful Liberation" as otherwise.

Happened to come across this article -

http://www.tibetsun.com/archive/2011/05/23/two-views-of-a-60th-anniversary/

Well, anyway, that's why we ended up flying to Linzhi.

Though we managed to drive through the second part of our land travel in Tibet via Linzhi, the road from Chengdu to Dege becomes an unaccomplished journey for us in Sichuan.

Accommodation in Chengdu

成都住宿 Dream Hostel, Chengdu

还是选择回到梦之旅，因为网上订购方便。也因为需要一间熟悉的旅店帮我们代收群培师傅寄来的入藏函。

这次为了让大家养精蓄锐，花一点钱睡豪华间。

这里生意还是那么好，员工都吊得高高的，只有一个美女(竟然忘了她的名字,好像什么静的)，还挺有耐心的服务我们。

Though I really hate the attitude of the staff working in this hostel, I still choose to stay here for its location and our familiarity of the surrounding. Our Tibet entry permit is sent here by Choepel from Lhasa. We need it for the flight to Linzhi.

We do have a good time in Chengdu; shopping for us and foot massage for the three who are indifferent.

寻找一段美丽的记忆 Walking back into a memory full of amazed beauty ~~

14/5 成都 KL - Chengdu

抵达已不在陌生的都市，回到熟悉的武侯祠大街，面对梦之旅那几个忙得挤不出笑容的员工，我们一样兴奋的期待着接下来的旅程。

唯一麻烦的是房间在四楼，为了方便，大行李都尽量留在底层的储藏室，只背个小包包爬上楼。

15/5-16/5 蜀南竹海 ShuNan Bamboo Sea

住宿 Accommodation introduced by driver：承宾楼酒店，由司机介绍的。CNY720 for 3 rooms

面包车Transport: CNY2800
从成都往东南方行驶，车程大约3-4小时。第二天下午六点回到成都。

It's about 3-4 hours drive from Chengdu to ShuNan. We tasted the most delicious roasted chicken in a restaurant along the way. Uncle Lim do miss "it" a lot...Though the photo looks otherwise...

竹海里，到处是一片飘然的绿。
贪禁地吸满饱饱的氧气吧！因为明天以后，就要往空气稀薄的雪域高原出发了。

翡翠长廊 The Bamboo Walkway

深山里的瀑布，彩虹若隐若现 Waterfall in the forest

丹崖古穴 - 仙寓洞 XianYu Cave

竹子大餐 Bamboo cuisine

This is the typical breakfast throughout our journey.

每天就是这样的早餐：

热粥，鸡蛋，馒头配当地的腌菜，自家的江鱼子和肉干，是道地配着家乡的味道！

17/5 飞往林芝，驱车经色季拉山，鲁朗，宿波密 -民政宾馆

Fly to Linzhi, drive over Shergyla Mountain, Lulang, overnight at Bowo

9.10am 抵达林芝机场 Arrive at Linzhi Airport

抵达林芝后，当地导游及司机在机场接了我们即到公安局报到。值班的公安很友善，让我们安了心。

Upon arriving at Linzhi, we meet up with the Chinese Tour Guide (refer to as 'Mr Bear' ) and report ourselves to the local police station. The official in-charge is very friendly and polite.

坐在车里看一路风光明媚

停在路边买瓜果

路边扫地的藏族小孩，很认真的摆个扑士！

色季拉山上 On top of Shergyla Mountain (5000m above sealevel)

林芝海拔大约两千多米，一般上不会有什么高山反应。不过今天要翻越五千多米的色季拉山。大家都保持在最佳状态，只有我在饥饿的路途中开始感觉晕眩，很不舒服，一直在车子里静坐。直到下了山，抵达鲁郎的饭店后，大家又是调整又是按摩，终于有了胃口，品尝了赫赫有名的石锅鸡汤。

From Linzhi (2000m++), we go straight up to Shergyla Mountain which is over 5000m above sea level. I was very hungry then, and start to fill dizzy on the way up. Everybody was posting for photos on top of the mountain. Yet I stay inside the car meditating. Luckily I regain my appetite after going down to Lulang for the famous rock pot chicken soup.

That was the only experience of high altitude sickness. Everyone in the group was doing fine throughout the whole journey.

Note:

I started taking Rhodiola rosea (红景天粉末) two weeks before our trip. Maybe it helps. Well, We do meditation and Longevitology adjustment every now and then, especially when travelling in the car.

Oh ya, we also do "Guasa" 刮痧 along the way to clear the heat from our body.

18/5 米堆冰川，然乌湖一日游, 宿波密 -芙蓉宾馆

Day trip to Mainling Glasier and Lake Ranwu, overnight at Bowo

We check-out in the morning to discover at the later of the day that it is better for us to make a day trip and return to Bowo in the evening. The earlier hostel is fully booked so we find another one a bit down on the same street.

米堆冰川热得没什么冰了，整个地方荒芜的有点苍凉。不过相信秋天的景色会很迷人。太阳的照射可不是普通的猛烈，很想连眼睛也一起包起来！倒是很享受骑马的乐趣。

The Glasier should look nicer in the autumn. But it's fun riding on the horse.

Mind you, the sun is burning, painstakingly burning...!!!

干枯的米堆冰川

来一杯酥油茶

Let's have a cup of yak butter milk tea!

下一站到然乌湖。这里平静的只有我们的声音。那只熊地陪就是不明白我们为什么那么远一条路来看一个不起眼的湖泊。其实我们享受的还有那一路的风景啊！

本来我们打算在然乌湖过一夜，后来司机说晚上很冷怕我们不适应提议我们当天返回波密。后来发觉这个决定很可能是那只熊的怂恿，这样我们第二天可以提早抵达林芝，了他在按摩院敲一笔的心愿。哼哼！！

后来听朋友告知我们然乌湖早上的景色有倒影，超美的。

悔当初功课做不足，就这样报销了一个美景。

烈日下的然乌湖 Lake RanWu

One of our best dinner 我们在这里尝到了最合口味的一餐。

19/5 波密-林芝 - 宿杜鹃花旅馆 Drive back to Linzhi

路边的藏族老人和小孩

漫漫长路不寂寥！Companians along our journey

再尝一次石锅鸡汤 Another round of Rock Pot Chicken Soup

路边一大片的油菜花 Rape Seed Flower farm along the way

The giantic cypress tree garden

冬虫草，真也？壳也？ Cordyceps, true or fate?

We arrive early in the afternoon, around 3pm++, so we decided to go for massage. Mr Bear starts to show his true colours. He brings us to a Massage Centre which looks expensive, and charged us dearly. Well, we thought since we are there, we don't want to spoil our mood so we just treat that as his tips.

Who cares, let's just enjoy ourselves! Look at Uncle Lim...

20/5 林芝-拉萨，宿刚坚旅馆 Linzhi – Lhasa

虽然今天十个小时车程，但一路风景迷人，心情无限开朗。只是那只熊地陪真TMD给我们扫了八辈子的兴!!

A long journey today. But the scenery is beautiful. We drop by a few sightseeing spots along the way. The only incident that p%#@ me off is the 'Bear' charged us a high price for the entrance fee at the Waterfall. We only pay him the exact fees and still give him the money that I have already put aside for his tips. He never look at us from that moment onwards...

Anyway, today is the happiest day of all as we don't have to see the 'Bear' face anymore upon arriving at Lhasa.

Note：It is compulsary for foreigners to employ a licensed tour guide in most areas of Tibet.

沿途第一个景点。

卡定沟瀑布 KaDingGou Waterfall

峭壁上的观音像

温馨的一刻 A picturesque stopover ended with A heart-touching photo taken by Lily

在途中一个小镇享用了一个丰富的午餐。有这几条新鲜的河鱼上桌，加上鲜菇，野菜，好味！看，就剩骨剩渣了！

漫漫长路不寂寥！

傍晚时分抵达拉萨，登记入房后即到邻近餐馆享用晚餐。

拉萨刚坚旅馆应该有几粒星吧，酒店的标价是数千元人民币的，房间很大，自助早餐有中西选择，还真不错。我们通过司机友人代订，只需付两百多元一晚。隔年在艺龙网看到的价格也要六百多元呢！

21/5 大昭寺，购物 Johkang Temple, shopping

布达拉宫每天有规定到访人数，必须提前一天购票，且须依据票上指定时间进入。司机郎杰车我们去买票，之后让我们在八角街下车访大昭寺及周边购物。

大昭寺人潮很多。旅游团几乎都在同一个时间到达，然后一窝蜂的又离开了。我们好不容易找到售票处，买了票，傻傻的跟着这群人进入寺内，匆匆的又被挤了出来。

We bought our entrance ticket to Potala Palace for the next day. Lange drive us to the ticket counter. There are slots of time for visitors to enter the Palace. Therefore tickets have to be bought at least one day earlier.

After that, we were dropped in front of the Johkang temple. There were lots of visitors when we arrive that we can hardly find the ticketing counter. It took us a while wondering around until we ask a tour guide. After buying the tickets, we just follow the crowd into the temple. In a short moment of time, all visitors disappeared. Some of us went back to the temple again for a more detailed and refreshing viewing.

大昭寺前留影

虔诚的信徒

大昭寺内

Barkhor street is just beside the temple. We bought some Tibetan Tianzhu and shawl from roadside stalls. It rains after lunch, so we rush back to the hotel.

Looking for Tianzhu.
很认真的在挑选听说都不是源自西藏的天珠，哈哈！摊主会帮我们把天珠依据要求串成项链或手链。

当时在一间小店里买了一对耳环，回来还没来得及秀秀就已经脱色了。

Back on the street again after a good nap in the hotel.

八角街黄昏时分

Enjoying a good dinner in a restaurant at Bakhor Street.

22/5 布达拉宫，色拉寺，罗布林卡 Potala Palace, Seraje Temple, Norbulingkha

站在布达拉宫前面，心中缺少了应有的兴奋与震撼。是藏民舍弃一切的追随么，是谁在悲情的祷告么？我是迷迷糊糊的转了一圈，茫茫然然的走了出来。

Our entrance time for Potala Palace is 10.00am. We take our time walking slowly up to the main entrance. It's quite a long way though. The Palace is situated at 3700m above sea level.

We are exciting, of course. Potala Palace has always been a dream and a mystery.

I have never thought of coming to this place. Never in my vacation list. I only heard about people being sick upon arriving at this place.

Not until we saw the beauty of Yading Nature's Reserve in Sichuan last October (Sichuan, Memoirs of the Fall).

I can still remember how amazed I was when walking into the frontyard of Taj Mahal (North India in a rush Glance), when the white marble building standing majestically in front of my eyes. I can feel the glory and the greatness of it's history. And this is nothing like looking into a picture.

Being in the Potala Palace doesn't bring me into any feeling of joy or greatness. There are so many prayers to be answered, in the Johkang Temple, and here, in the Potala Palace. Prayers from the Tibetans.

Maybe it is the love that remains in Taj Mahal. Yet it is totally a different story for Potala Palace and the destiny of Dalai Lama and the tibetans.

Well, this is still a day to be remembered, the day I visited the highest ancient Palace in the world.

步入布达拉宫的阶梯

布达拉宫出口的路上坐着休息的藏族女子

祈祷的老妇

A place for our stomach.

Let's forget about fats and cholesterol for one moment...

After lunch, we booked Lange for a half day tour to Seraje Temple and Norbulingkha where we just scroll around and relax.

Paintings on the rock

During dinner time, Choepel give us a treat at a nice tibetan restaurant. We enjoy the food very much.

23/5 拉萨 – 羊湖 – 日喀则，宿康勋宾馆 Lhasa – Lake YuTso- Shigatse

羊卓雍措静静的躺在四千多公尺的高原上，阳光在湖面反射的那一片蓝，的确美得让我无法言语。

Lake YuTso, it is so calm, so blue, so so...unreal, just like looking into a picture.

在途中遇见的藏獒 Tibetan Mastiff

到藏民家拜访

磨粉制作糌粑，藏民最普遍的粮食

日喀则 - 康勋宾馆 Our motel at Shigatse

24/5 日喀则- 拉孜, 宿阳光宾馆 Shigatse – LhaTse

Tibetans' traditional breakfast

水加麦粉加糖 = 糌粑，味道口感都不错，重点是麦粉新鲜，很香。

时间充裕，走访了拉孜的扎什伦布寺，与色拉寺一样，是藏传佛教格鲁派六大寺之一。

Reaching for the sacred water. 藏民争着拿圣水，我们也顺手装了一瓶抹抹脸。^_^ !

抵达拉孜，买了珠峰大本营的票，再找个宾馆就寝。
Settling down at Lhatse, the nearest village from Everest Base Camp.

宾馆楼上望出去 View from our room

25/5 珠峰大本营 – 日喀则,宿康勋宾馆 Mt Everest Base Camp – Shigatse

We started our journey at 4am in the dark, reaching the base camp two hours later. Just right for sunrise.

相片里的每一个人都冷得在抖擞，看那勉强挤出来的笑容。。。

It's freezing at the Base camp. I just stay inside the Camp, sitting beside the fireplace. Four went to another base camp to have a closer view of mount everest.

The immediate expression upon arriving at the base camp is that "Hey, why's Mt Everest so low?"

Ya, you've forgotten that you are standing at over 5000m above sea level, and Mt Everest is only 3000m above from where you are now...

珠峰，站在其脚边望过去，离得好近好近。世界第一高峰哟，颤抖着，还是要好好去感受她的宏伟。

回去的路上，喜马拉雅山脉尽入眼帘。停下来，慢慢享受那高山在我身边，大地在我脚下的感觉。当时还未学习拍照的我，没能将这感觉拍下来。只有曾经留下足迹的旅人，才能重温那份天地辽阔，心怀宽广的牵系。

26/5 日喀则- 纳木错 Shigatse - Namtso

卷起尘沙继续上路。。。

天然气 Natural Gas

到了青藏公路。。。

看到火车，好不兴奋！就是那闻名的青藏铁路噢！

终于进入景区

在景区最高点瞭望

大海边际看多了，没看过陆地上地平线的我，对于这样的一望无际，又是一次不能言语的惊叹！

到纳木错已经傍晚七点，天色开始暗下来，我是冷得无法思考了。

可是让我深深回味的，是进入纳木错景区时那条长长的路，前方可清楚的看到地平线。第一次感觉地球是圆的，车子一直往前走，却去不到尽头。路的两边是辽阔的草原，远处有群山环绕，夕阳正洒着金光，啊，那一刻，飒然的抓住了我的心！

一粒沙里看出世界，一朵野花里见天国。
在我眼里盛住无限，一刹那间既是永恒！

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the scene through my eyes
And Eternity in an hour.

纳木错的住宿，只有四张床位的房间，没有卫生间，没有沐浴室。附近连个坑都没有。一切回归大自然。

Only clean beds for sleeping and a decent restaurant with reasonably good food. Not even a hole to do your business. Haha, what an experience!

It's freezing. Even the strongest man in our group suffer the whole night. Of course la... with only a thin sweater and thin jacket. If I wore like that, I would have ended up an ice statue in the morning.

27/5 纳木错 – 拉萨，宿刚坚旅馆 Namtso – Lhasa

起个清早看日出，那当然不是我。整个脑袋细胞都冬眠去了，两只脚走不到湖边。

吃了早餐，八点多离开时，湖色变得深蓝色了。再见了，给我一个冷冷回忆的纳木措！

中午回到拉萨，吃了午餐回旅馆休息。傍晚又出来逛街，再跟这座拥有1300年历史的佛教圣地作一次交流。

28/5 告别拉萨，飞回成都 Farewell to Lhasa，Fly back to Chengdu

往机场的路上，看到石壁上刻了许多天堂的阶梯。
而我想说的是：你们每天踩在脚下的这片土地，却是我响往的天堂！

也许有一天，那些纯净的、一生只为朝佛祷告的心灵会再次引领我回来接近她。
也许，这是我们此生唯一的相遇。

29/5 逛书店，购物，青羊宫，宽窄巷子
Bookstore, Shopping, Qing Yang Gong, Broad and Narrow Alley

休闲之日。A day of rest for all.

这一趟来到才发现原来梦之旅附近有一栋楼的大书店。兴奋的忘了什么名字，反正是当地出名的书店，有多间分行，就好像我们大马的大众书局一样，可是却是小巫见大巫了。

闲闲逛逛的过了一天，有一点喜悦的小收获，有一些懊恼的小情节，还有身上无以计数的活跃细胞，正欢庆着回到了它们可以正常操作的平原。

闲的无聊，下下棋吧，正是三缺一呀！

灯亮起了，你怎么还没来？

30/5 都江堰，青城山一日游。午夜班机飞回吉隆坡。
Day trip to DujianYan Irrigation System and QingCheng Mountain. Midnight flight back to KL

通过小胡介绍司机包车一日游，价格没记录到。司机当时建议去映秀地震遗址，每人加两百什么的，没人理会。还好没去，事实证明一天去都江堰和青城山，时间刚刚好。

As described by Uncle Lim, this day is a Bonus. A truly relaxing day trip; an eye-opening in the Irrigation System and an oxigen re-charged in the greenary nature of QingCheng Mountain.