The decision to go to Lhasa was really made up of my mind. When I went home at night and talked with my family, 2 of the 3 people voted against it. What they probably mean is "The way of life over there is different from ours. What if you don't get used to it? What if something happens to you because you are unfamiliar with the place over there? The altitude over there is so high that you will feel uncomfortable if you are high. What should I do?" The result was "It's okay to go, when I have time in the future, let's go together". However, my family's understanding of Lhasa and Tibet has always been limited. After a heated debate, I left the plain where I had lived for more than 20 years with my luggage and headed for the plateau.
The first stop is to go to Dunhuang, a node city on the Silk Road. Readers must be puzzled as to why this place is chosen. In fact, it is for work. It takes two days to stay in Dunhuang to challenge the snow-covered plateau. Just during this period, you can stock up on supplies. Of course, you need to travel lightly. Now Junjun will make a list of the travel items you bring, so that everyone can learn more intuitively.
Clothing: one long down jacket, one thin sweater, one shirt, one pair of jeans, one pair of casual pants, one pair of casual shoes, two warm pants, one sun hat
Daily necessities: 7 pieces of disposable compressed towels (as big as a small soap), toiletries, skin care products (facial cleanser, water, milk, cream) samples, 7 pieces of facial masks, hand cream (must bring, too dry) , 1 pack of wet wipes, 2 packs of paper towels
Snacks: biscuits, Shaqima, bread, some mineral water
Others: thermal water cup, charging treasure, glucose (recommended by colleagues, more effective than rhodiola)
All kinds of schoolbags are enough. In the end is to choose what kind of transportation? Here I would like to remind everyone not to be impulsive when going out, and it is good to make some hard-working plans. My colleagues and I finally decided to rent a Buick in Dunhuang, because the later stage will involve going to the Shannan area to see if there is any new travel route development (it is called stepping on the line in the industry).
After the work was arranged properly, it was already 10 o'clock in the morning. Under the call of the spring breeze, we set off with two people in one car. I am in charge of navigation and reminding where there is a speed limit or taking photos in violation of regulations. My colleagues just drive safely. The division of labor is perfect, and I hope the journey will be so perfect.
At the end of March, the winter jasmine in Beijing was already full of branches, but this small town seemed to have just woken up. The cars were driving at a constant speed. I've heard the saying "It's fun to fight against the sky and the earth." Seeing the wind and sand outside the window, I think we still can't fight against nature.
The first place to stop and rest is Golmud. The distance from Dunhuang to Golmud is about 530 kilometers. We have a chance to eat at 4 pm. No matter how hard it is, I can't suffer my stomach, so I searched for a national restaurant called "Zhenhua Handcaught King", and ordered a big mixed vegetable, a farm potato chip, two catties of hand-steaked mutton, eight treasure tea 2 It's no accident that I ordered too much, but the only thing worth packing is the mutton. At this time, there are very few customers for dinner, and the waiters don’t seem to be very old. They can play basketball, dribble, and dunk for a while in their spare time.
The next step is to choose a place to rest tonight. There are 3 places that can provide accommodation. The closest one is Wudaoliang. On the way, I saw signs that Wudaoliang is 109KM away, Yanshiping is 346KM away, and Tuotuohe is away from It is in the middle, but the altitude of Wudaoliang is about 4500, the altitude of Yanshiping is about 4700, and the altitude of Tuotuo River is about 4600. Our final choice is Tuotuo River, why? To answer here, the time to leave Golmud is 5 pm. If we stay overnight in Wudaoliang, we may rest before the sun sets, but the plan to arrive in Lhasa tomorrow may be stranded, because it is less than 900 kilometers away from Lhasa. , There are many speed-limited sections on the way, and it will definitely not be possible to reach the destination the next day. I can only drive more today. Although the altitude here is lower than the other two places, the mercury content in the soil in this area is high and the vegetation is less, resulting in low oxygen content in the air, which is very prone to high reactions. There is such a sentence as "When I arrived at Wudaoliang, I cried my father and called my mother!", and "Nachitai got sick, and Wudaoliang was dying." "Just because of these two points and five bridges, they were removed from the list. The distance from Yanshiping was suitable but the altitude was too high. In the end, only the Tuotuo River remained.
From Golmud, drive south along the Golmud River. The ice surface in early spring has not completely melted, and there is still a lack of greenery on both sides of the road. It is estimated that the only greenery is the river in the picture.
Because it has been eroded by flowing water all year round, the embankment is like a cliff, and the ice surface that is about to melt is covered with patchy cracks, which is a very spectacular scene. I thought I would say goodbye to the river after a certain journey, but I met the Kunlun River again. At this time, the river is wide, but the water volume is smaller, and the slow flow creates a peaceful scene of time. The viaduct of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway crosses the Kunlun River. Occasionally, I can see trains roaring past, but I haven’t seen any passenger trains along the way. Most of them are freight, or transport coal or oil.
In the first day of the itinerary, apart from getting off at Golmud and staying by the river next to the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Viaduct, the third time my feet came into contact with the earth was at Nachi Terrace.
Because there is a living spring here, we call it "Kunlun Holy Spring". Why can it be modified with such an important word as "holy"? Of course, it is inseparable from its legend and efficacy. It is said that when Princess Wencheng went to Tibet, she encountered wind, sand and smoke and was unable to move forward. Lu Dongzan, the minister who welcomed the bride, paid homage to the princess and said that this is a sacred mountain, which can only be passed through by pious worship. The princess got down from the chariot and enshrined the Buddha statue invited from Chang'an on a platform for worship. Suddenly, a clear spring gushed out from the front of the Buddha statue, shaped like a lotus flower in a pagoda. So people call it "Shenquan".
Later, according to the identification of medical experts: most of the spring water in Kunlun Mountain Springs is pure natural high-quality mineral water with a high content of strontium. . Over time, everyone called it "Holy". Junjun poured a bottle of holy water here, it is really sweet in the mouth.
The sun was slanting to the west, and we speeded up, but we still occasionally speeded up under the premise of ensuring safety. The snow-capped mountain in the distance is called Yuzhufeng. Although the altitude exceeds 6,000 meters, it can’t resist the footsteps of climbing enthusiasts. Its southern slope is relatively difficult to climb, flat and wide, and the climbing route is clear; the northern slope is narrower. Although the small valley area is 4,200 meters above sea level, the route is relatively complicated, and you can successfully climb to the summit along the three glaciers. During the climb, you will encounter terrain such as ice walls and ice cracks. Climbers can gain alpine experience on the south slope, and learn ice and snow techniques and mountaineering tactics on the north slope. Therefore, Mount Yuzhu is a good training ground for mountaineering enthusiasts to climb the snow mountain for the first time.
Saying goodbye to Mount Everest, the next stop is the Hoh Xil Reserve Monument. There are sculptures of Tibetan antelopes and a great hero sculpture on the square. His name is Sonam Dajie. I believe that many readers will know him well without an introduction. Yes, it is the station master who died in the heroic struggle against poachers to protect the Tibetan antelope.
On January 18, 1994, 40-year-old Sonam Dajie and four team members captured 20 poachers in Hoh Xil, seized 7 cars and more than 1,800 Tibetan antelope skins, and escorted the gangsters to the vicinity of Sun Lake. Attacked by gangsters, Sonam Dajie confronted 18 poachers with guns in no-man’s land in order to protect the Tibetan antelope. He shed his last drop of blood and was sculpted into an ice sculpture by the -40°C wind and snow in Hoh Xil, becoming a person including Tibetans. Heroes in the hearts of all people who love life in the masses.
--------Baidu Encyclopedia
I pay high tribute to this environmental protection guard. He said that "this (Koke Xil) is not a no-man's land, but an uninhabited area." In order to protect the Tibetan antelope, he traveled to every corner of the no-man's land. It is precisely because of the protection of one hero after another that we who walk the Qinghai-Tibet line can see the herd of antelope strolling in the distance of the road.
The sun has completely set, and there are no street lights here, so we can only drive carefully. Occasionally, a vehicle passed us, or an oncoming vehicle shook my little Buick with its headlights, and I really wanted to swear. Occasionally, there are vehicles leading the way in front of us, so that my driver colleagues seem to be more relaxed, but the good times don't last long, and there are very few cars in the same group.
Because I have developed a habit of sleeping at ordinary times, I will be sleepy around 10 o'clock. I chatted with my colleagues in a drowsy manner, because I was afraid that he would be in a trance like me when he was driving. When I opened my eyes again, I seemed to see dots of lights in front of me. It turned out that our first day's accommodation had finally arrived. I am in tears, it is already early morning. After looking at the altitude parameters, the altitude here is 4529 meters. After checking in, I went to the pharmacy to buy oxygen bags and glucose for emergencies.
It's really uncomfortable, I desperately want to take a big breath to get more oxygen, but it seems that there is nothing I can do. I tossed and turned until 5 o'clock, so I took some oxygen first, otherwise what would I do if I woke up and fell down? After buffering for a while, go to the bathroom to wash up and prepare to leave. Is that me in the mirror? Why is it the same as being poisoned? His face was pale and his lips were purple. Hey~ It's a sign of hypoxia, don't make a fuss, just take more inhalation later, I comfort myself like this.
Still driving in the dark, we set off on time at 6 o'clock, about 740 kilometers away from Lhasa, and the estimated driving time is 14 hours and 30 minutes. It was another torturous day, and my colleague said that we had to cross Tanggula Mountain as soon as possible. Although there was no news of snowfall today, the climate on the top of the mountain is changeable, and it will be difficult to walk after snowfall. It was only later that I realized what I was really afraid of. The morning glow here is really beautiful, and I occasionally look back and see the golden light in the distance, but the bumpy road can't leave precious video data. The white belly of the car was exposed in front of the car. It was so good when it was dawn, and the sky seemed to be washed blue.
According to the number of oncoming vehicles, we boldly speculate that the mountain pass should be restricted due to snow, and we are even more anxious to hurry. Sure enough, there were snowflakes falling on the car window. At first, it was a small one blooming on the glass, and it gradually turned into large pieces. From time to time, the sound of hailstones hitting the car was heard. Hmm~ The climate here is really weird. After passing through a crosswind section, the altitude gradually climbed, and I knew it was close to Tanggula. The snow on the road became more and more obvious, and there were more and more large trucks parked on the side of the road. The gap between the trucks was widened, and occasionally the driver could be seen holding a shovel to pad soil under the wheels.
The wind and snow are getting bigger and bigger, and sometimes there is a traffic jam ahead, so we have to take a mandatory rest. During the break, I met some donkey friends who also wanted to go to Lhasa, so our two small cars shuttled among a group of "big guys". If there is any situation ahead, we will flash double flashes to remind the vehicles behind. In this way, the rest of the vehicles were finally put to rest. For the sake of safety, many small vehicles stopped driving, and we had no way to retreat. We could only move forward with difficulty. The glare of the sun shone on the snow ahead, and the difficulty index soared. Before we could celebrate after crossing this mountain, we encountered traffic control.
The reason is that there are cars jumping in line, and the road surface will be wet and slippery for a while, which will not be able to effectively clear the road. There was a snow plow truck that slipped because the road was too slippery, which frightened everyone.
Because the waiting time was too long, I started to have altitude sickness, headache, drowsiness, and difficulty breathing. I quickly drank a glucose, then inhaled oxygen, and then coaxed myself to sleep. It was blocked for almost 2 hours. I seemed to have slept twice. When I woke up again, I finally heard the good news.
Some people say that walking on the Qinghai-Tibet line can experience the "two heavens of ice and fire" and "four seasons in one day". I didn't believe it before, but now I firmly believe it. Not long after going down the mountain, it was like summer. I was still wearing a down jacket when I was stuck in traffic just now. Now facing the warm sunshine, I can only temporarily put away my coat to keep out the cold. The clouds here are very thick, as if the car is driving in the clouds, giving people an illusion, as if the sky has an end, and the end of it is the cloud.
I feel that the number of villages has increased after passing through Tanggula. The architectural style is very different from our mainland. Their yard gates are very small. Taking the northeast as an example, the gate of my house is very large. Usually, cars are parked in the yard. Their cars are all parked outside the wall. The houses are basically two floors, the windows are covered with cloth, and the eaves are hung with colorful prayer flags, dancing in the wind.
From time to time, when encountering yaks blocking the way, I jokingly said, "Slow down, slow down, you won't be able to afford it if you hit it." I didn't go out until I arrived in Amdo to get some air. Actually, I didn't want to, because I was kicked out of the car by the staff of the gas station. When refueling here, only the driver can enter the gas station with his certificate, and unrelated personnel wait outside. I was blown by the strong wind, and looking at the swaying lampposts around me, I began to pray silently in my heart. Because I was unwell, I didn't have an appetite to eat. My colleague bought some snacks and continued on his way without eating seriously.
Looking at the fleeting road signs on the side of the road, I knew that Lhasa was getting closer. This is Damxung, in this town there is a path leading to the holy lake Namtso. This place is 159 kilometers away from Lhasa, and there are many speed limits, so it is estimated that it will take 3 hours to reach the destination.
On the road, I ran into a convoy of Beijing 212. From the license plate, it can be seen that it came all the way from Xining. From the posted route map, it seems that it is going to Linzhi to see peach blossoms. This year's plateau spring came a bit late, and this time (today is March 29) is the right time to see peach blossoms.
In addition to seeing more villages than yesterday, I saw more construction teams than yesterday. There were construction teams drilling tunnels, construction teams building bridges, and there seemed to be any major projects, but I couldn't see them around. The road became a little narrower, walking along the river valley, the stones in the river were polished extremely smooth by the running water, huge piles of prayer flags were pulled up on the mountainside, and heavenly ladders were painted on the stones at the foot of the mountain.
When night fell, there were more street lights to accompany us. We followed the 212 convoy, and sometimes the closing car drove very slowly. Our little Buick passed it. It seemed a little angry and kept turning on the turn signal. All right, you keep in formation and go.
The city of Lhasa was quiet at night. Passing by the Potala Palace and the Jokhang Temple, I could finally say "Lhasa, here I come" with ease.
From Dunhuang to Lhasa, 1679 kilometers, 34 hours, I have experienced sandstorms, tornadoes, rain and snow, hail, and hypoxia on the way. Such a long and dangerous road attracts me not only by the scenery, but also by following my own heart. The longing for Lhasa does not stop there.