Ending Tibet

Finally the trip to Tibet is ending. It is kinda sad. There were a lot of good memories though. Heading back to Guangzhou for a break and deciding what to do for the remaining part of the trip. The train to Guangzhou takes 56 hours... Another 3 days in the train. Prepared all my cup noodles and stuff already!

Trip West Tibet - Guge Kingdom

The lost civilisation. Nobody knows what happened to the Kingdom's demised. The whole place is so mystical and hauntingly beautiful. One thing I like about travelling in Tibet is that the place of interest is not bustling with people. We spent a whole day at this place called Guge Kingdom exploring the whole ruins and we saw no more than 5 tourists. That is so cool. The whole place was ours to explore and have fun with.

Trip West Tibet - Toilet

There is one thing in the travelling part that take some getting used to. That is the hygiene part. The toilet is one of the most disgusting part of the whole journey. Witness it yourself.....

Trip West Tibet - Mt Kailash Day 2

We aspire to finish the trekking by today. However, some of the team members are having some problems already. That includes me. Didn't sleep well in the night. Day 1 was too taxing that some of us are having difficulties relaxing.

We woke up at 7 am in the morning to take breakfast. Ollie was having difficulties taking in food. We were all pretty worried and we thought that we were pushing ourselves too hard in unfamilar terrains. Anyway, we sticked on to our plans and pushed on. The first trek in the morning is the hardest of the whole trek. It has 3 steep climb that will take us about 600 metres up to the highest point of the whole trek.

Frankly, I thought I might not be able to pull it through this time. Each step burns my lungs as the air was freezing cold and it was very thin. Breathing was becoming an effort. Each breath burns the throat and the lungs. I was panting as though I just ran 10 km. At one point of time, something happened. Part of me went deep down and pulled out something which I never thought I have. A silent voice ringing telling me to relax and take one step at a time. It is not about completing the journey, it is about taking things one step firmly and having faith that the next step will come. The strange calming feeling gave me the desire to carry on bit by bit.

When we finally cleared to the top, the deepest feeling I had was surprisingly, peaceful. The rest of the journey became easier after the hardest climb up. We managed to finish the trek on the second day and that was a big news back in the guest house that we stayed because we finished the trek carrying our own backpacks, without a guide and did it in 2 days. We were given heroes treatment back in the room... Definately feels good.

Trip West Tibet - Mt Kailash Day 1

Tashi Delek Let's Go! Day 1. We are ready to challenge and clear our sins. I have a lot of it to clear so I reckon I better start early. Anyway, we have to walk about 23 km today to reach the monastery and rest. So, we started at 8 a.m. and after discussing, we decide not to have any porters to bring our bags and that each of us will carry our ration and water. So with an addition of about 10 kg, started off.



Our spirits were high and by noon, our spirits are dying. It was a really tough trek. The thin air makes breathing difficult and each of us were just taking one step at a time. At least the weather is holding up. However, we loved the challenge. I can see that everyone is taking this trek as a personal challenge and we agreed that if we are to truely washed away our sins, some pain might be necessary.



After loads of ups and downs and terrible pain in the legs and chest, we finally meet up with Kailash at the monastery. Beautiful isn't it? Although the sun was still shining, it was already 7 pm......

Trip West Tibet - Mt Kailash Day 0

This is the toughest part of the trip. We are doing a kora (Walk one round around the mountain) around Mt Kailash, the sacred mountain of the Tibetans and the Hindus. They believed that one round around Kailash will washed away one lifetime of sins. The total distance measured is about 57 kilometre of walking and the highest altitude reached will be 5630 km above sea level. We planned to complete the journey in 2 days. I was actually worried. Without doing anything, my pulse was already beating like a horse, I wonder what will happen if I start to strain myself. Anyway, it is a trip that I have to make nonetheless. I would never back down from a challenging task. Anyway, we rested at the base for a night before moving onwards to climb it. The bad news we had was that it has been snowing for a few days on the top and now the place is covered with ice and snow.

Trip West Tibet - Our Land Cruiser

Our Land Cruiser is one of the worst and best thing that happened to us in this trip. It broke down more than 9 times (I seriously lost count) with engine problems, burst tyres etc. You name it we have it. It is also one of the slowest four wheel drive ever. Reason, it has been operating for 18 years already. Well, we did get the vehicle and the trip at an extremely cheap price......

Although it is a problematic vehicle, it helped the 5 of us to bond together. Every night we have to hold a conference meeting to discuss about the vehicle and the contingency plans. It also brought out a lot of laughter as we saw buses travelling faster than us on the bumpy roads. Frustrating and at the same time, it taught us not to take things too seriously. We don't always get what we want but we can always change the way we react to what we have. Anyway, we make the best out of it by taking loads of pictures when the vehicle broke down.

Trip West Tibet - Our Team Members

We are a great team. The members never complained and whenever there is a problem, we solved it. We shared food and accommodate each other. Whenever we are ready to move on, we will shout our slogan "Tashi Delek, Let's Go!" (Tashi Delek is good fortune in Tibet)

Top left we have Ollie (Belgium), me in the middle (Singapore), Takashi at the top right (Japan), Marcel at the bottom left (Switzerland) and Jum (Japan) bottom right.

Mount Everest

Trip West Tibet - Mt Everest

I never expect that I will have a chance to see Everest at the close up. We were so excited when we reached the base of Everest. Seeing her from this distance is already pumping up my adrenaline. It is so exciting. The temperature was really chilling though. It was about 6 - 7 degree in the afternoon, can't imagine what it will be like in the night. At this altitude, I am already feeling the lack of air and the chill. Checked my heartbeat and it was around 180 beats per minute without me exerting myself. It is kinda worrying. Anyway, me and Ollie did a toast to our friendship and to Everest before climbing to the Base Camp 1 for a closer look the next day.

Mt Everest...what more to say...

The climb up took about an hour. Although it is only a 4 kilometre climb, the altitude and the lack of air makes the climb very difficult. The air was so cold in the wee hours that my hand felt like it was burning whenever I took off my gloves to take a picture. It is all worth it though!

Trip West Tibet - Tibetans

The people of Tibet, the Tibetans, are very pious people. They worship their religion with a kind of persistence and single minded devotion that makes me respect them deeply. It is a devotion that they willing commit and sacrifice themselves whole hearted into daily. It's really amazing just to see how they pray and devote themselves every morning.

Also, like everywhere, there will be beggars and seeing children begging on the streets is a heart wrenching feeling.

Trip West Tibet - Monastary

We visited some monastary as a start of the trip. There are a lot of these prayer wheels around the monastary and the tibetans are very pious in their prayers. They will walk rounds and rounds turning the wheels in the clockwise direction. They will wake up early in the morning and start their prayers and turning the wheels for the whole morning. Really a sight to see when there are these whole load of people turning the wheels and some of them will kneel and lay their body down on the floor as a form of prayer.




The monastaries that we visited have all these beautiful carvings and golden bells that are built on top of them. Against the blue sky and the golden sun, the gold inlaids and the carvings glistered and shine. A sight to behold. The whole place exudes an air of holy mystic.

Beginning of 17 days

We were ready to set off on the 21 April for our trip to West Tibet. The itinerary will bring us to some major places:

1. Temple of Enlightenment
2. Mt Everest
3. Kora at Mt Kailash (Trekking time)
4. Lake Mansarovar
5. Guge Kingdom
and many other spots.

Very very very excited!

Namutso Lake

There was a delay in the approval of the official documents. I went down to the police station to talk to the chief and after explaining my background, he approved it finally! We are so ready to go to the West of Tibet. However, due to the dlay, we have to make arrangements to set of a few days later. So Ollie (my good friend from Belguim) and I decide to take a look at one of the lengendary holy lake near Lhasa, known as Namusto Lake, 娜木措.

Had a bad incident alone the way. We were extorted some money by the local tibetan kids when we were taking photos. They insisted that we took photos of their holy symbol (a goat head lying on the floor) so we have to pay them 60 yuan. That is about 12 dollars and they were really firece. We had to pay up because they blocked the vehicle and barged into the van and nearly fought with us. The driver paid up and we had to return the driver the money. So it goes to show that there are always good and bad people around. Just have to be careful.

Anyway, Namutso Lake is really beautiful. i think the picture speaks louder......than words.

Before Setting of, Potala Palace

Before setting off for our planned trip, I went to take a look at Potala Palace. It is a palace and a temple built together on the top of a hill. Majestic and proud, it stood as the tallest building in the whole of Lhasa. I went alone and had to take a whole afternoon climbing up to the palace. Anyway, walking in Lhasa is heavy duty work. The altitude is high up, 3700 above sea level. Therefore, the air is thin and cold. Walking up a flight of stairs is like sprinting a 100metres. I was panting all the while when touring the palace.

Stay on to look at the Potala Palcae in the night and it gave a very different feel as compared to the day. Mysterious and grand at the same time.

Gathering of Friends

Met up with a friend that I got to know in Chengdu. Together with a few others, we planned a 17 days trip around the west of Tibet. There will be trekking and I get to see Mt Everest! Wonderful. We planned to move out in a few days time as we prepare resources like sleeping bags, food, water and other necessities while waiting for the Government's permit.



It is really like a dream come true to trek in icy cold places and to get to see Everest. How many people actually get to do that in their lifetime.



After all the bustling around, a few of us went for beer with some of the other traveller that we met.

Lhasa, Tibet

The train took 48 hours to reach Lhasa, the main town of Tibet. It was a wonderful journey. I have never seen so much change in the landscape within 2 days. Sunny at once, then it was snowing and the there were ice and glacier. It was such a wonderful feast for the eyes.

Reaching Lhasa was a totally new experience. They sights and sound and people filled me up. Entering the whole place is like entering a new realm. A place of fantasy with people carrying knife on their waist and dressed in all sorts of tribal dressing mixed with people in suits and business wear. Shops abound with Tibetans selling their wares. I settled down in one of the guest house and rested. The weather was extremely cold at about 7 - 8 degree in the night and just looking up, I see mountains covered with snow surrounding the whole village. From far is the famous Potala Palace, home of the Dalai Lama. I can't wait to explore Tibet.

Around Chengdu and preparing for Tibet

Went to a few touristic places while I am at Chengdu. The travelling time in China is really long. Unlike South East Asia, travelling in one province in China is like travelling the whole of Vietnam. Went to see the Leshan Buddha and a few other places. Tourists abound. However, my focus is not in Chengdu. My final destination is in Tibet, the sacred lands. I have heard so much about it that I want to take a look.

Went to check out about the train tickets but there was a long queue and the people there have been queuing for one night already. Further checking demoralised me as I found out that the train to Lhasa, Tibet is one of the hardest ticket to buy and that there are a lot of people profiting from the sales so they are buying many tickets at one go and reselling them at a higher price. Having no choice, I went to the locals and asked for a black market ticket going at 20% more than the normal price and finally got myself a place in the train to Tibet.

Sichuan, Chengdu

Took a train to Chengdu, Sichuan province. Made a mistake. I bought a train ticket from Guanzhou to Chengdu thinking that I will reached there in a day. So I bought the seater and the trip took 3 days and 2 nights with me seating throughout. My butt doesn't feel like a butt and my back doesn't feel like a back after the 3 days. More surprisingly so, there are local Chinese that were standing and sleeping on the floor for 3 days! Crazy!

Met a lot of people on the train in the 3 days. Well, 3 days can make you a lot of friends if all your friends are trapped in a confined area. So we talked about anything under the sky and got to know China a little bit better.

A visit to Hongkong from Shenzhen

Went to Shenzhen to meet up with an old friend from the Army. We were the trainers in OCS and had a great time then. His name is Terrence and he is in Shenzhen, China working.

He offered me his place to stay while I am there and also he played the excellent host and brought me to places. Since Shenzhen is just next to Hongkong, he also brought me there to take a look at the place. Went to the 星光大道to take a look and posed with my favourite actor Bruce Lee.

Hong Kong is a shopper's paradise! Lots of things to buy and lots of delicious food. The only complain, it is a very expensive country. Just like Singapore.

Last days at Vietnam

Ready to leave Vietnam. Came back from Sapa to Hanoi and had a very bad incident. Got into a quarrel with a taxi driver because he rigged his taxi and charged us S$20 for a 7 minutes ride. He threaten to drive away with our bags if we refused to pay him. Had such a big argument but I have backed down at the end of the day. Hanoi is such a 'Heavenly' place. That very day, a few friends and I got into 2 other scams that we have to pay more money to deal with it that gave us a very bad impression of the place.

Was drinking coffee before leaving Hanoi and was sorting through my mixed feelings about Vietnam. Then I saw this lady peddling her wares in the street and realised that if they have the resources and choices we Singaporeans have, they don't have to resort to scams to make a living. People live the way they know best with all the resources they have. So to me Vietnam is still a wonderful place.

The H'mong in Vietnam

The local people of Sapa are made up of different tribes with the H'mong predominantly. They are dressed in different colours to depict where they are from. The girl in the pic is from the Black H'mong. They are very friendly and lovely people with a lot of smiles. They are very open and sincere. Being with them makes me feel relaxed and safe. Makes me remember my ex-job as a teacher. The politics, the people you have to entertained, smart alec students in school that teachers have to handle everyday. Simple life is b..b...b...beautiful!



There are many different other tribes like the Red D'zao. Found out from the locals that they are having a wedding in one of the tribe and I went down to take a look by hitching a ride from one of them. Wonderful experience. They have chasing the boar game and all those very tribal game. Most importantly, the whole village was there and they are all celebrating with one thought in mind. Happiness for the newly wed. The kind of energy is really amazing.

Night to Sapa

Decide to go to the mountainous area in Sapa. Booked a night train so that I can save on the accommodations for the night. The night was raining badly though. So I decided to take a picture of the scene at the train station. In the train, I met some Vietnamese and we had a good chat where they told me lots of stuff about the history and the current affairs of Vietnam. So, through the night, we chatted a lot and after a brief nap, viola, train station Sapa.





There were a lot of motorbikes there where people are ready to haggle and discuss prices to bring me to places that I want to go to. It like going to the market to buy food stuffs. A lot of shouting and lots of fun.

Rice Terrance

The weather at Sapa is cool! Very very shiok. Clear fresh air with occasional mountain breeze blowing past. Looking out from the windows of the guesthouse, I can see the rice terrance, the scenic is so refreshing, relaxing and calming that I can sit for hours enjoying it.

Took a trek in the morning and walked for about 8 hours into the sunset enjoying the fresh air. The sunset at the rice fields were spectacular. Golden coloured sky, golden coloured rice fields and mountains. There is a gentleness to the whole place with the local natives the H'mong moving at a leisure pace in with their daily work. It is as though time is meaningless in this place, without a need to worry and rush for things and feeling guilty when things don't work out. Paradise and ethopia on earth.

Halong Bay

Halong Bay is beautiful. Went on a junk boat and stayed a night in the boat. Did some kayaking also. It is a blessing to have gotten out of Hanoi and spent some time out on such a peaceful place. Met some Singaporeans on the junk and they even offered me pineapple tart! Wow, a few months out of Singapore and be able to taste pineapple tart is a joy. Anyway, I did some trekking to a few scenic spots to take some pictures and had a good time getting to know some people on board the junk.

Left from Hoian, and headed for Hanoi, the northern part of Vietnam. Due to the Tet Festival, there was a mad rush for buses as I fought with the locals for a seat. There were a lot of pushing and arguments. I nearly couldn’t get on the bus but I was pretty mean this time round as I blocked the way of the locals and pushed my way up. Got a lot of angry stares from that deed.

Hanoi is a very challenging place. There are a lot of scams and extortion around. I met with a number of situations where the locals were out to trick me. They would claimed that the bowl of noodles cost 10,000 Dong (Singapore $1) and then change the price after the food comes to the table. There were a few times that I just walked out of the stall. I have seen fights on the street like every other day at the place which I stayed. Quite different from the rest of Vietnam.
Didn’t really like Hanoi and to skip the crowded mess of Hanoi, I decided to go to Halong Bay, the bay with thousands of rocks jutting out.

Authentic Vietnamese food

It is near to Chinese New Year and in Vietnam, it is known as the Tet Festival. I got to befriend a Vietnamese family in the province of Hoian and they were very generous to welcome us to their place for a family meal. Very traditional Vietnamese food and yummy!

It is almost parting time for me, Melissa and Daniel. We had a lot of fun together but then as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Daniel has to stay in Hoian to finish his studies here we go, I am on my own again!

Fairy Spring

Today we set off early and went to get some motorbikes again! We then went off to the market for some food and then to the fairy spring. It is a weird place where one can walk on the stream and beside the stream, at the banks, are these tall structures like the Grand Canyon from the States. Brownish and grayish, they stood tall and high up. With the blue sky as a backdrop, the place looks very stunning!

Finally I have the time to do some blogging. Went to the Mekong Delta, a place at the end of the Mekong river with lots of rice fields, islands and very dirty river water. Saw many nice stuff and the best part was to stay with a local family of farmers in the night. There was quite a big group of 8 of us there from all over the world. USA, Canada, Israel, Norway, Germany, Japan and of course, me, the Singapore representative. Had a lot of fun chatting, drinking and cracking jokes. Slept at one of the hardest bed ever, a cloth over bricks. That's how hard life can be as a farmer I guess. The farmers woke us up in the morning and brought us to the rice padi to watch the sun rise, pretty spectacular.

Now I am at this place called Muinee in Vietnam. It is a beautiful beach that stretches out about 2 kilometres in length and lots of people in the sea doing kite surfing. Crazy stuff with people moving through the water at very fast speed using the wind as a guide. Will be trying that out the day after next. Cos tomorrow is sand dune visiting day. They have a very unique structure out here at the beach at Muinee called the sand dunes. It is created by the winds blowing the sad to the land for hundreds of years and it forms Canyon like structure.

Just back to capital of Cambodia from a place in the south called Sihanoukville. Its a lovely beach with lots of sea sports to do. Did some snorkelling on the first day and rented a motorbike with some of the travellers I got to know along the trip. None of us knew how to drive one but we went anyway. The guy who rented the bike to us were so worried that he followed behind us just incase. we took the bike to a waterfall in the inland. It was such an adventure as we ride the 100cc bike on dirt roads like they were mountain bikes. Crazy! The waterfal was very beautiful. Its about 4 storey high with water cascading down from the top. I went beneath the water and the force of it beating down the the body were like a strong massager at work.

We came back from the waterfal and I had an accident with the bike ramming into the bush and got my right leg along with it. Luckily, it was only a gash and some bruises. The Norwegian travelling with me toppled his bike and took a chunk of flesh out from his toe. Nothing too serious either. Just a lot of misadventures and laughs.

I will be heading off to Vietnam soon and I bet its another world and another adventure.

S21, Killing Fields and Mines Museum

Its been sometime since I blog abit on the trip. Current now I am in Phnom Penh. Have been here for a few days and the food here is just wonderful. Saw some really bizzare stuff in this country. Its a country which can surprise me even with all the things I have seen. Things like a baby with head about 3 times bigger than normal and the mum is like laying her out as a tool to beg for money.

Went to the killing fields and the S21 Musem today. Crazy world where the atrocities are more than those done by the Japs in the WW2. Down here, the torture and kill the whole family if one of them just like pisses the regime off. Make a visitor manically depressed just by looking and touring around.

Blood Donation

Donated some blood at Cambodia’s Hospital of the Children. It was operated under the funds of a Japanese photographer who went around taking pictures when he was in Cambodia a number of years ago. He then sold his pictures for a good price and donated part of the money back to operate the hospital. I was a bit worried at first because of AIDS and hygiene problems. However, the doctors were professional and the place was clean. Sometimes, I think I worry too much.

Today was an eventful day. Met up with a guy called Ricky and he was so full of bullshit. That was really interesting because he said things from his service in the army as a special agent to like taking LSD, opium and estacy like meals. Then he proceed on to order beer like 8am in the morning and had his stick of marijuana/ganja. The smell is strong though and sniffing in the smoke makes me feel nausea. When I am travelling, I learn not to take what people say as absolute truth...... Sometimes, the world is full of people who wants to be more than who they are but are not willing to take the risk and put in the effort......





Then we went off to see Angkor Wat, one of the seven wonders in the world really late in the evening to catch the sunsetting in the ruins. Was really beautiful! Magnificent but as all ruins goes, it gets a bit boring after awhile. Anyway, immersing in the majestic feel was an experience by itself.




Later in the night, I met up with some people from Norway and Iceland and they were completely funloving and dead drunk by 11 in the night. They had jugs of alcohol in their system but it was totally fun getting to know people and sharing your stories around.

Went around town today with the Norwegian guy Daniel. We wanted to get a feel of the place and get some ration like fruits and water. The place is one whole of a dusty town. I bet you die of inhaling the dust more than if you smoke 20 cigs a day.




Anyway, I dropped in at a volunteer organisation and talk to the pple there. It seems that polio, injuries from the mine during Pol pot time is still a serious problem and they are making prosthetic for the pple, teaching them how to use it. Otherwise, the Cambodians will just use scrap metals from the mines and shells to make their own prosthetics. Trust me, if you need to walk in those, it will hurt like hell.

Went to buy oranges and it cost S$1 for 3. Just down the corner, it cost S$1 for 5. The price just kept changing!

Singapore to Siem Reap

Finally, the first leg of my journey has just began. The start of the trip when from Singapore to Hadyai to Bangkok to Arunyaprathet (Border of Thailand) to Poipet (Border of Cambodia) to Siem Reap. Took 2 days and 2 nights of travelling. With the bus getting smaller and smaller and the rides bumpier and bumpier.

The question of why am I torturing myself travelling alone in such outback countries still pops into my mind now and then. Especially when the stink of body (haven't bathe for 2 days...) and the loneliness that creeps in when I miss my girlfriend, family and friends. I guess its all for the spirit of adventure, freedom and new experiences in life. Not to be bounded by the comforts of the ever safe Singapore.

Anyway, for those of you wishing to travel by the bus route, here is how it goes. Get a bus from Golden Mile Singapore to Hadyai. From Hadyai, get a bus to Bangkok. You will end up in the Southern station. Take a cab that brings you to the Mochim (Northern Bus Station) and from there take a bus at counter 30 to Arunyaprathet. Upon arriving, take a tuktuk (ask for the price first. I forgot to and this one chopped me of 150Bhat) to the border and walk across. Get your passport chopped. After that, you get to see the 7 beautiful casinos at Poipot, the border of Cambodia, amidst the street urchins and the trolley pushes that are willing to push your trolleys all the way for a measly 10Bhat. Hitch on a bus that takes you to the tourist station. You can get a cab for USD 60 (can share with 3 other person) or a bus for USD 10. I took the bus...Ouch... I think I left my spine somewhere on the horrendous road. The journey is like five hours of Thai massage by a wrestler. Viola, Siem Reap.

Finally, here I am in one piece at Siem Reap. I got to know 3 other person in the bus trip from Poipot and we are now bunking in the dormitory together.

Cost USD 1 a night for the dorm!

One America Chinese girl, one Norwegian and one Dutch. The American Chinese has been backpacking alone for about one year plus now. Amazing right! How some people can survive way out of their comfort zone. Anyway, I am resting my tired old bones for a day before venturing into Angkor Wat and posting some nice pics!