Journey To The West (Video/Part 01)

Journey To The West journal. Part of my journey from Chengdu, Sichuan in CHINA towards New Delhi in INDIA is this train ride. Its a T22 train travels from Chengdu in Sichuan province to Lhasa in Tibet/Xizang province. It took nearly 2 days to reach Lhasa.

We started our journey from Chengdu on November 26, 2011. Approximate around 9pm the train depart from the Chengdu Northern Train station... the train passing by Shaanxi, Qhinghai, Tibetan Plateau (Gobi Desert) before reaching Lhasa the train passing the Tanggula Pass, it took us up above 5000 meters above sea level. It was intriguing to know that we're actually traveling in a train passing elevation more than Kinabalu Mountain in Sabah, Malaysia... nice.

The landscape changes drastically, from rivers & mountains during train ascent towards Xining to barren land tibetan plateau when enter Qinghai province and Gobi Desert. From there we can see snow everywhere, animals such as horse, sheep, vultures... tibetan antelope and not forgetting tibetan mascot itself YAK.

We reaches Lhasa, Tibet/Xizang around 4pm on November 28, 2011. Surely this train journey going to be the most memorable train journey in my life.

Journey To The West (Phase One)

Phase one - Dari chengdu, sichuan ke zhangmu, nyalam

So far perjalanan 2 hari dgn ketapi dari chengdu ke lhasa mmg menarik... kiteorang siap bekalkan mee instant dgn kopi segera dari carefour cengdu (jalan kaki tuh)... pastu joy dari sim's bagi kek dgn biskut. Dalam cabin kiteorang ada lagi satu anak beranak... emak dgn anak pompuan umor 14 tahun nama Ma Jing... dari Golmund, Qinghai. Kiteorang main card dgn Ma

Sebelah cabin couple dari Australia duduk singapore nama nic dgn pasangan'nya orang malaysia yg dah lama tak balik rumah nama corine. :P ahaha... masing2 pun peramah.. satu sbb nic pakai suunto core yg aku idam2kan tuh tp tak jadi beli sbb aku bukan pendaki tegar pun :P... asyik tanya altitude berapa jer.. :P tapi aku tau dia suka layan aku... :) kekeke

Departure board kat Chengdu Train station.

first day pagi kat dalam ketapi makan roti dgn peanut butter... :) pastu tgahri pegi dining car makan ikan dgn nasik... :) sedap giler... tapi banyak tulang ler.. aku tktau mana dorg dapat kat sungai mana ikan nih... tapi giler sgt ok. :P... dalam stock masih ada lagi 2 stock megi cup beli kat carefour chengdu.. hehe.. lebihan masa habiskan tulis journal dgn menikmati pemandangan kat luar...

along the way.. ketapi climbing dari china basin chengdu ke lhasa... melalui Xining, Qinghai elevation 2000m above sea level.. sebelum smpai tuh ketapi lalu valley... 2 minit dalam terowong... 30 seconds view.. hehehe... view lawa lah.. tapi asyik terowong jer... setiap kali ketapi dia keluar dari terowong... setiap kali tu lah pemandangan bertukar... dari pokok2... ke bukit2 gondol yg ada pokok2 kecik ajer... hehe

 Cabin aku dgn marwan... train T22, car 5.. nasib dpt bawah... kalau atas kompom cramp.

Kata'nyer kat Xining dan wilayah Qinghai tempat concentration chinese muslim... pernah dgn Bai Chongxi dgn Ma Bufeng dari Kuomintang... dan muslim sala... salafi to be exact kat area tuh. Aku tk ler expert... dari pertanyaan kat orang china sini... yg duduk kat area Qhinghai province... china ada 4 kaum utama chinese muslim... Salha (Sala), DonSheng, Hui & WeiWuEr... apa sejarah sebalik tuh... aku pun tgh baca dan carik2... :) sama2 kongsi yea... islam ada kat CHINA seawal-akhir 500ad.

Ketapi gue ke Lhasa.. :)

Lepas Xining... kiteorang lalu Qinghai Lake (Salt Lake) 4000km/sq... kata MaJing.. tasik Qinghai ni terbahagi kepada dua... satu bersih penuh dgn 1000 spesis burung.. satu lagi polluted sbb ada banyak kilang chemical tepi dia... katanya ada special burung nama 'Bar-Headed Geese', pada musim sejuk dia akan terbang 10,000m atas paras laut merentas himalaya mountains ke INDIA plains... mcm kapal terbang lah plak kan burung2 nih... :P lagi info.. kalau hari cerah.. tasik ni ada 7 color... aku tk pernah nampak 7 color tuh... sbb masa ketapi lalu waktu magrib... mmg lawa lah.. osem posem... :)

selepas satu hari lebih.. ketapi smpai kat Golmud elevation 2800m paras laut... pukul 2am kot rasanya... MaJing dgn emak dia keluar smpai ke destinasi... ah.. aku pun tgh pening2 lalat baru bangun tido.. dia sempat babai aku dgn marwan jer, dan senyum... see ya kid... maybe next time we'll meet again... aku suka sangat bila bahasa bukan penghalang utk orang berkomunikasi dan having fun... lagi sekali osem... 

bila dah terang... aku dgn marwan terpegun... tgk sekeliling... padang jarak... aku ada sesekali terbangun dari tido dan realize yg langit penuh dgn bintang... :)... bila terang... ketapi tgh merentas Gobi Desert... tkde hijau... tkde apa2... cuma coklat... lama kelamaan.. coklat2 tuh diselaputi dgn putih2 salji... hehe.. lawa.. tk pernah nampak pun mcm nih... 

lama2 kelamaan.. nampak KUDA.. YAK, burung helang sebesar2 tidak... tibetan antelope... vulture... huh.. mcm lalu kat afrika la plak... ada ruse2 kecik... kekeke teringat plak kat lagu (rudolf the raindeer ruse... kekeke)... tanpa kiteorang sedar... ketapi lalu Tanggula Pass 5000m paras laut... sbb kan tanggula Pass ni lah Qinghai-Tibet Railway ni adalah yg tertinggi didunia.. :) sesak jgk lah nafas... keke.. oksigen kurang... :P lagi dekat dgn lhasa.. lagi banyak bintang ternakan.. mcm ala2 koboi.. lembu + yak + kambing bersepah2... koboinyer naik motosikal made in russia.. kekeke.. yg best... kalau pegi china... aku berpeluang lagi sekali nampak kuda2 berlari naik ke tanah tinggi... huh... teruja betul... cuma tangan dgn lens tak berapa pantas nak ambik moment tuh.. sori yea kawan2... yg ni aku keep dalam kepala hotak aku sendiri... :)

Tibetan Plateau (Gobi Desert)... hah yg tuh YAK... :P hihi (sbbkan dia ler aku masuk spital)

huh.. kalau boleh smue aku nak tulis kat sini.. :P hehe.. tp tk boleh kan dalam satu entry... :P aku smpai lhasa 28.nov tepat... tepat yea.. pukul 4:50pm seperti yg dijangkakan.. giler lah dorag nih... :P keluar2 jer guide kiteorang dah tunggu (masa ni tk boleh pegi sendiri... wajib jalan kat tibet esp. monastery pakai guide.. lagi2 nak rentas smpai zhangmu)... nama dia NamGyal... umor 30thn. PLAYBOY... hehehe...

Since, dia tibetan agak susah dia nak dapat ID + passport... lagi dia pernah lari duduk India 5 tahun + 1 tahun kat nepal... try lari dari china 7 kali... :P... huh tough giler... pastu pernah rentas himalaya berjaya sekali dan balik ke tibet rentas himalaya lagi... 12 orang.. waktu winter... giler kental... tapi knowledge dia pasal tibetan buddha dan tibet culture mmg tak boleh sangkal... masa dia duduk kat india + nepal.. dia duduk kat monastery mengajar English + Mandarin... membesar dgn masyarakat muslim sala kat Qinghai province... so, makanan muslim mmg favorite dia... kite makan pun senang... 

Potola Palace, Lhasa, Xizang

29.nov (day 4) --> aku, NamGyal dgn marwan.. jalan kaki ke Potola Palace... sgt teruja nak pegi sini sbb asyik tgk dalam gamba kan... :) dgn altitude lhasa 3800m paras laut + oksigen yg kurang... sesak2 nafas jgk ikut langkah NamGyal... :) akhirnya bangunan terpampang kat depan mata... tesergam indah... kiteorang naik anak2 tangga potola palace tuh tercungap2.. hahaha... konon2 sport meng... smpai sini hampeh... kekeke..

petang kite pegi Jokhang Temple plak... since potola palace dah tak active.. jadi tempat tourist aje.. Jokhang Temple sangat active smpai sekarang... waktu dynasty tang... raja tibet pada waktu tu nama dia Stronsan Gampo... dia ada dua isteri... satu dari keluarga diraja china TANG.. dan satu dari keluarga diraja NEPAL nama Bhrikuti... masa Kawin Bhrikuti bawak patung Sakyamuni (later jadi Buddha) waktu dia 12 tahun... ori.. simpan sehingga kini.. dia suruh Stronsan Gampo buatkan temple utk itu... itu lah jadinya Jokhang Temple.. :)

Setiap waktu ada aktiviti KORA (tawaf) Jokhang temple nih.. prostrating.. sliding... sangat dedicated betul dorng dgn agama yg dorang anuti...

Ever friendly TashiTagke Hostel.

3 dari kanan Penny, Ama la, Marwan dgn aku... lagi dua tu dia bantai senyum jer aku tktau nama.. hehe

30.Nov (Day 5) --> kiteorang mengayuh ke Drepung Monastery... NamGyal pinjamkan beskal kawan dia.. dan repair satu beskal hostel berdekatan.. jadi kiteorang tk payah lah sewa beskal.. tinggal kayuh jer... tapi pengajaran kayuh kat high altitude area.. kederat nak kena pakai 4 kali ganda dari biasa... kekeke.. aku rasa macam nak mati jer.. kayuh jauh2.. kekeke.. :P dulu masa sebelum uprising 2008... ada lebih 2000 monk kat sini... tapi gov dah limitkan smpai 500 ajer... kompleks drepung nih agak besar dan lengkap.. cara masak pun cara traditional...

lepas tu kiteorang mengayuh ke arah timur lhasa utk sera monastery... pukul 3:50pm ada philosophy debate. kiteorang smpai lambat... dalam kul 4pm.. tapi depate masih berjalan.. setiap petang kat Sera monastery.. tibetan monk ni akan debate pasal buddha philosophy... kiteorang dpt tgk yg muda2 jer.. dorg cakap laju dalam bahasa tibet.. yg berdiri aggressive smbil bertepuk tangan tugas dia memberi soalan ajer.. yg duduk.. kena jawab setiap soalan yg diberi... kiteorang observe kat sejam jgk.. menarik... cara dorg berinteraksi...

1.dec (Day 6) --> kiteorang grk ke arah Gyantse utk berhenti kat  Shigatse... hari pertama dalam Land Cruiser tu jer dah osem... kiteorang pass through Karola Pass (5000m ++), Yamdrok Lake dgn Karola Glacier... ended up makan kat Gyantse dan sebelum pukul 5pm dah smpai Shigatse utk permit entry/out shigatse... banyak betul permit.. :P hehe

Karola Glacier

2.Dec (Day 7) --> semalam tido kat hotel Yak mende ntah.. mmg giler tk selesa... sejuk terlajak... heater tk boleh pakai... air panas tk jalan2... nasib baik sarapan ok.. :P... 

lepas sarapan tu kiteorang melawat Tashi Lumbu Monastery... hah monastery ni masih ada lebih 2000 monk kat dalam dia... siap ada kompleks asrama lagik... NamGyal advice tk payah masuk. sbb kena bayar lagik... jadi kiteorang ikut path KORA (tawaf) orang2 yg datang... 

mendaki lagi tuh.. huh... nafas aku mmg asyik tak cukup jer kat tempat tinggi nih.. tapi bila kat atas.. kiteo dpt tgk semua bandar Shigatse... dapat define mana banda lama (ikut architecture) dan bandar baru.. nampak isi2 monastery tuh.. nampak mini potola... huh.. segala2 nyer... fog pun nampak... 

lepas tu dalam perjalanan ke Old Tingri kiteorang lalu Gyameso Lha Pass (5480m paras laut)... asyik layan 5000m++ paras latu jer kan... :P naik biru kot kepala hotak aku kurang oksigen...

kiteorang smpai Old Tingri pukul 5pm kot... guest house dia.. huh lagi teruk dari kat shigatse... :P sejuk 2 kali ganda.. boleh?

Gyameso Lha Pass.

From left: Aku, NamGyal, Marwan & Kuncu (Driver)

3.Dec (Day 8) --> asyik2 aku terbangun dari tidur... tido dgn kasut... jacket dan baju yg berlapis2... huh... bilik giler basic... katil walaupun banyak blanket.. smue sejuk.. dari bantal... alas tilam.. tilam tu sendiri... smpai blanket yg berlapis2 tuh... smue sejuk + lembab... :P tapi bayaran'nya dari tuh.. bila sekali tuh pegi toilet... aku terpandang langit... huh... dalam kesusahan tuh... malam hiasan langit, dia punye indah... masya'allah... bertabur bintang kat langit... bertabur.. macam2 size.. aku siap suruh marwan keluar tgk... huh..

sbb nak pegi ke Everest Base Camp tu berjam2... kiteorang kena grk pukul 6am sharp... sesejuk pagi salju tuh... mmg salju pun.. sejuk giler babi!... walau pakai baju berlapis2... aku dgn marwan dok sibuk gosok hand/body warmer... :P sejuk... gelap gelita... kuncu dgn skill offroad nyer masuk kawasan gravel... keadaan sekeliling makin lama.. makin cerah... tgk dari seat belakang mcm tkde jalan jer.. mcm redah jer... 

lepas tiga jam... smpai ler kite kat RongPhu Monastery... monastery paling tinggi kat dunia (kedudukan nye bedasarkan altitude) ada 20 monk dalam dia... lepas beberapa minit.. smpai ler kite kat Everest Base Camp..

Huh.. hilang semua sakit tengkuk.. sakit badan.. selsema... dan bermacam2 lagi susah.. :P aku sebenarnya tk ler teruja sangat nak tgk Everest dari jarak dekat... tapi nak smpai kesini tuh... nak smpai ke hari ni dugaan dia... walaupun base camp jer... aku sangat appreciate kesusahan yg aku alami dan orang2 yg nak pegi kesini melihat puncak gunung tertinggi di dunia dari jarak dekat...

frankly... mmg pengalaman yg tk boleh dilupakan... :) sejuk dia melampaui batas.. view dia... huh. satu pengalaman yg tk boleh dilupakan.

Nas di Everest Base Camp... :) jakun. :P

Kiteorang lepak situ tak lebih 30 minit kot... sejuk dia yang amat... dapat lah moment2 penting.. :) lepak kat RongPhu Monastery... minum kopi.. pastu terus balik old tingri utk makan tghari... 

sekejap lepas tu dah mula perjalanan ke Zhangmu (border china dgn nepal)... dlm perjalanan ke Zhangmu tu kiteorang lalu pass terakhir iaitu Tong La Pass... 

Tong La Pass

From left: Kuncu, Marwan, NamGyal & Aku

Mula dari Tong La Pass tu.. perjalan terus menurun.. dari padang pasir batu Tibetan Plateau... ke jurang2 tinggi... keadaan muka bumi bertukat kepada pokok2 pine.. sesekali terlintas air terjun tertinggi pernah aku nampak... cantik... perubahan muka bumi secara mendadak... perjalanan tebing2 agak merbahaya tapi cantik.. cantik sangat2... tgh2 valley perasan.. jeram yg turun deras ke arah tujuan yg sama... 

Approaching NYALAM.

Lepas bandar NYALAM... ternyata tebing2 jurang jadi lebih tinggi.. kabus tebal mula tutup permukaan jalan... lama kelamaan.. bandar seterusnya muncul. bandar trading yg busy... jalan sempit.. disco, massage... huh mcm2 lah... aku dapat hotel basah.. kekeke.. semua baju gantung basah... katil sentiasa basah... last2.. aku pindah hotel malam tu jgk... ke yg elok sikit.. esok pagi baru inform NamGyal... perjalanan masih jauh.. aku dgn marwan perlu recover dari sakit secepat mungkin... lagipun pindah ke hotel baru nih. ada breakfast... tai sakit perut aku makin lama.. makin menjadi2... :(

ZhangMu (dram/kailash)

*setakat ni dulu... nanti aku sambung sterusnya bila dah lepas border nepal yea... jaga diri.. slamat!..

Journey To The West (Journal)

Yesterday was awesome... Went to singapore yesterday with my mother, younger sister with her husband and daughter... and with my brother with his wife and his daughter too... huh.. getting my moleskine at VIVO city. It's very rare for me NOW to spend that much time with my parents... but I like it so much. Looking forward to do it again. :) traveling perhaps. ;)

Marking yesterday on 8:45pm November 22, 2011... is the first entry for 'Journey To The West' Journal... kinda excited to write again. Observe and experience surroundings will be the most compelling events for me. Write it down... is something that I look forward to. The goal is share the experience... as much as I can.

I really miss the smells, the difficulties, the confusion, wasting time... observe as much that I can, for the chances that I get. Meet a lot of people... never ending helping hand and smiles. The long pause... looking out from the train or bus window and wondering what is it like to grew up at each and every places passing by... I really2 miss that.

Not forgetting food. :P

time passing by very fast... the time has come for me to venture vast land and unknown culture.
I will write this blog during my journey whenever I can...

Excited... yes...
Worried.. definitely yes..
Bless... yes...
thankful... definitely yes..

10 days...

Another 10 days to go.

Travel... despite of having limited time, envying each and every soul who travel the world for the rest of their life. I'm really grateful for the chances that I posses. It always playing in my mind that 'if I can do that' thought... experiencing different public transport, different house motifs and architecture, different culture, different religious places, different languages, different faces... etcetera and etcetera. This life manifestation teasing my thoughts everyday... can that consider to be a goal in life? in reality... can it be done? will it be a profession?

Whatever I do... It always comes out trying to reach the best place that the creator and the prophet had to offer. Soul searching... maybe. I admit that I'm NOT a good person past, present and maybe future... trying hard to be high-minded person. But, the journey towards that NOT always smooth, as desire for everything is like a wind that always murmurs through the trees. Sometimes it blew hard and almost instantly you felt it... but always it is like a breeze touches every twig and every leaves in between.

This daunting enigma always fidgeting my mind, whenever I fell asleep, working, laying down looking at my guitar figuring chords and tunes... not a single freedom achieve, not a single words transcends... keeping in my mind NOW trying hard to always leveled with life. Being virtuous is bleak... however, by maintaining soul could possibly or definitely the answer towards hope. Each and every steps taken brings confrontation between logic and faith together.

The journey between places always have something to offer. Always teaches me about life and about sincerity. Luckily most of my travels give me endless thought of how I should live my life. By far, it is the best way to learn about the world and most importantly about yourself... Experiencing it first-hand.

The sights.
The sounds.
The smells.

It's like hyperactive kid running around your state of mind... :P insane.
Now I can see mountains...

Journey To The West (Weather Forecast)

For me it's compulsory to forecast the weather before you set on your plan-to-visit city or your itinerary. It's the best way to figure out the safety of your journey if you tend to take public transport and wonder around off beaten track. Then, it's a good way to pack your clothing and type of gear you might use during your journey. Otherwise you'll be ended up spending to much on clothes and it will increase your luggage/backpack weight. NOT GOOD. :P

So, before I usually step into a country or starts my journey I'll check my itinerary weather. This data I retrieved from World Weather Online. I'm NOT sure the accuracy of the data... however, it gives me a slight idea of the overall journey weather.

So here goes.
Phase One {Chengdu, Sichuan (China) to Kodari, Bagmati (Nepal)}...

Chengdu, Sichuan (China)

Lhasa, Xizang (China)

Shigatse, Xizang (China)

Gyantse, Shigatse, Xizang (China)

Zhangmu, Shigatse, Xizang (China)

Kodari, Bagmati (Nepal)

Phase Two {Kodari, Bagmati (Nepal) to Bhairawa, Bhairahawa (Nepal)}

Kathmandu, Bagmati (Nepal)

Pokhara, Gandaki (Nepal)

Tansen, Lumbini (Nepal)

Bhairawa, Bhairahawa (Nepal)

Phase Three {Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (India) to Leh, Jammu Kashmir (India)}

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (India)

Agra, Uttar Pradesh (India)

New Delhi, Delhi (India)

Shimla, Himachal Pradesh (India)

Manali, HImachal Pradesh (India)

Below is Johor Bahru (My home town) average yearly weather forecast... to give an idea what am I going to experience throughout my journey. NICE... :)

Johor Bahru, Johor (Malaysia)

The highest average temperature throughout the journey is still below my hometown lowest average temperature... between November and December... 

That's all for now... :)

Next I'm hoping to write about equipment, clothing and other things that I;m going to bring along this journey.

Happy travel. 

Travel in NEPAL and INDIA...

The question is?

NEPAL

or

INDIA

If you have less than two weeks, and you're going to be in NEPAL and INDIA... which country you would spend most of your time? location... location... location.

Both have great mountains and lakes... both have colorful culture and ethnic diversity. Both country have great ancient history... what else?

In the past few weeks, I've been reading quite a few discussions, forums, blogs on the internet and study my trusty guidebooks about traveling in NEPAL and INDIA. There's a lot of cool places to hang out, to see and to experience. It really drives me crazy. I need to scale down the number of places that I want to visit, and I need to stay the selected places a little bit longer. I don't want to spend too much time in public transport.

So, this is the new direction... hopefully going to be the last. hahaha.

I feel that, travel towards Mahendranagar via Butwal will cost me a lot of time. Mahendranagar is very far, it located at the far west NEPAL before INDIA. Since I have very limited time... I need to avoid spending much time in uncertain public transport. But, the problem is... my INDIA VISA application stated that I'll enter INDIA via BANBASSA. The ideal way is to travel south from Pokhara to Bhairahwa and headed to VARANASI in INDIA. The question is do I need to re-apply or just show up at the border...

well the question goes to~
High Commission of INDIA
No. 2, Jalan Taman Duta,
Off Jalan Duta,
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2093 3510 / 03-2692 2692 (VISA)

The line is engage from this morning... :P

Well this is the new plan in NEPAL.

(A) - Kodari
Arriving from CHINA, cross border from Zhangmu. Need to be in Kodari before afternoon... since majority transport going towards Kathmandu leaving before afternoon. Nothing much to see in Kodari, if the we miss busses to Kathmandu there's no choice but to spend a night in here.

(B) - Kathmandu
4.5 hours bus ride from Kodari. (Rs300). Spend 2 days in Kathmandu.

(C) - Pokhara
8 hours bus ride from Kathmandu (Rs300) or by minivan (Rs450~Rs500). Spend 1 day in Pokhara.

(D) - Tansen (PALPA)
5 hours bus ride from Pokhara (Rs300). Spend 1 day.

(E) - Bhairahwa
Tansen - Butwal - Bhairahwa - Sunauli (cross border to INDIA). The plan is to travel down south and cross INDIA border on the same day. NOT sure whether we can travel all the way to Varanasi on the same day too. However, we might spend a night at Sunauli and continue the journey early in the morning.

A little bit rush don't you think? :)

And a new plan for INDIA

(A) - Varanasi
10 hours bus ride towards Varanasi. Spend a day.

(B) - Agra
13 hours sleeper train from Varanasi (4.45pm) towards Agra (Taj Mahal). Try headed to New Delhi on the same day.

(C) - Leh (not sure since it's in winter... maybe stop at Manali or Rohtang La)
Towards Delhi. Train (3 hours). Bus (5 Hours). Spend a night at Delhi before headed to 15 hours bus ride to Manali (1050).

Conclusion.
Hopefully this is my final plan. There's bus going towards Manali (17 hours) from Haridwar if we stick to the original plan. However, en route from Banbassa towards Haridwar traveling time duration is unknown as there's a lot of small city in between. If there's a lot of time, I definitely wan tot experience Banbassa towards Haridwar route... well like I said, trying to experience more in a little amount of time.

Well that's about it... if any of you readers have experience Himachal Pradesh or Uttarakhand region please do share. Hopefully it is worth going down south than experience Uttarakhand.

That's all for now... thanks for reading.