July 2012
Previous posts:
 |
Nyalam Mu town |
It would be an easy day. We will
be resting at Nyalam Mu for acclimatization. The rest day was important as the
trip can be ruined if people are not properly acclimatized. People from another
group who had arrived with us were leaving. They cannot afford acclimatization
due to their tight schedule. They had come to Kathmandu earlier than us and
were delayed due to permit issue. Since the return flight from Kathmandu was
already booked resulting in tight schedule. They were even thinking of just
visiting Manasa Sarovar and drop Kailash Parikrama. That was bad considering
the amount they had already spent and the distance they had travelled to reach
there.
 |
Other group ready to leave |
Two developments had occurred
during night. One was about a person in our group who had developed some urine
complications. As medical facilities in Nyalam Mu were inadequate/non-existent,
he was taken down to Zhang Mu for further tests. Another update was about heavy
rains during night. Water had got into some rooms in ground floor. People in
the affected rooms were being relocated to the ones vacated by the other group.
Bad part was that water had crept into their luggage.

After breakfast we set out for a
walk on the outskirts of Nyalam Mu. We were already in Tibet where the green
mountains had given way to brown ones. We just walked on both sides of the
highway enjoying the scenery. Some people were of the belief that China was
building these good roads for pilgrims from India. That was a foolish thought.
This road would connect Lhasa in Tibet to another sensitive province of
Xinjiang passing along the borders of Nepal and India. The road goes though
Aksai Chin (Chinese controlled Kashmir) the construction of which had triggered
1962 India-China war. The upgraded road would definitely help in quick
mobilization of troops when required.
 |
It was very cold and windy.. and hence this attire!! |
The only snow covered peak that
we saw in Nyalam Mu.
I got down to a view point where
the river flowing down the valley could be seen.
At 12,000 ft we could clearly
feel the lack of oxygen. Walking for an hour in Nyalam Mu was really
refreshing. But then the weather started to become windy, I decided to return
back to the room.
In evening we came to know that
the person who was not well has to return back. Good luck and bad luck for him,
I would say. Bad luck because he will miss out this trip and good luck that he
fell ill during start of the journey. Evacuation becomes difficult as we go
deeper into Tibet.
 |
The only close up shot in Tibet!! |
Nyalam Mu has internet and
international call facility. A call to India would cost about 4.6 Yuan per
minute. Tibet has extensive mobile coverage. A person can be ‘connected’ always
with international roaming SIM card. But charges are prohibitively expensive (Incoming
call at Rs 100/- minute). For status updates, ISD booths are sufficient!!
Weather at Nyalam Mu was worrisome. I rained a
lot. I hoped things would get better in the coming days.
Labels: Himalayas, Tibet