5. A journey into Tibet - Rest day at Nyalam Mu

July 2012

Previous posts:


A journey into Tibet - Kailash Manasa Sarovar
1. A journey into Tibet - At Kathmandu
2. A journey into Tibet – Mountain flight
3. A journey into Tibet - Manakamana
4. A journey into Tibet - Kathmandu to Nyalam Mu

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.

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