Change in route 15th June

Due to closure of the only direct road to Shangri-la in the Yunnan Province the next few days have had to be re-routed. The guide has no idea of what the roads are like so it will add to the adventure factor. To split the days into days to allow for bad roads, it has meant that today is a short one of only 80 miles and therefore we will not be leaving until 09:30.

The route promises to be very scenic with mountains and deep valleys to travel through on hopefully all tarmac




It is amazing the contrast between the very dusty west of Tibet and the very green east side, although there is still plenty of dust, especially through road works.
The last 30 miles was along construction of the 318 main road and it was in the usual Chinese fashion of traffic still flows but through the construction site


Then when the road has collapsed, they fill it in while they stop the traffic and plce the usual stones (Natural Traffic Cones) to keep the traffic away from the edge





Then if by magic the tarmac resumes as if there has been nothing going on at all. Yes that is two scooters going the other way, little do they know what is around the corner


So off we go again back into “Little Switzerland” with the twisty roads and the snow topped mountains and very green. We are increasing our altitude again as the plateau is lower than the surrounding mountains so we will be stopping at a height of just under 4000 and next to a lake.

Now there are a few signs which will leave you wondering what is going on in that region and when we leave the hotel tomorrow we have a T-Junction that has this sign at it. Why?????

Once at the hotel and had a little bit of food simon and myself decided to wander into the village and see what was happening. Hmmm not a lot, so a quick game of pool with a few locals who make the rules up as you go along. The table had more pot holes in it than the road under construction and was not level. As suppose that was asking too much on the pavement that slopes

There was a hotel at the start of the village that had writing al over the wall so what else could we do but to leave a Globebusters mark.

The hotel was next to a lake and what else do you expect but a herd of Yak to just go wandering by through the water


So what was going to be a short day turned out to have quite a bit going on though western Tibet. Apparently we are very honoured to be going through this part as non-chinese are ever allowed through here
WELL DONE KEVIN!

9546 mile – Ranwu Lake, Tibet