| Dege, Western Kham, Border with Tibet | | | | out in such remoteness. No medical facilities, totally |
| Long before the sun rises we are up. Behind the | | | | dependent on Tibetan Traditional Healing, easier in the |
| mountains it begins to dawn, we are engulfed by the | | | | summer months, unimaginable in winter when ice and |
| beauty of the morning. | | | | snow cover the mountains. |
| The night had been noisy, with Tibetan lemurs | | | | A two and half hour ride on horseback, she |
| rummaging overhead in the double wooden ceiling, | | | | immediately sets off to return back to her home. |
| sleeping was difficult. Where we sleep, kitchen, hall | | | | Astonishing endurance, strength, people here are |
| and bedroom in one, the typical Tibetan house. | | | | robust like no other. I encounter the first Edelweiss |
| Throughout the night I carried a flashlight to spot the | | | | on my trip, it makes me forget the strain on my |
| noisy little creatures who were after the Chambar, | | | | body, for too long I was out of practice since leaving |
| the rye flour stored in the kitchen in a wooden box. | | | | my home country. Recalling my Military training, |
| The breakfast is painstakingly prepared with | | | | Hauptmann Lukesch, and the 50 Miles we marched in |
| Chambar, salted tea and yak butter, yak cheese, | | | | Alpine regions, I think back and realize how time has |
| mingled in a cup and bare fingers. The hospitality of | | | | passed so quickly. |
| the Tibetan people has no equivalent, we are | | | | Here in this region I find a variety of plants, wild |
| honored guests in their house, and dare not to | | | | fruits, Gooseberries, wild Strawberries, Raspberries in |
| refuse their persuasive welcome. | | | | deep red growing nearby. Reminding me of my youth |
| Red Tibetan furniture all around us, wooden tables, | | | | and the Alpine world I grew up with, where we |
| an open kitchen furnace, we sit on our bed eating | | | | would roam in the meadows after school, using the |
| and drinking the salted Lapsang, planning for the day. | | | | mountains as a playground, once again I see |
| We will ascend to the mountains staying overnight , | | | | reflections of my early days appearing with every |
| where wolves and bears still roam freely. As a result, | | | | step I climb these trails. |
| every Tibetan carries a dagger, richly decorated with | | | | We zigzag along the rocky paths, it takes all my |
| Silver and gemstones, according to his social standing. | | | | strength for its steepness. The higher we reach the |
| A car takes us to the school where Mr. Chen's wife | | | | more spectacular the views, the more you feel |
| is teaching Tibetan kids, in a scenic settlement 30 | | | | yourself free. Only a mountaineer can understand this |
| miles outside the city of Dege. We visit the school, | | | | feeling, perhaps I felt a similar sensation the night I |
| its basic facilities and see only smiling, curious faces. | | | | found myself in Beyla, Guinea. |
| Horses were called in the day before to carry me to | | | | The serpentine paths become more steep, walking |
| the mountain, an almost impossible thought to bear. | | | | dangerously close near to cliffs I realize I made a |
| The means of communication is by word to mouth, | | | | good choice not to move on horseback. Not being a |
| as no transport other than by foot or horse can | | | | good rider it would have been too risky, a reckless |
| reach to this remote parts in 4000 m altitude. | | | | idea I contemplate. |
| We start our ascent at 0900 AM and the | | | | Well into the afternoon, long overdue we reach the |
| breathtaking beauty of the valley immediately takes | | | | first house on a long stretch of green, rye growing |
| me into a trance. My guide's pace is fast, difficult to | | | | up in this altitude of 4000 meters. We set of at 3000 |
| follow pace, I grasp for air in such high altitude. Alpine | | | | meters, but the ascent was so strenuous it took me |
| meadows on our way, tall yellow and purple cowslips | | | | 8 hours to climb. Here in the mountains everyone |
| along the trails, in the mountain meadows make me | | | | knows each other, so our arrival had been heralded |
| remember my own heritage. So similar is the | | | | and we are invited to the first dwelling we see. |
| vegetation here, I almost forget I am 8000 Miles | | | | Sitting in the dark kitchen with only basic amenities, |
| from home in a far away location. | | | | the lady of the house and her grandson invites me |
| The trail is steep, the first plateau reached we stare | | | | with the same hospitality I am so used to since |
| at the mountains around us, the valley below, fields | | | | coming to these parts. All I take is some fresh |
| of rye in golden yellow. The main route to Chamda | | | | mountain spring water, trying hard to recover from |
| and to Lhasa, a 5 days journey by car. So vast are | | | | the climb. |
| the distances here, one needs to shut off his sensing | | | | One can not describe the condition of this dwelling |
| of time entirely for the duration of this journey. Time | | | | place, were it not to hurt the genuine people's |
| has no meaning, we are only temporary on this | | | | feelings. All they have is this, and this is their life. The |
| Earth.. Tibetan wisdom comes in many shapes. | | | | rye gives them food throughout the year, and |
| The stream we now try to cross is covering the trail | | | | represents their staple diet. All houses in Tibetan |
| over hundreds of meters and we attempt to jump | | | | tradition are built of raw timber, logs of Fir and are |
| from stone to stone with limited success. Ice cold | | | | painted with a red mixture that contains yak butter. |
| fresh mountain spring water, a definite substitute to | | | | The yak butter helps to preserve the logs for a long |
| the bottled water in PET packing. Prayer flags with | | | | period of time. When entering these parts one |
| diverse colors line the places where the water is | | | | immediately notices this phenomena without realizing |
| deep, marking the auspiciousness of the location. | | | | the deeper meaning of it. |
| Mountains and cliffs towering over our heads as we | | | | I dread to climb further up and really push myself to |
| progress into the high altitude dwelling place of my | | | | reach the last 300 meters where the grandfather is |
| guide's grandparents. Eagles cry, circling above in the | | | | anxiously awaiting us. We can see the house further |
| clear blue sky, looking for prey. | | | | up the mountain and can see the grandfather |
| An hour into the walk we meet our horses, sent to | | | | standing and looking towards us. |
| take us on horseback to our destination. I chose not | | | | The last stretch lasts forever and I take a rest |
| to ride and pack our luggage on the horseback, a | | | | every now and then, grasping for air. When we finally |
| white mare. Noticing the rider's pregnancy I wonder | | | | reach, I feel totally exhausted. |
| how strong these people must be, living year in year | | | | |