Photographs (October 2002).

This page contains photographs of the group during the first half of October 2002. The time on each photograph is GMT and therefore differs from local time by 8 hours.

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Kon-Tiki in Bamda for the first time (the restaurant in the centre of the building, with the red sign, was good and cheap, but you have to cross the mud to get in).

Whilst waiting for Roger's van to be towed to Bamda we decide to test our high altitude oxygen supply, it works, and gives you quite a lift!

Ready for the N318?

The sky really was this colour!

And the locals are colorful and friendly.

But the N318 is not ready for us yet. These two trucks are touching each other and both are stuck in the mud. We wait many hours for them to be freed.

We can see the N318 below us in the distance and it looks good, but can we get to it?

Only Mog risks driving over this to discover it goes on for 100s of metres!

The end of the road, at least for the N318.

Gong calls China Swan for instructions on our Iridium satellite phone, we are told to return to Bamda and take the N317.

As far as we got on the N318, and the scenery is still stunning.

Back to the "Caravan Club" site at Bamda, note the strict observance of the 5 metre rule to prevent the spread of fire (the local truck drivers light fires under their fuel tanks in the morning!)

Roger's van safely loaded on a specialist campervan transporter for the 1000km trip to Lhasa over dirt roads!

The driver who could!

Serge entrusts his van to the highly trained and well equipped mechanics of Bamda! (He had hit a rock and pushed his sump up into his oil pump, starving his engine of oil. The sump had to be removed and bashed out, unfortunately when the sump was replaced it leaked 1.5 liters of oil a day.)

The road from Bamda to Qamdo was spectacular, and partly surfaced.
Was the N317 going to be better than the N318?

The N317 had spectacular scenery...

...and was in far better condition than the N318...

...but Mog still had to tow the other vans through one river.

The local style of motorcycle decoration was floral.

Each stone at this Buddhist monastery is engraved with a prayer.

Narrow road.

The central ridge needed to be reduced in height by about 100mm to allow the vans to pass. Some days we were out digging for four hours.

...but the scenery is spectacular...

...day and night.

Womble is covered in birthday "cards".

Sometimes the rock overhang was a bit tight for Mog.

We reach the top of an unnamed 5150 metre pass.

Maureen is still celebrating her birthday.

...and the scenery remains spectacular...

...and the locals colorful and friendly (here inside Mog).

Frozen Yaks

Roadside prayer stones.

You want it delivered?

...and the scenery is stunning.

...and the sky is blue.

Mog's shadow early in the morning.

Yet more stunning scenery as we approach Lhasa.

The roof of the Portala Palace, Lhasa.

Thousands of Yak butter lamps outside the Jokhang Temple, Lhasa.

Pilgrims repeatedly prostrate themselves outside the Jokhang Temple, Lhasa.

Prayer wheels inside the Jokhang Temple, Lhasa.

Inside the Jokhang Temple, Lhasa.

A decorated doorway in the Jokhang Temple, Lhasa.