3/10 More snow

Monday 3 October

A much better night. Lay awake some of the night but felt very comfortable and didn’t even mind (much) the barking dogs. Awoke to more snow. Falling quite hard  but not accumulating. J not well again. There are a few good day walks and pony rides around but if we don’t both perk up we will need to move on to lower altitude. A few people have been to ShangriLa and most impressed. It’s a long way but you can fly. But the altitude is much the same.

Went on a stroll with Paul and Duncan. Lovely warm sunny weather.  Out past the huge prayer wheels in front of the monastery, past the pony rides and the golden temple buildings. Then right towards ???.  Nice road to walk on, snowy hilltops in the distance.  Eventually could see the Nunnery to the left a fair way off.  Got to another small village that looked similar in building style to where we are staying.  Turned back at that point and came back via the short cut thru the paddocks and the far right of the town.  Saw plenty of highland cattle/yaks.  Some small insects and a few flowers.  Other than that, just grasslands.  Back about 3pm.

A few people sitting around chatting about the 14 day Yak Husbandry trek, wondering if it would look good on their resume. How much yak herding, yak milking etc etc can you stand? Paul confessed to having had a 3 night camp up a valley in yak territory, which was henceforth to be known as BrokeYak Mountain (apologies to Heath Ledger).

We felt we had “sucked all the juice” out of Tagong and it was time to move on – subject to finding somewhere to stay at Kanding. The Chinese are arriving in numbers and sleeping spaces are at a premium. The Israeli couple eventually settled for space under the roof with one side open to the elements. That is going to be coooold. J went and got Angel to ring the fancy place in Kanding and we were delighted to get a “suite” at a not unreasonable price. But only for 1 night – so it will be hope for an extension or find somewhere else or bus onwards. The basic premise that accommodation would be easier to find out here during the holiday week has turned out to be false. We have got off relatively lightly thanks to great kindness from an Aussie, a Chinese and a Hollander. As somebody else was saying this afternoon, it is good to leave a few details loose because it often produces the most memorable outcomes and warm relationships. We are preparing for an early start to catch a 7.30 minibus with Duncan, who doesnt have any booking to go to. So that will be interesting.