To Zongdian: starting to look Tibetan

March 30, 2007

Up at first light, Patrick fixes hot water for coffee and Chinese porridge, and we are on the road by 8am. There is hoarfrost on our gear. We are hoping not to lose and regain altitude, so far just a bit up and down with the countryside a little bit forested.

The architecture has changed and now is very Tibetan. The outside walls slope out at the base, huge wooden columns, and carved decorations on the windows, doors and eaves. Again we see stupas, now decorated with prayer flags. After about 30 km, we see the Dutch cyclist we first met in Krabi Thailand in November and then again in Dali. They recommend a Guesthouse to us, God's of Wealth Inn in Zongidan.

We reach town about 1230 and find the guesthouse just on the edge of "old town." We take our bikes through the restaurant and into a nice courtyard. Guests help us with our gear into the room and are curious about our bikes. The "Hot, Hot" shower (as the Dutch girls said) is nice after last night free camping and sponge bath.

Lunch is at a nearby restaurant a "couple's set menu": Ham sandwiches, big basket of French fries and fruit salad with yogurt. Afterwards, we go to find an internet place. Again, a local directs us to the stairs, the computers are on the third floor. A nice surprise our Laos and China pictures have been posted by Nathan, we spend some time organizing and writing captions.

Late afternoon, we wander around Old Town. At an intersection, we see 2 people and we think we recognize them as the cyclists we saw in Tiger Leaping Gorge? After we pass, we look over our shoulder and see that they recognize us by our handlebar bags...the telltale sign of cyclists. They are traveling with another couple, and we agree to meet at the square at 7pm for drinks. We continue on exploring and find up on the hill above Old Town a giant prayer wheel.

Our goal on this last stop before continuing on into more remote regions is to decrease the amount of gear we are carrying. A stack of stuff to be mailed is piling up. We also found a store to buy more food supplies: noodles, porridge, instant coffee and snicker bars.

At 7pm we meet up with the cyclists and go to the Yak Bar. Soon the other couple joins us. They are Australian living in Belgium for 3 years. The woman from Scotland had gone to university with the guy of the other couple. We had a very nice evening. Tomorrow is their last day together; the Belgium Australians leave to take the Trans Siberian Railroad tomorrow.

The walk back to the hotel is short for us, the evening is cold. The fluffy comforter feels good and warm.