xiao ais mountain trek 2 we are all lonely wayfarers

In this beautiful yet regretful world,

you and I are solitary travelers from afar,

walking continuously, regardless of everything,

crying, laughing, lingering in the mortal world,

just to make this journey worthwhile!

Record of Circumambulating the Three Holy Mountains of Daocheng Yading Day 2

Circumambulating the mountain is voluntary and requires carrying a heavy load, including a tent, sleeping bag, and moisture-proof mat. Dry food, a stove for cooking hot meals, a pot, and a gas canister. Also, warm clothing! I always thought that running a 50km trail race in 6.7 hours was easy for me, so walking 30km in a day for this circumambulation should be a breeze! However, I was too optimistic...🤪 The first day was 14km, all at altitudes above 4000m... The second day, 26km, was utterly exhausting... By the way, setting up camp in the cowshed was the best choice, as it was windproof, rainproof, and safe! It rained all night, and at dawn, I went out with an umbrella to relieve myself... The valley was misty with rain, and even with a thick down jacket, it was still a bit chilly.

After a while, I heard Sirang Dorje calling me, probably afraid I would get lost... Returning to the cowshed, I crawled back into the sleeping bag for a lazy nap... Soon, I heard Sirang Dorje moving around; he had gone outside to gather dry wood to start a fire. With a fire starter and a gas canister, it was quite convenient! Soon, the cowshed was filled with thick smoke, making my eyes water. Sirang Dorje, confident and persistent, kept working on the fire, blowing and adding wood. Eventually, the fire caught, and we boiled water to wash our faces and brush our teeth, then brewed a pot of coffee. Thus, a leisurely day began...

However, this was the only time we successfully started a fire. We brought a few packs of coffee and walnut powder, which I love for its sweet, thick texture and energy boost! Honestly, surviving this trip was all thanks to those packs of walnut powder...😂 After washing up, I used a disposable towel to wipe my face, then used it to clean my dirty shoes and pants, and finally thought of using it to clean the soot-covered pot... Dorje cooked a pot of porridge with self-heating rice, adding a sausage and a pack of pickled vegetables. The hot porridge was so comforting that I had two bowls! After eating and drinking our fill, we packed our bags. The tent was covered in dew, so we dried it by the fire before setting off!

Today, we must cover 20-30km!

At first, I thought we were heading towards the mountain pass, but Dorje checked the direction and said we needed to go right and circle back to Chonggu Monastery, which meant descending further. I was skeptical because neither of us had done this before, and we had no experience, relying solely on the information Dorje gathered from Zhongyong and family the previous day! It kept raining, and we kept descending. The valley was foggy, obscuring the scenery. We entered a dense forest, following a stream, and soon our shoes and socks were wet. Wearing raincoats, we didn't feel cold. The thick cotton pants and down jackets were reserved for warmth at night! Dorje was also worried about taking the wrong path, frequently checking the Aowei map on his phone. There was no network signal in the mountains, and a wrong turn would waste energy and time, especially with our limited food supply.

Gradually, we noticed footprints on the ground, which excited us, as they seemed fresh, indicating the hikers ahead were only a few kilometers away! We also found horse manure and hoof prints, speculating that the people ahead were Tibetans with horses, as they often circumambulate the mountains for blessings! After several kilometers of descent, Dorje began to doubt our path again, frequently checking the Aowei map. I kept asking how many kilometers to Xianuoduoji Pass.

That was my only mental support. If we reached Xianuoduoji Pass, we wouldn't have to worry about starving in the mountains. Crossing Xianuoduoji, we could descend to Milk Lake, and six kilometers downhill would bring us to the pasture. If I couldn't walk anymore, I could retreat from Milk Lake and have Dorje's brother Zhongyong pick us up, a foolproof plan! Dorje uncertainly estimated it to be 20-30 kilometers, with at most two or three passes to cross! Clinging to this bit of hope, I began crossing one pass after another, under the misty, rainy sky!

Finally, during an uphill climb, I was moving very slowly, and Dorje couldn't help but say, 'Let me carry your backpack...' Although it was tough, I insisted on carrying it myself, as he was already carrying most of the gear. My backpack had been reduced to seven or eight pounds...

The morning porridge had long been digested, and I was getting hungrier, but I didn't want to stop for a break and waste time. I took out some White Rabbit candies from the supermarket, and we each had one to boost our blood sugar, but it wasn't enough to stave off hunger! Later, we passed a stream, and while drinking from it, I spotted wood ear mushrooms on a dead tree. Excitedly, I picked them and told Dorje we could cook them with porridge at night! Dorje was skeptical, worried about poisoning. I assured him they were edible, and he finally put them in his bag! We found a few more wood ears on another dead tree, and we cherished these rare high-altitude wild mushrooms, carefully storing them, though we never got to cook them. At a cliffside cowshed, we found a few scattered potatoes... What a blessing! We happily picked them up, not caring if they were for yaks or left by other hikers! We planned to roast the potatoes for dinner. The cowshed floor was dirty and wet from the continuous rain, making it unsuitable for camping. With the potatoes and wood ears, we felt much better, as food is crucial!

We continued, aiming to cross the pass. Snowflakes began to fall, and the closer we got to the pass, the heavier the snow became, turning into a blizzard. The wind was so strong it almost distorted my face. Starving, I begged Dorje to stop for a break. In a sheltered spot, with heavy snow falling in the distance and no sign of people, we made some walnut powder. I drank a bit and let Dorje have more, always worried he wouldn't get enough to eat. Every time he offered me more, I pretended to be full, not wanting to take an extra bite. He always half-believed me, thinking my appetite had decreased due to altitude sickness. Each break only staved off hunger briefly, and soon we were hungry again, but I didn't mention it, fearing he'd worry. After each break, I'd feel cheerful and lead the way into another valley, spotting tents far below! I excitedly pointed them out to Dorje... Unfortunately, we were on the mountain ridge and couldn't reach them. Still, it was comforting to know we weren't alone, and even if we ran out of food, we wouldn't be in serious trouble, and we hadn't lost our way.

As we walked, I told Dorje, 'I really want to go down and chat with them!' Dorje wasn't as excited and had no intention of approaching them. We missed one campsite and continued along the ridge. We came across another campsite with horses and the sound of bells! Dorje said it must be locals with horses carrying gear for the circumambulation. Slowly, Dorje pointed out a few people crossing the pass ahead. Straining my neck, I could barely make out red and green figures! 'Now I understand why outdoor gear is so brightly colored.'

Seeing people was always comforting! Although they were several mountain peaks away, knowing we weren't alone in the mountains was reassuring. At one mountain top, I was so hungry that I felt dizzy and weak, staring at the snowy pass ahead, doubting my ability to cross it. I begged Dorje to stop for another break. Dorje stopped to boil water while I put on my down jacket and watched him work. He wanted to cook instant noodles, but I stopped him, as we didn't have enough and it would waste time! We made more walnut powder, ate some bread, and I let Dorje have more, adding sausage! Watching him eat ravenously, I couldn't bear to take another bite! Controlling my appetite, I maintained just enough energy to keep walking! After the break, we set off again!

The mountain was there, and retreating wasn't an option; we had to move forward, with no choice but to cross it! The snow and wind intensified, and the pass grew higher. Each step was a struggle, relying on trekking poles for support! There was no scenery, just endless white snow. With no extra energy or emotions, I kept my head down to avoid the snow hitting my face! I kept wondering: Why am I circumambulating this mountain? Why did I come here during my vacation, wandering in these high-altitude snowy mountains... I wanted to eat, drink, sleep, and go home... Feeling aggrieved, I looked back at Dorje, which made me feel better!

It was my insistence to come circumambulate the mountain, my stubborn decision... Getting closer to the pass, I was eager to see the scenery beyond. The heavy snow covered all paths, but fortunately, the footprints ahead were still visible. My shoes were filled with snow, and my toes were freezing! Finally, after a difficult climb, we reached the top, amidst a blizzard and thunderstorm, no exaggeration! There was no time to take out my phone for photos, fearing hypothermia, so we quickly descended... Entering the valley, we faced torrential rain... Unbelievable weather changes!

We pressed on through the rain, with time still on our side! Descending was my strength, so I took back my backpack and started the long descent! An endless descent! Gradually, we sensed other hikers ahead, seeing horses grazing on a distant meadow. Continuing, we encountered a group of hikers setting up camp. Despite the wind and rain, I ran over to chat with them, but the men seemed to dismiss me, a young girl, barely acknowledging me!

Dorje called me to hurry. Further ahead, more people were camping, including Tibetans setting up tents and lighting fires! The Han hikers ignored me, so I ran over to chat with the Tibetans! 😂 The Tibetans were willing to chat, though their attitude was cold! Feeling acknowledged, I became even more reluctant to leave. Tired, hungry, and wet, and feeling colder, I told Dorje, 'Let's camp here! I'm tired and don't want to walk anymore!' I feared hypothermia and had no energy to climb another mountain, giving Dorje a pitiful look before finding a suitable spot for our tent!

Near a stupa, there was a vacant spot, just enough for our tent, sheltered from rain and wind by the mountain rocks! Dorje reluctantly agreed. He started setting up the tent while I, feeling cold, went to warm myself by the Tibetans' fire, envious of their ample supplies of rice, wood, and bread! I boldly asked to buy some wood, and the Tibetan woman said, 'How much will you pay?' I asked, 'How much do you want?' She replied, 'This much, two hundred yuan...' I was shocked, expecting thirty or fifty... 😂😂😂

The woman explained, 'We carried it up the mountain; it's not easy!' I felt aggrieved: 'You have horses to carry it, not yourselves; it's too expensive! How about one hundred fifty?' But she refused to sell. Feeling wronged, I returned to our camp to complain to Dorje, hoping he could communicate with them as a fellow Tibetan. But he refused to negotiate! Frustrated, I hid in my sleeping bag, ignoring him! Dorje, unwilling to spend 200 yuan, went to gather wood in the forest, taking a long time. I was anxious and angry, but he eventually returned, soaked, with a few wet logs. Knowing how hard it was to gather the wood, we tried to start a fire, but the high altitude, low temperature, and wet wood made it impossible! Feeling wronged, I begged him to buy wood. After much persuasion, he agreed. He returned with wood and some rice, happily saying the rice was a gift. The wood was priced at our discretion. I told him to pay the 150 yuan we initially offered. Dorje took 200 yuan, but I told him it was fine to pay the extra fifty, as they worked hard, and we earned money more easily!

Dorje didn't understand: 'They are working, with horse teams, commercially!' I explained: 'Yes, they work hard in these remote mountains, while we are here for leisure. We are relatively fortunate!'

Dorje finally understood! With the wood bought, Dorje tried to start a fire, but the wood was too wet, and after half an hour, it still wouldn't light... Feeling helpless, I hid in the tent, cold and hungry, and couldn't help but cry... Dorje planned to eat dry food, but I insisted on porridge and a fire to dry our soaked shoes, socks, and clothes! With no other choice, Dorje took the wood to the guides' fire. They cooked a pot of half-cooked porridge, and I choked down half a bowl with tears!

Unhappy and feeling wronged, I stayed in the sleeping bag, refusing to join the fire! 😂😂 Such a stubborn girl!

Later, I heard that Dorje kept my down jacket in his arms all night to dry it! 🤪 I only knew that Dorje, with a sleeping bag rated to -7°C, was so cold he had to wear all his warm clothes to avoid freezing... 😂 While my sleeping bag was rated to -30°C.'Before we set off, I repeatedly asked him if a -7°C sleeping bag was warm enough. If not, we could buy a new one! He insisted it was enough, claiming he could withstand the cold... 🤪🤪🤪 He was freezing every night!'