Travelling across the incredible Tibetan Plateau is to venture into the realm of spiritual uplifting

This is a world where colors are enhanced

The landscape itself constantly remind you that you are truly on the “Roof of the World.”

The craggy lunar landscape is stunning !

The scenery takes your breath away ! So isolated and far from the village of Tingri, this lunar looking plateau landscape makes you wonder how the monks and nuns survive at the monastery. It is a very long five hour drive in a Toyota SUV with a driver and a guide.

Pastoral nomads transporting barley and other crops from village to village.

Nomads and Yaks Transporting barley and other necessities across the Tibetan Plateau

Cho Oyu Mountain Range

Mt. EverestTo the Tibetans, it is known as

Qomolangma; to the Chinese, Chomolungma and to the Nepalese, Sagarmatha

World’s Highest Mountain at 29,028 feet

Permit costs up to $25,000 to climb itAs of end of 2007, 2,436 individuals

have reached the summit. 210 deaths have been recorded.

The dirt road from Tingri to the Base Camp is now being paved at a cost under 20 million dollars.

Everest North Face

Magnificent Mt. Everest , the world’s tallest mountain, is visible just minutes before arriving at the Rongbuk Monastery

World’s Highest’s Monastery at Rongbuk GlacierAt 5,100 meters ( 17,000 ft)

Rongbuk MonasteryFounded by a Nyingmapa Lama in 1902 as a meditation retreat

Now some 20 nuns and 10 monks live there

Source: Wikipedia

The World’s Highest Monastery lies by the foot of Rongbuk Glacier some 5100 meters high, 8 km from Everest Base Camp on the North Side in Tibet

Rongbuk Monastery

The Large, Round, Terraced Chorten contains a reliquary.

History• The Rongbuk Monastery itself was founded

in 1902 by a Nyingmapa Lama in an area of meditation huts that had been in use by monks and hermits for over 400 years. Hermitage meditation caves dot the cliff walls all around the monastery complex and up and down the valley.

• Today, between 20 to 35 Buddhist monks and nuns live there

The Rongbuk Guest House is where we stayed for one night. We were TOO SICK to do anything !!! Not even to sign or communicate with each other !

Feeling dizzy and nausea with severe headache, stomach ache, and pounding hearts

At 17,000 - 18,000 ft elevation:

There are no permanent settlements above this point anywhere on Earth because no one can adjust year-round to the altitude

Lungs expel more carbon dioxide, disrupting the blood’s pH Balance

Kidneys discharge more water to correct the blood’s acidity, causing dehyration

Sample Heart rate : 85 resting, 140 exercising

Atmospheric pressure is only 50% that at sea level – climbers take in only 50% as many oxygen molecules Source: The Killer Within, National Geographic, May 2003

We declined lunch, dinner, and even a pony-cart side trip to Everest Base Camp due to acute mountain sickness ( AMS).

As night befell us, we were able to view Mt. Everest from our botched window.

Often shrouded in clouds and mist,

Mt. Everest was described as "a

preposterous triangular lump" (by

George Mallory) and "a glittering spire

of rock fluted with snow" with "an

imposing head of granite and ice," (by

Noel Odell) and it looms large over the

Rongbuk glacier, shining white at its

feet.Source: Wikipedia

Potty Call at 17,000 ft

high

Not the Actual Sky at Rongbuk THE SHINING STARS were so close – felt like we could reach /touch them

May 19, 20073: 30 a.m.

We turned back the next morning

Despite efforts to feel better and overcome our High Altitude Sickness

We did not take the planned trip by pony cart to Everest Base Camp, 5 miles away.

With health concerns, we bided farewell to the enchanting mountain.