Rachel and I had no idea what kind of adventure we were about to get ourselves into!
View of the lake when we got there (completely frozen across)
We rode the train for 14 hours and then had to take a bus for 3 hours to get to the lake. When we first arrived there was just a small strip of small shops and restaurants mostly all closed. Most people travel to the lake during the summer, so by going in March the little town was almost empty.
We first arrived and a guy on a motorcycle rode up and offered to take us to the lake for 20kuai, we thought it was odd and strange and decided we would walk instead to the tourist part. When we arrived, we saw it was 50kaui and that most of it was all closed down inside. Our friend on the motorcycle had driven over to us again and was offering to take us to the lake and to a place where we can ride horses. We asked him lots of questions to make sure it was safe... he said in Chinese, "I'm not going to trick you, of course you can trust me, I'm Zang minority (thats Tibetan)!"
He didn't have the most convincing argument, but we knew he was only taking us down the street (because we had packs). So, Rach and I looked at each other and decided we would allow him to take us (this is a very common thing in China -its similar to taking a taxi, but instead its a motorcycle - we sometimes do it in our hometown-just so you know it wasn't an uncommon situation).
This is where he took us!
We rode the train for 14 hours and then had to take a bus for 3 hours to get to the lake. When we first arrived there was just a small strip of small shops and restaurants mostly all closed. Most people travel to the lake during the summer, so by going in March the little town was almost empty.
We first arrived and a guy on a motorcycle rode up and offered to take us to the lake for 20kuai, we thought it was odd and strange and decided we would walk instead to the tourist part. When we arrived, we saw it was 50kaui and that most of it was all closed down inside. Our friend on the motorcycle had driven over to us again and was offering to take us to the lake and to a place where we can ride horses. We asked him lots of questions to make sure it was safe... he said in Chinese, "I'm not going to trick you, of course you can trust me, I'm Zang minority (thats Tibetan)!"
He didn't have the most convincing argument, but we knew he was only taking us down the street (because we had packs). So, Rach and I looked at each other and decided we would allow him to take us (this is a very common thing in China -its similar to taking a taxi, but instead its a motorcycle - we sometimes do it in our hometown-just so you know it wasn't an uncommon situation).
This is where he took us!
The Tibetan girls we met who let us ride their horses
Rach and I riding
Our new friend suggested the perfect place for us to stay... totally surprised that there was a mattress (I'm used to sleeping on a hard mat when traveling)! Even better getting to sleep on a large piece of carpet!
This was the conversation we had in Chinese:
Rach and I were enjoying the warm yak milk we were given!
The view from the back of the house
This is one way of how we stayed warm! These are usually found in homes in China where there is no electric heat. We sat around this for a few hours drinking warm yak milk and trying to stay warm (usually heated by coals... however they used cow chips).
However, something was wrong with the pipe... so after 30 minutes... the room filled with smoke... I'm telling you this because by the time we went to bed it had been two days since we showered.. we had trained all night, then took a 3 hour bus ride, rode horses, it was very sandy, and then sat in a room full of smoke -we smelled! And there was no shower. I used the water from my bottle to wash my face and brush my teeth that night outside (it was such a fun experience)!
This is what we woke up to... SNOW! On the ground! (not a whole lot... but enough to make the night before freezing cold).
This is me with our 'hot water' in the basin the next morning trying to get cleaned up outside.
I went down and sat near the lake and watched as shepherds led their sheep across the land! I sat there for long time just reading my book.
It was mid morning and we walked up to the strip to try and catch a bus to go back into the city. However, learned that the buses don't stop near the strip. They just lay on the horn and honk as it speeds by and if your standing outside at the time and can wave it down (if its nice enough to stop) then it will.
Xiao Didi took us to wait in their friend's house (which was also a pharmacy) so we wouldn't have to wait outside (it was really cold outside and the wind chill was bad). So we agreed that we would all wait inside and when Xiao Didi saw a bus coming through the window he would run outside and try and wave it down...
About three buses had gone by and unfortunately Xiao Didi's method wasn't working. We waited inside for about 2 1/2 hours watching Tibetan music videos with our new friends... and decided we needed to go outside and wait ourselves if we ever wanted to get home.
Rach and I waited outside shivering and trying to stay warm. We decided to walk down the strip... and saw a huge tourist bus (out of no where). We walked into the restaurant where all the people were.... and desperately asked them if they were headed back into the city and if they had any room left. They said 'yes' and were willing to give us a ride back.
Rach and I climbed on the bus and sat in the back row. When the singing and karaoke started... Rach and I just looked at each other... we both weren't surprised when they said we had to sing - that was our way of paying for our ticket back into the city...
Well... the tourist bus stopped a few times on the way back... and while everyone climbed off the bus to take pictures... Rach and I just happened to fall asleep (thankfully and fortunately for them they didn't have to hear me sing).
Our new friend suggested the perfect place for us to stay... totally surprised that there was a mattress (I'm used to sleeping on a hard mat when traveling)! Even better getting to sleep on a large piece of carpet!This was the conversation we had in Chinese:
Rach and I: "Is there heat?"
Xiao Didi (translates as 'little brother' -what he preferred us to call him) "a small space heater will be provided-which will turn on when we turn on the electricity at night"
Xiao Didi (translates as 'little brother' -what he preferred us to call him) "a small space heater will be provided-which will turn on when we turn on the electricity at night"
Rach and I: "Where is the shower?"
Xiao Didi: : "Uh... what shower... we don't have one (most places didn't)."
Rach and I: "Do you have running water?"
Xiao Didi: "You'll get hot water in the morning."
Rach and I: "Where is the bathroom?"
Xiao Didi: "uhh... Suibian (translates as 'whatever/wherever')... and its only 20kuai a night..."
'Suibian' bathroom meant -we would be going outside in the field around the corner of the house (also very usual thing there) Rach and I looked at each other and started laughing and quickly said "yes we'll take it!"
We knew we were in for roughing it!Xiao Didi: : "Uh... what shower... we don't have one (most places didn't)."
Rach and I: "Do you have running water?"
Xiao Didi: "You'll get hot water in the morning."
Rach and I: "Where is the bathroom?"
Xiao Didi: "uhh... Suibian (translates as 'whatever/wherever')... and its only 20kuai a night..."
'Suibian' bathroom meant -we would be going outside in the field around the corner of the house (also very usual thing there) Rach and I looked at each other and started laughing and quickly said "yes we'll take it!"
Rach and I were enjoying the warm yak milk we were given!
The view from the back of the house
This is one way of how we stayed warm! These are usually found in homes in China where there is no electric heat. We sat around this for a few hours drinking warm yak milk and trying to stay warm (usually heated by coals... however they used cow chips).
However, something was wrong with the pipe... so after 30 minutes... the room filled with smoke... I'm telling you this because by the time we went to bed it had been two days since we showered.. we had trained all night, then took a 3 hour bus ride, rode horses, it was very sandy, and then sat in a room full of smoke -we smelled! And there was no shower. I used the water from my bottle to wash my face and brush my teeth that night outside (it was such a fun experience)!
This is what we woke up to... SNOW! On the ground! (not a whole lot... but enough to make the night before freezing cold).
This is me with our 'hot water' in the basin the next morning trying to get cleaned up outside.
I went down and sat near the lake and watched as shepherds led their sheep across the land! I sat there for long time just reading my book.
It was mid morning and we walked up to the strip to try and catch a bus to go back into the city. However, learned that the buses don't stop near the strip. They just lay on the horn and honk as it speeds by and if your standing outside at the time and can wave it down (if its nice enough to stop) then it will.Xiao Didi took us to wait in their friend's house (which was also a pharmacy) so we wouldn't have to wait outside (it was really cold outside and the wind chill was bad). So we agreed that we would all wait inside and when Xiao Didi saw a bus coming through the window he would run outside and try and wave it down...
About three buses had gone by and unfortunately Xiao Didi's method wasn't working. We waited inside for about 2 1/2 hours watching Tibetan music videos with our new friends... and decided we needed to go outside and wait ourselves if we ever wanted to get home.
Rach and I waited outside shivering and trying to stay warm. We decided to walk down the strip... and saw a huge tourist bus (out of no where). We walked into the restaurant where all the people were.... and desperately asked them if they were headed back into the city and if they had any room left. They said 'yes' and were willing to give us a ride back.
Rach and I climbed on the bus and sat in the back row. When the singing and karaoke started... Rach and I just looked at each other... we both weren't surprised when they said we had to sing - that was our way of paying for our ticket back into the city...
Well... the tourist bus stopped a few times on the way back... and while everyone climbed off the bus to take pictures... Rach and I just happened to fall asleep (thankfully and fortunately for them they didn't have to hear me sing).
This is picture/view is also very common in my city... a Hui (Muslim -ethically Chinese) selling meat
Rach and I stayed Saturday night in the city and explored. Xining is filled with Tibetans and Hui people.
This is the Dongguan Mosque (famous for its size and the history- built in 1380).It sure was an unforgettable adventure with Rachel travelling to Xining. I'm thankful I got to see just another small part of this huge, vast, and beautiful country. And see another people group (the Zang- Tibetans) and make some new friends (there are 56 different ethnic groups in China).
