Road of QingZang
The train for Golmod left the station at 2:30 pm. it takes 19 hours from Xining to Golmod. the scenery is quite nice.
for about 4 or 5 hours after departure, we will be able to see the northern part of QingHai Lake, which is the largest salty inland lake of China. it is a pity that I didn't go to visit this lake, since I had not planned to stay in XiNing for that long because of some accident. otherwise I am sure to go there...... after about 10 hours train arrived at a place with the altitude of 4000m, this is the first place over 4000m of this travel. fortunately, I didn't feel any trouble.
at 8:45 am next morning, I arrived at Golmod. this city is one oasis inside the desert. and also regarded as the beginning of Road of QingZang. I didn't make any stop there, took the bus leaving at 12:00. on that road we can see snow mountains, purely blue sky, Gobi and more.
Road of QingZang is probably the highest road of the world, it ranges from 3800m to 5200m. most people on this road will feel extremely uncomfortable because of the reaction to high altitudes. I saw many people on the bus around me were "tortured" by serious headache. I am rather lucky not to feel any trouble. but very bad news followed me, the bus had some problem, could not drive any further at half of way. all of the passengers had to find vehicles themselves. I stopped one truck on the road. at 4 o'clock of the second day, we arrived at Thanglha Pass, it's the climax of this road -- 5231 meters high!!!! I even didn't feel any trouble at that spot.
After driving past the Pass, we entered Tibet. at 8:00 am of the third day, I arrived at Lhasa.
