Rawok Tso/Lake Ngan Tso: Beautiful campsite

April 15, 2007

Guess what time we woke up....again the water is frozen as well as the bananas. We are dry inside the tent, but the rainfly is wet and there is hoar frost on our panniers. Getting back to the road with loaded bikes is easier than how Patrick had to shuttle things up yesterday.

We are 13kms to the summit and a 400 meter gain in elevation. The road is gradual only a few spots had the dreaded road sign with the "up arrow." There is something unsettling about seeing that sign on a road that is already going up.

As we near the summit, again a military convoy passes us. The summit is a broad plateau with lots of prayer flags. in a distant hill is another collection of prayer flags that Patrick walks to for pictures, at one time there probably was a stupa. We are surrounded by snow covered peaks.

The 20km descent to Rawok and the lake is also gradual and through a river canyon. The runoff to the river on this side flows to India. There is evidence of landslides with scattered rocks on the road. The last km to town is through an "avalanche" tunnel. On the outskirts of town, we see a gas station that is on the road to Burma (Myanmar). Not knowing what to expect in town, we head for the station for fuel for the cookstove.

In town, we stop at a restaurant for lunch, arriving after a jeep full of people ahead of us, so it takes awhile to get our food. Then a bus stops, the driver indicates he saw 2 cyclists resting, and Patrick heads back to see if it's true while Rachel waits for our take-out order of pork-onion-mushroom & rice for tonight's dinner. No luck at seeing other cyclists. As we head out to find a campsite by the lake, darn if a convoy doesn't start out at the same time!

Patrick finds a beautiful spot with a sandy beach amongst pine trees. Within minutes, the site and our bikes looks as if the panniers exploded. Patrick sets out to gather fire wood to build a campfire. Rachel filters water. We enjoy a couple of beers Patrick carried from town, and roast marshmallow.

Hot water and a quick sponge bath, we sit by the fire, drink coffee & whiskey and watch the light change on the mountains and lake as the sun sets.