Before I am going into the mountains I have to cycle 260km along the southern edge of the Taklamakan desert. Kind of a big oasis with lots of little villages. Soon after Kashgar the villages become purely Uighur. As in most parts of western China, the Han-Chinese live mostly in the big cities. The people are rather reserved and hardly shout after me. But as soon as I stop for example to buy something, there is instantly a huge crowd arround me.

One more time I suffer from the heat. But this time I am rather worried about the food in my paneers... 20km before the turn off into the mountains I am already extremly dirty after only two days on this dusty road with lots of traffic. Now a hotel room for a last time would be nice, wouldn't it? I really find one. but there seem to be problems when I try to check in. Soon the police stands next to me. I already fear the worst. I should follow them on the bike. But they only bring me to the hotel 'open' for foreigners, which happens to be twice as expensive of course. Unfortunately a well known problem in China, where foreigners are often not allowed to stay in cheap hotels. Especially in places not used to tourists.

But today I don't argue and enjoy the luxory.

Travelling by bicycle in Tibet is a bit special. To be legaly there, you need a so called 'Alien travel permit'. This permit is checked at various checkpoints. As a solo traveller you usually don't get a permit. That's the theory.

But we cyclists are not really known to care too much about such regulations. Todays cyclists are well connected and informations about the current situation are quickly exchanged. At the moment, it should be fairly easy to get to Ali (the first bigger town), where you get fined to be there without a permit and get a permit to go on!

Despite this good informations, I am nervous when I get to Yencheng, where road 219 branches off. Such things can change very quickly here in China.

The second pass is already of a different kind. It is already 4980m high. The slowly ascending valley gets more and more stony. There are hardly any green spots anymore. But in the side valleys many great snow mountains appear. The water in the river is finally gets cleaner too. In the last couple of days all the rivers and streams were in the color range from dark brown to deep black. Even when I asked in the villages, there was no other water available. Probably because of the storm that was in the mountains some days ago. My water filter has a hard job.

In the second part the color green is beeing added to the scenery. But vegetation doesn't have it easy up here and the slopes only partly shine in light green looking at them from far away.

For me it is every time a miracle, when I come to a huge lake after having cycled for half a day across the barren landscape.

The experience is intensivied by the fact, that the whole region is largly uninhabited (except for some truck stops) and I travel many days all on my own. Often when I am staring at the beauty of the surrounding landscape, a big cloud of dust from a passing truck takes me back into reality.

Tibet, a high plateau the size of western Europe, surrounded on all sides by big mountain ranges. For centuries the country was isolated (geografically and self imposed) and only few westeners reached the plateau. The myth of a buddhist utopia, far away from all the problems and brutality of the rest of the world strongly remains even today.

But Tibet is and never was the timeless Shargrila, as it was often romantised in the west. But thanks to the isolated location a unique and fascinating culture has developed here.

After 16 days I reach Ali, the only town in western Tibet. Ali is the prototype of an ugly, modern, chinese town in the middle of nowhere. But Ali is also a hot shower, good restaurants & shops and so Ali is a little paradise after the long days on the dusty, bumpy road.

At the PSB I pay the fine to be here and get the permit to continue my trip.

Actually it would be only a couple of days to get to Kailash and of course I woiuld just like to get there as quick as possible. But I have been on the way for so long now, that it doesn't matter about another week anymore. So I make a detour to Tielong in the south, close to the border with Ladakh, India. This is the region that was first settled in Tibet. Later the Guge kingdom was established here (950AC - 1670).

But to get there, I first have to cycle two big passes. Two real great passes with a narrow road and endless switchbanks that bring me twice over 5300m. On top I rest, the many prayer flags provide a good shelter from the strong wind. Around me there are a couple of clouds at about the same height. Out of one it rains. What a sight! Who has ever seen it rain from above?

A long downhill brings me to the Sutley river.

For two days I explore the ruins of the Guge kingdom. In Tsaparang there is are the ruins of a town built on a steep rock. This once used to be an important trading town, linking Ladakh, Kashmir, central Tibet and the Silkroad. The town is an fascinating maze of stairs, houses and temples. But seeing the temples is also a sad sight, where many stupas and statues lie in rumbble, as if the cultural revolution had been only yesterday.

But the rain has also its good sides. When I cycle the last km towards Kailash the landscape looks like freshly smartened, all peaks are snowed in. As if they wanted to make me a speciual welcome.

Straight ahead Nemo Nanyi appears. A giant block of ice, 7728 meters high. To my right the peaks line up. Whitch one is it? This one has a hanging glacier on the top, this could be it, this has to be it, this is it... Kailash!

I am just endlessly happy. In my mind I recall the last 8 1/2 month. What an increadible journey it has been. Ther were difficult moments, for example when I almost got stuck in the snow in Bosnia and got frostbite on my finger, when I several times almost got a heat stoke cycling across the Iranian desert getting weaker and weaker or in Turmenistan where I was desperate because of the strong headwind and the visa running out. But the good moments outnumber by far. Most of all the many friendly people I met everywhere who always helped me. Without those this trip would not have been possible.

Yes, I had feared to be falling into hole, after I once had reached Kailash. But fortunately there are plenty of other highlights and challanges here in Tibet...

Following the Bramaputra (the most important river in Tibet) I am cycling eastward. In the wide valleys there are a lot of nomades letting graze their big herdes of yaks, sheeps and goats. On the southern edge of the valley I often get phantastic views of the giant peaks of the highest of all mountain ranges: the himalaya.

For one week I am cycling towards the east. The road doesn't allow a quick travelling here as it often reminds more of a dry river bed.

Of course I go back again. That simply I am not giving up. Finally I find a little bridge and a road heading north. Aah, perfect, this is just what I had been looking for. There are no more reckless Tourist Land Cruisers racing by at 80km/h leaving me in a cloud of dust and stones. I can also get rid of the washbord driving me nuts, that has dominated on the road for the last days.

To call this here a road is actually exaggerated. It is more a trail as it would look like, when about 30 truck have taken the same route. It goes over rough and smooth. For the next three days I don't see any traffic anymore at all.

After a long descent it should only go along the river to the Tarok Tso lake. But those seemingly easy days are dangerous from experience. Usually it turns out quite the opposite - just like today. Suddenly I am in front of a steep climb. What's that now? I only want to go down to the lake. I don't have much choice but to climb up to yet another 5000er pass. At least I have a nice descent now. But no sight of the lake so far just another hill ahead. But what is this now? The trucks, making the trail have simply driven directly up the hill, far to steep to cycle. I cannot even push the bike up. Instead I am hauling it in a zick zack up the grass next to the trail. What a drudgery! When I finally reach the top I colapse exhausted - not one meter further! After I have recovered and see on the other side I almost forget the endeavour. Below me lies the big, deep blue Tarok Tso lake surrounded by beautiful mountains. What a sight! Of course I put my tent up right here on that terrace and enjoy the view while sun is going down.