Author: Ann Zimmerman

Aliya Jane Zimmerman, born May 8th, 2014

Life on the road was a combination of extreme discomfort and priceless moments with the landscape and the nomadic people we encountered along the way. Each night we stopped near very remote small settlements and the curious locals would always come to see who was passing through their area. A few times Clark made balloon animals and hats for some nomads while Ann and our colleague gave free acupuncture treatments.

After 5 uncomfortable days of travel on the Tibetan plateu, we finally arrived at mount Kailash in western Tibet. The mountain is a massive monolith, surrounded by barren valleys. We arrived at the base of the mountain in beautiful weather. Our plan was to rest one night in Darchen, the small town near the mountain’s base. It would allow our guide to hire a couple of sherpas and get the proper supplies. Unfortunately, our friend became very ill with a gastrointestinal problem so we were forced to postpone our trek until he felt better. After a couple of nights and some antibiotics, he was well enough to hike. He was still very weak  so our pace was slow. The trek is above the tree line so there are no plants or animals. There is an eerie silence that permeates the landscape. The stillness allows you to be with your thoughts without a lot of outside disturbances.