You know you've just finished an epic trip when two 10 million plus cities, a brand new bullet train system, a world expo, and the highest bar in the world all only make the epilogue. But that's what happens when you build a trip around Everest, or when your blogger has just about reached the end of his tether.
Our friendly host at the world's highest B&B. Actually B&B&L&D seeing as there's nowhere else to eat up here other than huddled around the aromatic yak dung stove with a plate of, you guessed it, yak fried rice.
Last sight of the giants as the clouds roll in and the Land Cruiser rolls out.
Mercifully readers won't have to sit through the whole drive back. But they will have to sit through it all again as Two Phat Kiwis gets in on the action.
Seen this road before? It looks suspiciously similar, and just as long.
Things are looking up. Mainly because it's time for a brief pit stop to stretch the legs. And find the last chocolate bar buried at the bottom of the bag.
If there's a better ad for Toyota durability you don't want to be part of it. This beast has taken near vertical descents and moon-sized craters in stride. The yak has a new competitor on the high steppes.
Even after all these miles, the scenery is still good enough to warrant the odd photo stop. Or is it a toilet stop disguised as a photo op?
This Toyota has fared a bit better than the last one Rock got his hands on.
Nearly home now. Back at
Yamdrok Lake, which you may recall is also prime yak-spotting territory. Of course, that would require that you actually read these ramblings.
Did I mention Tibet has some great scenery? Oh, it has decent lakes too.
Time to say goodbye to the legendary yaks of Tibet. This is probably a better way to remember them, as opposed to recalling their stringy rump strewn through a plate of fried rice.
On the final stretch now. Literally for Mei as she irons out the aches and kinks from the long dusty trail one last time.
At least we're moving faster than these folks. Although it was neck and neck for a while there.
Time to say goodbye to
Chungla too, who doubles as an awesome guide when she's not tied up eating weeds.
And just like that they're back in civilization! And what a fine version of civilization it is. Apparently
Hu Jintao is coming to visit Wuhan, so to welcome him they built a brand new light rail system almost overnight. Must be all that experience from churning out toy train sets for Fisher Price ad
infinitum.
Speaking of toy trains, check out this bad baby. Last time Team J00
ster was in China, the overnight sleeper from Wuhan to Shanghai took 14 hours behind a belching diesel that looked like it was straight out of a Soviet propaganda poster - think an appropriately drab olive grey engine with a dashing of Party-approved red trim. Now it takes four hours to be whisked effortlessly between the cities via bullet train.
The
Acela Express it ain't. Out here 120
kmh is what you do when you're passing through stations, not something to boast about on your website.
With progress like this, Mei's mum is ready to sign up for whatever five year plan is next on the agenda.
No need for Google translate on this one. Rock cares less about the universal language and more about the universal taste.
Ahhhhhhhh, that hits the spot after a few too many sweet Tibetan teas.
Finally Rock has the tools to get his career on track.
When you've got 1.5 billion people it's easier just to bring the world to the people. The World Expo 2010 in Shanghai is on a scale so vast it makes Tibet look like a few foothills.
Unfortunately, when you go big, everything goes big - especially the crowd. The wait to get into the China pavilion runs at 5 hours... on a good day.
Which is why Team J00
ster was mainly happy to observe from the outside. Ironically for many of the countries, it would be quicker to take a cab to the airport, jump on a plane, and fly to the actual country.
Nice wheels. Sure beats a Land Cruiser bumping along at 40
kmh.
The lineup begins... and never seems to end. It turns out there's a lot of countries in the world, and they're all here for their 2 minutes (or 4+ hours) of fame.
It's like Miss Universe. Except without the hot chicks.
Making new friends in the African pavilion. This is a good thing, because there are no friends in a 5 hour line, it's everyone for themselves.
Which bit of don't feed the wildlife don't you understand? I guess all of it, seeing as it's in English.
For the motherland!
Oh Canada. Why oh why is your line so long? It's almost like you're being confused for your cooler southern neighbor.
Norway is powered by nature apparently. Riiiiight. You do realize both oil and uranium occur just as naturally as wind and sun beams?
The Irish pavilion is basically one big shrine to U2. When a country's identity is tied to a single band you've got a problem. Now a rugby team, that's totally different...
The kebabs at the Turkish pavilion are a major letdown. With the full backing of the Turkish government you'd think you could come up with something at least on par with Cuba Street at 3am on a freezing, hungover Wellington morning. Nope.
France is all class as usual. Simple and sophisticated at the same time.
No matter how tacky, there's still a lump in the throat moment when you finally spot one of your "home" pavilions. Aussie Aussie Aussie, oi oi oi!
And the winner is.... Seeeeyyyydney!
Clearly the Australian Pavilion, brought to you by Rio Tinto (tm), was constructed under the watchful eye of a different regime. Kevin07, seen here in better times.
Hmmm... Pyrmont seems to be missing. Perhaps that's it there being squished under Balmain.
Time to wrap things up with a whirlwind tour of the thriving metropolis of Shanghai. Which invariably starts on the Bund.
There is perhaps no better illustration of how far China has come than the dazzling skyline of Shanghai's Pudong financial district. For an entire century, visitors to Manhattan gazed in awe at a skyline that heralded in a grand vision of a future. But a decade into a new century, it's time to pass the mantle.
Believe it or not, there are still a few pockets of the old world left in Shanghai. Mei's mum, for example.
Just what China needs, more people.
Olde world charm.
Just olde.
Another day, another tea party. Just like Fox News these days.
Who's hungry? Warning, if you haven't had dinner yet, close your browser now.
Mei gives new meaning to All the Tea in China.
And now for the grand finale, Shanghai's mighty Pudong district, where vertical is the only direction that matters.
The Pearl TV tower was completed in 1994, which makes it ancient history in a district where yesterday is prehistoric.
The twin giants of the Shanghai skyline, Jinmao Tower and the World Financial Center. Incredibly in just a few short years they will be joined by a third even taller tower.
Everest who? Make way for the new big boy in town.
100 Century Road, supposedly the highest bar in the world. The drinks don't really measure up, but the view is, without a doubt, world class.
And that's a wrap folks. Just in time to read it all again at Two Phat Kiwis.
Our friendly host at the world's highest B&B. Actually B&B&L&D seeing as there's nowhere else to eat up here other than huddled around the aromatic yak dung stove with a plate of, you guessed it, yak fried rice.
Last sight of the giants as the clouds roll in and the Land Cruiser rolls out.
Mercifully readers won't have to sit through the whole drive back. But they will have to sit through it all again as Two Phat Kiwis gets in on the action.
Seen this road before? It looks suspiciously similar, and just as long.
Things are looking up. Mainly because it's time for a brief pit stop to stretch the legs. And find the last chocolate bar buried at the bottom of the bag.
If there's a better ad for Toyota durability you don't want to be part of it. This beast has taken near vertical descents and moon-sized craters in stride. The yak has a new competitor on the high steppes.
Even after all these miles, the scenery is still good enough to warrant the odd photo stop. Or is it a toilet stop disguised as a photo op?
This Toyota has fared a bit better than the last one Rock got his hands on.
Nearly home now. Back at Yamdrok Lake, which you may recall is also prime yak-spotting territory. Of course, that would require that you actually read these ramblings.
Did I mention Tibet has some great scenery? Oh, it has decent lakes too.
Time to say goodbye to the legendary yaks of Tibet. This is probably a better way to remember them, as opposed to recalling their stringy rump strewn through a plate of fried rice.
On the final stretch now. Literally for Mei as she irons out the aches and kinks from the long dusty trail one last time.
At least we're moving faster than these folks. Although it was neck and neck for a while there.
Time to say goodbye to Chungla too, who doubles as an awesome guide when she's not tied up eating weeds.
And just like that they're back in civilization! And what a fine version of civilization it is. Apparently Hu Jintao is coming to visit Wuhan, so to welcome him they built a brand new light rail system almost overnight. Must be all that experience from churning out toy train sets for Fisher Price ad infinitum.
Speaking of toy trains, check out this bad baby. Last time Team J00ster was in China, the overnight sleeper from Wuhan to Shanghai took 14 hours behind a belching diesel that looked like it was straight out of a Soviet propaganda poster - think an appropriately drab olive grey engine with a dashing of Party-approved red trim. Now it takes four hours to be whisked effortlessly between the cities via bullet train.
The Acela Express it ain't. Out here 120kmh is what you do when you're passing through stations, not something to boast about on your website.
With progress like this, Mei's mum is ready to sign up for whatever five year plan is next on the agenda.
No need for Google translate on this one. Rock cares less about the universal language and more about the universal taste. Ahhhhhhhh, that hits the spot after a few too many sweet Tibetan teas.
Finally Rock has the tools to get his career on track.
When you've got 1.5 billion people it's easier just to bring the world to the people. The World Expo 2010 in Shanghai is on a scale so vast it makes Tibet look like a few foothills.
Unfortunately, when you go big, everything goes big - especially the crowd. The wait to get into the China pavilion runs at 5 hours... on a good day.
Which is why Team J00ster was mainly happy to observe from the outside. Ironically for many of the countries, it would be quicker to take a cab to the airport, jump on a plane, and fly to the actual country.
Nice wheels. Sure beats a Land Cruiser bumping along at 40kmh.
The lineup begins... and never seems to end. It turns out there's a lot of countries in the world, and they're all here for their 2 minutes (or 4+ hours) of fame.
It's like Miss Universe. Except without the hot chicks.
Making new friends in the African pavilion. This is a good thing, because there are no friends in a 5 hour line, it's everyone for themselves.
Which bit of don't feed the wildlife don't you understand? I guess all of it, seeing as it's in English.
For the motherland!
Oh Canada. Why oh why is your line so long? It's almost like you're being confused for your cooler southern neighbor.
Norway is powered by nature apparently. Riiiiight. You do realize both oil and uranium occur just as naturally as wind and sun beams?
The Irish pavilion is basically one big shrine to U2. When a country's identity is tied to a single band you've got a problem. Now a rugby team, that's totally different...
The kebabs at the Turkish pavilion are a major letdown. With the full backing of the Turkish government you'd think you could come up with something at least on par with Cuba Street at 3am on a freezing, hungover Wellington morning. Nope.
France is all class as usual. Simple and sophisticated at the same time.
No matter how tacky, there's still a lump in the throat moment when you finally spot one of your "home" pavilions. Aussie Aussie Aussie, oi oi oi!
And the winner is.... Seeeeyyyydney!
Clearly the Australian Pavilion, brought to you by Rio Tinto (tm), was constructed under the watchful eye of a different regime. Kevin07, seen here in better times.
Hmmm... Pyrmont seems to be missing. Perhaps that's it there being squished under Balmain.
Time to wrap things up with a whirlwind tour of the thriving metropolis of Shanghai. Which invariably starts on the Bund.
There is perhaps no better illustration of how far China has come than the dazzling skyline of Shanghai's Pudong financial district. For an entire century, visitors to Manhattan gazed in awe at a skyline that heralded in a grand vision of a future. But a decade into a new century, it's time to pass the mantle.
Believe it or not, there are still a few pockets of the old world left in Shanghai. Mei's mum, for example.
Just what China needs, more people.
Olde world charm.
Just olde.
Another day, another tea party. Just like Fox News these days.
Who's hungry? Warning, if you haven't had dinner yet, close your browser now.
Mei gives new meaning to All the Tea in China.
And now for the grand finale, Shanghai's mighty Pudong district, where vertical is the only direction that matters.
The Pearl TV tower was completed in 1994, which makes it ancient history in a district where yesterday is prehistoric.
The twin giants of the Shanghai skyline, Jinmao Tower and the World Financial Center. Incredibly in just a few short years they will be joined by a third even taller tower.
Everest who? Make way for the new big boy in town.
100 Century Road, supposedly the highest bar in the world. The drinks don't really measure up, but the view is, without a doubt, world class.
And that's a wrap folks. Just in time to read it all again at Two Phat Kiwis.
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