Up on the Tibetan Plateau, the sun beats down with an unrelenting intensity that gives the Tibetans their rosy cheeks and rugged features, even at a young age.
Everyone wraps themselves up so much in these areas that sometimes it's hard to tell whether they are Tibetan or Hui or some other ethnic minority. This Tibetan woman in Zekog (澤庫縣) takes some pride in her colors!
Tomorrow we should hit the northernmost point of our trip. Unfortunately there's no time left to touch the actual Mongolian border :( 2010-08-30
Expected to find grassland up here, but that (along with actual Mongolians apparently) has been wiped out and replaced w/ cultivated fields. 2010-08-30
Also finally got off national highway 110! Now making way east on dirt roads. Camping in field of sunflowers tonight with mountain backdrop. 2010-08-30
Wind settled down and road conditions was paved. Evan was sick but we finally got over 100km, which we need to average back to Beijing! 2010-08-30