Today, I find myself in a somewhat melancholic mood. One of our Back of the Bus Gang has set off on a new adventure. Helena is heading to Nepal and left today alongside the couple from Malaysia, leaving our tour group with just seven members. Helena and I formed a close bond; we often sat across from each other on the bus and shared peaceful hikes filled with conversation. She is kind, adventurous, and is navigating her path in life. Being Danish, with a father of Hungarian descent, I noticed that she rarely spoke about her family, which gave me the impression that she wasn’t particularly close with her dad. Our friendship grew through playful teasing and looking out for one another. I had a soft spot for her as I joked about her tendency to overpack, misplace items like her sunglasses and beanie, and her bag frequently toppling over onto my leg in the aisle, not to mention her quest for comfortable resting spots as we hiked. As our connection deepened, we playfully agreed that I was the grandfather she needed, and she humorously suggested that I should take her on trips like I do with my grandkids. With her mom being a doctor, she brought along a small pharmacy, and her generosity in sharing her electrolyte tablets was something I truly appreciated. The significance of our bond became particularly evident as we stood together in the hotel hallway, preparing to say our final goodbyes. We embraced warmly, tears flowing, able only to whisper that we’d miss each other. Love takes many forms. She reminds me of my daughter-in-law, Hannah, who is also easy to care for. If we lived closer, we would surely keep in touch and enjoy our relationship further. However, that doesn’t seem to be our destiny. I am grateful for this beautiful moment that graced my journey, and I will cherish this memory forever. Yet, this morning, I feel a bit sorrowful, with the song ‘Calling All Angels’ by k.d. lang playing in my head. Farewell, Helena.
It was relatively late in my life when I began seeking spiritual answers that were genuinely mine, rather than those imposed on me by society. The significant turning point occurred when I hiked the El Camino de Santiago from France through northern Spain. As I prepared for this journey, I resolved to use the time to explore my genuine feelings, regardless of whether they were right or wrong. I formulated five questions I needed to address, and by the end of the 31-day pilgrimage, I had answered them for myself and felt assured in my responses. This was truly "me," like it or not. Encouraged by that success, I approached the Kora with a similar mindset, bringing just one question to consider. A shorter pilgrimage meant a shorter question list, humorously speaking. My inquiry during this period was to ascertain whether I believed I existed for myself or for others. Knowing the answer to this is crucial for shaping how I spend the remainder of my life to realize my true purpose. Initially, the answer seemed quite straightforward, but it soon revealed itself to be a challenging question. Examining this question from different religious viewpoints yields completely different answers—take, for example, Buddhism versus Christianity. I identify as neither and do not adhere to organized religion, which means it's my responsibility and necessity to understand MY answer and pursue that purpose.
I realize I've discussed toilets quite a bit, but I think it deserves a separate post. The only Western-style toilets were found in hotels. In fact, the one in Chengdu was fully electronic; it had self-flushing, a heated seat, an integrated bidet, and a control panel on the wall that was too intricate to figure out during an overnight stay. Other hotels featured fairly typical flush toilets. After that, things took a turn for the worse.
This afternoon, I returned to Lhasa. For this final day of travel, we chose a different route than the one we took to Mt. Kailash. The path to the mountain was very picturesque with several stops, but it was bumpy and slow. On the way back, there were no scenic interruptions, and the highway was relatively new, which resulted in a smoother ride, allowing us to travel faster. Upon our arrival, we bid farewell to our driver and guide, collected our additional checked luggage, checked into our rooms, and then I went out with Tony and Yelina to complete some souvenir shopping and grab a bite to eat. We walked about 30 minutes from the hotel to a street market, made our purchases, and ventured into a less touristy area. We were the only Westerners there, clearly in a local neighborhood. We found a local diner, ordered dumplings—always a popular choice—filled with yak meat. Tony selected a dish from a picture on the wall that looked intriguing, which turned out to be akin to a Shepherd's Pie, but made with yak meat and topped with a tortilla. That dish took quite a while to be prepared, and while waiting, a mother and her three daughters finished their meal at a nearby table. The girls greeted us with "Hello," their only English phrase, while continuing to smile and glance at us. I found it challenging to interact in such situations, as I felt like a novelty; I often smile and say hello but wished for deeper engagement. I asked Yelina if she could help facilitate communication and see if the girls would like to take a picture with me, which I also wanted. The mother agreed, and the girls eagerly arranged themselves for the photo. They were very sweet, and from their reactions, I believe this made their day, and they would share the experience with their friends. The meal was quite satisfying, and we left to explore a bit more but soon returned to the hotel. Tony, a rugby fan, noted that there are no sports bars here and hopes to watch the match on TV instead of his phone; it’s crucial for him to see this game.
Documenting numerous personal, unpleasant specifics and certainly too much information. If you're squeamish, please exit now.
One aspect I didn't expect and that wasn't clearly outlined in the itinerary is the significant time we would spend traveling. Mt. Kailash is quite distant, the roads are extremely rough, and there isn't much to see along the way aside from stunning landscapes. Although the journey is worthwhile, it wasn't my favorite aspect.
Today, I find myself in a somewhat melancholy mood. One member of our Back of the Bus Gang has left. Helena is on her way to Nepal, having departed today with a couple from Malaysia, which means our tour group is now reduced to 7.