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(dramatic music)
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The Sichuan-Tibet Highway
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is the most important traffic route from China
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to the Himalayas,
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2,200 kilometers across steep passes
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and deep valleys up to the roof of the world.
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(dramatic music)
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The journey leads through remote villages
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and fascinating landscapes,
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but unforeseen dangers lure at every corner.
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At 5,000 meters altitude, the infinity of the sky
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seems as close as never before at the end
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of the road of longing for truck drivers,
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travelers and pilgrims.
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The Sichuan-Tibet Highway leads from Chengdu
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in the Sichuan Province situated in the Southeast of China.
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It crosses the Himalayas to Tibet's Capitol city Lhasa.
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(speaking in foreign language)
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Ren Taiping and his colleague Shun
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are checking the wheels and brakes of their truck.
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They have to bring cement to a place
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near the Tibetan border, about 800 kilometers away.
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They calculated three days for their trip.
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They take turns driving at frequent intervals
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because the ascent up the Himalayas
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takes full concentration.
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(speaking in foreign language)
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The road section between 21
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and the Erlang Mountains is very difficult to drive
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because of the many roadworks.
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Landslides cause road accidents time and time again.
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The road conditions are a disaster,
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especially in heavy rain.
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Through steep valleys,
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the road ascends higher and higher.
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Because there was a lot of rain,
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whole mountain slopes start moving.
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The road needs repairing all the time.
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Again and again, vehicles crash and fall
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into the deep canyons.
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(horns honking)
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(speaking in foreign language)
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Nearly all drivers were meat or Tibetans.
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They're bad drivers.
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If we encounter them on the road,
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it's better to let them pass.
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Only yesterday, further down the road,
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the stubborn behavior of two drivers caused deaths.
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The ascent to the first pass
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is especially dangerous since it's hardly paved at all.
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Ren Taiping prefers to let his more experienced colleague
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Shun do the driving.
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The road winds itself ever higher
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through a sub-tropical mountain jungle.
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The clouds floating from the Pacific Ocean to the Himalayas
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cause heavy rains here.
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Traffic is bad here
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because of only single-lane traffic
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on account of the roadworks.
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Look, the whole street leading up here
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is only one single traffic jam.
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You have to be very careful.
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Shortly before the pass,
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once again, a landslide blocks the road.
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Everyone has to be prepared for many hours of waiting time.
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(gentle music)
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(water splashing)
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The first stage of the Sichuan-Tibet Highway
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leads from Sichuan's capital city, Chengdu,
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across the foothills of the Himalayas to Kangding.
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The first ascent to the Erlang Mountain
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is one of the most dangerous stages of the whole route.
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A farmer woman is logging bamboo
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in the underbrush above the street.
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Gal Kaisi does not even let heavy rain
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keep her from working.
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(speaking in foreign language)
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What do we use the bamboo for?
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We use it to build a protective cover.
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Our old temple is being demolished.
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Now our Buddha needs a new provisional roof.
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Gal Kaisi and some of the farmers
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from the close-by village
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want to finish building the makeshift temple
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on the slope above the highly frequented road.
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It's is supposed to safeguard not only the villagers,
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but also passing travelers against accidents.
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(speaking in foreign language)
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People here are used to working in the rain.
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The sun hardly ever shines in this foggy region.
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This is Buddha Guanyin
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and here we have the patron of the street.
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Over there is General Bai and this is Bai Ma
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with his white horse.
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(horn honking)
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(speaking in foreign language)
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To ask for protection from up above
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is very common in this area,
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maybe because there are dangers everywhere.
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Just a few years ago, tens of thousands of people died
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at a disastrous earthquake
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which devastated this area in Sichuan.
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(speaking in foreign language)
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Soon we will build a new temple.
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Now is the peak harvest time for the rice
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so we have no time at all.
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(speaking in foreign language)
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We'll only have time to build a permanent temple
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after everything has been harvested.
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(fireworks popping)
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The temple is inaugurated with small fireworks.
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(dramatic music)
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"Beware of falling rocks,"
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it says a few kilometers further on.
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The rain has destabilized the slope.
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The climbers are trying to loosen branches
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and debris to prevent the worst.
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Sometimes the road patrol manages to alleviate
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dangerous slides, but most of the time they arrive too late.
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(horns honking)
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(staccato music)
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Zu Vanxin is one of the thousands of cyclists
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who try to surmount the passes of the Sichuan-Tibet Highway
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between spring and fall.
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(speaking in foreign language)
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I feel free when I'm on the road.
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I can cycle fast or slow, whichever I want.
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I meet people on the way and make friends.
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We cyclists are like-minded.
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Everyone is on vacation.
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I'm so happy.
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We're cycling to Lhasa.
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It'll take us three to four weeks to get there.
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In between we rest for two or three days.
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(upbeat music)
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Through rain and fog, even in snow and ice,
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the cyclists struggle for days
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across four to 5,000 meter-high passes
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to reach their destination, Lhasa.
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Because of the enormous differences in altitude,
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the endlessly long passages and the many dangers,
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the Sichuan-Tibet Highway is a sort of baptism of fire
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for many members of the new Chinese middle-class.
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Ren Taiping and his colleague
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have left the traffic jam behind.
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Finally, they can move on.
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(speaking in foreign language)
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If a car breaks down and blocks the road,
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the traffic jam lasts for at least half a day.
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Dangerous situations occur very often.
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One has to be very careful,
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but most drivers are aware of the dangerous.
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(chickens clucking)
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Not only landslides,
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falling rocks or unpaved roads are challenging.
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The greatest danger arises from drivers who risk too much.
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(chickens clucking)
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A poultry truck has fallen over.
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Hundreds of chickens have died.
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(speaking in foreign language)
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A car approached me on my lane.
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I came from below and had to yield quickly.
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The driver's wife is trying to save
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what can be saved.
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It has taken the family a whole year to rear the chickens.
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Now the family's existence is at stake.
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(ethereal music)
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The route leads ever higher up in the Himalayas.
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Behind the first 4,000 meter pass,
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Ren Taiping in his colleague suffer damage too.
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The driver's door is damaged,
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but they are not even halfway there.
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(horn honking)
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(speaking in foreign language)
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My colleague, Mr. Shun,
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stopped to replenish the water
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when a truck came towards us.
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We shouted and waved at him to make him stop,
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but he didn't see us in time and crashed into the open door.
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That's how it got broken.
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Ren Taiping suspects this unnecessary accident
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will cost them at least half a day
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because normally it takes the police
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a few hours to arrive at the scene.
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The other driver does not accept the blame,
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so the police will have to file a report.
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Further down in the valley,
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the cyclists stop off at a hostel before darkness sets in.
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(horn honking)
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Zu Vanxin has also completed his daily leg.
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The increasing bicycle tourism is a welcome line
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of business for the villagers.
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A one-night stay cost five euros per person.
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That's affordable, even by Chinese standards.
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The cyclists arrive from all across China.
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The highway on top of the world is en vogue,
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but whoever cycles here must be prepared
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for all kinds of weather.
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(speaking in foreign language)
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The road was bumpy and full of pot holes
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and totally wet.
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(speaking in foreign language)
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Yes, I got wet too.
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It's very slippery, especially downhill.
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The overtaking cars splash dirt in my face.
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That's a real problem.
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If a truck approaches you, you have to stop,
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otherwise no one can pass.
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I must be careful because the truck would hardly notice
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if it ran over me.
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(speaking in foreign language)
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(rain pattering)
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(horns honking)
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It's still raining the next morning.
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The villagers don't seem to mind.
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Here at 2,000 meters above sea level,
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the people are used to this moist and damp weather.
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Things at the hostel are starting to stir too.
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Shortly before 10:00 AM, later than usual,
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Zu Vanxin sets off on his trip again.
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Bye-bye.
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Bye-bye.
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Ren Taiping and his colleague
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are back on the road as well.
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They waited five hours for the police to arrive.
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They flattened the driver's door and tied it
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to the truck as best as they could.
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The Sichuan-Tibet Highway winds itself ever higher.
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The next pass is 4,500 meters high.
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The truckers stay on the inner lane as much as they can
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because of the broken door and the dust.
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Up here the air is noticeably thinner
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and it has become colder.
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The temperatures now lie at barely above zero degrees.
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(speaking in foreign language)
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It is so tough to drive
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and the next passage will be uncomfortable too.
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We try to stay close to the mountain with our broken door,
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which means that sometimes we're driving
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on the wrong side of the road.
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This can be dangerous,
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especially if big vehicles are approaching.
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(horn honking)
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(upbeat music)
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From the city of Kangding,
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the road leads across various passes to Litang
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near the Tibetan boarder.
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(water running)
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Close by the road at nearly 5,000 meters,
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the Tibetan Monastery, Gao Ye Shan.
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About 2,000 meters further down,
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the climate becomes mild again.
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This is the Tibetan part of Sichuan,
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easily recognizable by the splendid Tibetan houses.
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The family Sung belongs to the Khampa people.
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They are building a new house for their son.
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The old one stood too close to the road and was demolished.
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Lu Sung is 24 years old.
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The house is supposed to be ready when he gets married.
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(speaking in foreign language)
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When they expanded the Sichuan-Tibet Highway
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a little while ago, our house was affected as well.
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Even though we weren't happy with the compensation payment,
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we're now building a new house a bit further away
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from the street now.
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Everybody working here is related to me.
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We ourselves dug up the stones and the clay
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and brought it here from far away.
269
00:18:38,580 --> 00:18:41,823
It will take three months to build the house.
270
00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:46,470
Life for the Khampa people has its own rhythm,
271
00:18:46,470 --> 00:18:51,103
but the highway is a foreboding of changing times.
272
00:18:55,430 --> 00:18:57,937
Every day, new faces appear.
273
00:18:57,937 --> 00:19:00,853
"Who are these strangers that struggle to climb up here?
274
00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:05,333
What do they want here?" the locals ask themselves.
275
00:19:08,229 --> 00:19:11,038
(speaking in foreign language)
276
00:19:11,038 --> 00:19:13,288
(laughing)
277
00:19:14,770 --> 00:19:17,620
It won't take long before the Chinese bustle
278
00:19:17,620 --> 00:19:19,383
will change life up here too.
279
00:19:22,372 --> 00:19:25,039
(new age music)
280
00:19:48,876 --> 00:19:50,730
Zang Yong drinks up his energy drink
281
00:19:50,730 --> 00:19:53,070
before hitting the road again.
282
00:19:53,070 --> 00:19:55,810
He's actually always in a hurry.
283
00:19:55,810 --> 00:19:58,260
He is expected to pick up tourists from Lhasa
284
00:19:58,260 --> 00:20:00,303
for a tour across the Himalayas.
285
00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:03,860
He aims to arrive within five days,
286
00:20:03,860 --> 00:20:07,860
but Lhasa is not only 1,700 kilometers away,
287
00:20:07,860 --> 00:20:11,050
he also has to overcome a total of 25,000 meters
288
00:20:11,050 --> 00:20:13,863
in altitude, downhill and uphill.
289
00:20:17,630 --> 00:20:21,230
Zang Yong always drives as fast as the road allows,
290
00:20:21,230 --> 00:20:23,490
sometimes even faster.
291
00:20:23,490 --> 00:20:27,880
He is 25 years young, quick to react and ambitious.
292
00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:31,503
The tour is not only a job for him, but also a challenge.
293
00:20:34,329 --> 00:20:35,630
(speaking in foreign language)
294
00:20:35,630 --> 00:20:36,463
Driving uphill,
295
00:20:36,463 --> 00:20:39,150
it's sometimes really difficult to overtake the others.
296
00:20:39,150 --> 00:20:40,960
For example, if there's a traffic jam,
297
00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:42,693
overtaking can get very dangerous.
298
00:20:43,940 --> 00:20:46,290
That means I won't be able to meet my schedule.
299
00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:51,260
There are days when I only manage to drive 200 kilometers
300
00:20:51,260 --> 00:20:53,010
because of all the time I'm losing.
301
00:20:54,026 --> 00:20:56,943
(speaking in foreign language)
302
00:20:56,943 --> 00:20:59,279
(upbeat music)
303
00:20:59,279 --> 00:21:02,029
(engine revving)
304
00:21:12,490 --> 00:21:14,660
Zang Yong just barely missed
305
00:21:14,660 --> 00:21:16,363
getting involved in this crash.
306
00:21:24,516 --> 00:21:25,349
(speaking in foreign language)
307
00:21:25,349 --> 00:21:28,210
The brakes failed, didn't work anymore.
308
00:21:28,210 --> 00:21:30,860
I went downhill and the truck went faster and faster.
309
00:21:31,831 --> 00:21:35,800
(speaking in foreign language)
310
00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:37,010
I had to steer into the ditch
311
00:21:37,010 --> 00:21:38,910
or else we would've come off the road.
312
00:21:43,430 --> 00:21:45,840
The driver realizes immediately,
313
00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:49,330
the truck is only good enough for its spare parts.
314
00:21:49,330 --> 00:21:51,730
Maybe the engine and the gearbox still work,
315
00:21:51,730 --> 00:21:54,903
but the whole right-hand side is a pile of junk.
316
00:21:57,490 --> 00:21:58,800
At least the load
317
00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:02,190
containing construction material isn't damaged.
318
00:22:02,190 --> 00:22:04,300
He wants to be able to give a detailed account
319
00:22:04,300 --> 00:22:06,950
of the damage when he calls his boss.
320
00:22:06,950 --> 00:22:08,370
After the first shock,
321
00:22:08,370 --> 00:22:11,753
the driver reacts surprisingly relaxed and cool.
322
00:22:13,530 --> 00:22:16,160
(speaking in foreign language)
323
00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:18,440
The danger is always greatest going downhill
324
00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:20,373
when the brakes are strained.
325
00:22:20,373 --> 00:22:24,373
(speaking in foreign language)
326
00:22:28,450 --> 00:22:30,030
I was petrified when I hit the brakes
327
00:22:30,030 --> 00:22:32,300
and absolutely nothing happened.
328
00:22:32,300 --> 00:22:36,217
(speaking in foreign language)
329
00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:46,873
To the left,
330
00:22:46,873 --> 00:22:48,950
there were a couple of small cars approaching.
331
00:22:49,848 --> 00:22:51,130
He would have definitely run into them
332
00:22:51,130 --> 00:22:53,013
if he hadn't driven into the mountain.
333
00:22:54,310 --> 00:22:55,960
There would have been casualties.
334
00:22:57,030 --> 00:23:00,120
He would have pushed the two little cars down the slope
335
00:23:00,120 --> 00:23:02,433
and then there would have been another traffic jam.
336
00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:04,830
He made the right decision.
337
00:23:25,060 --> 00:23:26,770
Ren Taiping and his colleague
338
00:23:26,770 --> 00:23:29,520
have now been on the road for three days.
339
00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:31,320
They want to arrive at their destination
340
00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:33,730
Litang, tomorrow morning.
341
00:23:33,730 --> 00:23:34,933
Another problem arises.
342
00:23:36,451 --> 00:23:39,118
(truck beeping)
343
00:23:42,735 --> 00:23:43,630
(speaking in foreign language)
344
00:23:43,630 --> 00:23:45,080
That doesn't sound good.
345
00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:47,873
I had a funny feeling right at the beginning of our trip.
346
00:23:50,570 --> 00:23:52,770
I'll check the cooling system of the brakes.
347
00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:03,803
Is the brake cooling blocked?
348
00:24:05,345 --> 00:24:08,012
(metal banging)
349
00:24:11,740 --> 00:24:13,030
The valve is shut.
350
00:24:13,030 --> 00:24:14,180
The cooling is blocked.
351
00:24:18,820 --> 00:24:20,800
That's not good.
352
00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:22,450
The cooling shouldn't be blocked.
353
00:24:33,282 --> 00:24:34,410
(speaking in foreign language)
354
00:24:34,410 --> 00:24:36,560
It's very dangerous if the cooling system
355
00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:39,273
for the brakes fails and you're going downhill.
356
00:24:39,273 --> 00:24:42,250
Then the brakes will fail and you have a real big problem.
357
00:24:42,250 --> 00:24:44,970
You either drive against the buffer walls into the ditch
358
00:24:44,970 --> 00:24:46,223
or you go down the slope.
359
00:24:49,730 --> 00:24:52,140
Or you cause a bad accident,
360
00:24:52,140 --> 00:24:54,090
something that frequently happens here.
361
00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:00,970
At 4,000 meters altitude,
362
00:25:00,970 --> 00:25:04,190
right next to the road, a Tibet and family of nomads
363
00:25:04,190 --> 00:25:06,810
are tending their flock of yaks.
364
00:25:06,810 --> 00:25:10,170
Zu Ma, her husband, and the two sons live off the milk,
365
00:25:10,170 --> 00:25:12,470
the furs and the meat of the animals.
366
00:25:12,470 --> 00:25:14,788
They own 70 yaks.
367
00:25:14,788 --> 00:25:17,455
(playful music)
368
00:25:19,020 --> 00:25:22,410
Zu's eldest son, Dawa, is 13 years old.
369
00:25:22,410 --> 00:25:25,870
It took him ages to accustom his favorite yak to be ridden.
370
00:25:25,870 --> 00:25:29,213
Now he is proud that the animal lets him sit on its back.
371
00:25:31,506 --> 00:25:35,010
(speaking in foreign language)
372
00:25:35,010 --> 00:25:36,890
I attend to the yaks and call them
373
00:25:36,890 --> 00:25:38,123
if they stroll off too.
374
00:25:39,190 --> 00:25:41,790
After milking them, I bring them to the pasture
375
00:25:41,790 --> 00:25:43,640
and bring them back in the afternoon.
376
00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:52,900
Dawa wants to become a cowboy,
377
00:25:52,900 --> 00:25:55,835
own a horse and ride through the prairie.
378
00:25:55,835 --> 00:25:58,085
(laughing)
379
00:25:59,530 --> 00:26:02,130
Soon, the family will leave the summer pasture
380
00:26:02,130 --> 00:26:03,923
and move on to the village below.
381
00:26:05,382 --> 00:26:06,440
(speaking in foreign language)
382
00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:07,960
Our village has a school,
383
00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:10,360
but I don't go there anymore.
384
00:26:10,360 --> 00:26:11,863
I left two or three years ago.
385
00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:16,013
Yes, I miss school.
386
00:26:26,810 --> 00:26:29,050
Because the first snow has already fallen,
387
00:26:29,050 --> 00:26:31,800
his dad has borrowed a truck to transport the tents
388
00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:33,990
and yaks down to the village.
389
00:26:33,990 --> 00:26:35,830
Tomorrow they will start moving,
390
00:26:35,830 --> 00:26:39,483
but today the yaks are allowed to graze one last time.
391
00:26:45,370 --> 00:26:47,193
I don't have much to say.
392
00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:54,460
Just tell him what you do every day.
393
00:26:54,460 --> 00:26:56,123
I herd yaks every day.
394
00:27:06,210 --> 00:27:10,180
Zu Ma has milked about 30 liters of milk today.
395
00:27:10,180 --> 00:27:12,233
It's their most important income.
396
00:27:19,660 --> 00:27:21,600
In order to produce yak butter,
397
00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:24,330
she heats up the milk a little bit.
398
00:27:24,330 --> 00:27:25,330
She sells the butter
399
00:27:25,330 --> 00:27:28,200
to a salesman who comes around every day.
400
00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:30,953
Five kilos each day, they live off it.
401
00:27:37,575 --> 00:27:38,408
(speaking in foreign language)
402
00:27:38,408 --> 00:27:39,440
Without this machine,
403
00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:40,640
we wouldn't have butter.
404
00:27:42,490 --> 00:27:45,803
The whey comes in here and the butter over there.
405
00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:49,950
The fact that their pastures
406
00:27:49,950 --> 00:27:51,620
lie directly at the road
407
00:27:51,620 --> 00:27:53,890
makes life simpler for the family.
408
00:27:53,890 --> 00:27:55,850
It's easier to sell the butter
409
00:27:55,850 --> 00:27:57,710
and the transport of the tents and the herd
410
00:27:57,710 --> 00:28:00,583
the next day will take place much faster.
411
00:28:01,875 --> 00:28:04,625
(mystical music)
412
00:28:15,691 --> 00:28:18,358
(horns honking)
413
00:28:28,962 --> 00:28:30,460
Shortly before the next pass,
414
00:28:30,460 --> 00:28:33,993
a car from Shanghai has broken down on the mountain road.
415
00:28:36,131 --> 00:28:40,048
(speaking in foreign language)
416
00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:44,450
Shu Ting has a problem with her clutch.
417
00:28:48,003 --> 00:28:51,920
(speaking in foreign language)
418
00:28:59,497 --> 00:29:00,990
I can't do this
419
00:29:00,990 --> 00:29:02,390
when people are watching me.
420
00:29:08,220 --> 00:29:11,010
Shu Ting still needs practice starting the car
421
00:29:11,010 --> 00:29:12,350
at the foot of the hill.
422
00:29:12,350 --> 00:29:14,700
It's her first time in the mountains.
423
00:29:14,700 --> 00:29:17,790
She came to conquer the Himalayas all on her own,
424
00:29:17,790 --> 00:29:19,090
all the way from Shanghai.
425
00:29:27,429 --> 00:29:28,360
(speaking in foreign language)
426
00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:30,830
I just want to drive to Tibet.
427
00:29:30,830 --> 00:29:33,740
I've been wanting to go there for three years now,
428
00:29:33,740 --> 00:29:36,730
but there were too many things that kept me from doing so.
429
00:29:36,730 --> 00:29:37,953
Now the time has come.
430
00:29:38,860 --> 00:29:42,130
I've done some research and had been preparing for this trip
431
00:29:42,130 --> 00:29:44,460
for the past three years.
432
00:29:44,460 --> 00:29:47,200
I wanna see Tibet with my own eyes
433
00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:49,900
and it should be possible, even with such a small car.
434
00:29:54,940 --> 00:29:58,700
Shu Ting has already driven 2,500 kilometers,
435
00:29:58,700 --> 00:30:00,980
500 in the mountains.
436
00:30:00,980 --> 00:30:02,800
Because her car is lightweight
437
00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:04,690
and has a lot of chassis clearance,
438
00:30:04,690 --> 00:30:07,710
she masters even difficult passages.
439
00:30:07,710 --> 00:30:11,120
Sometimes impatient fellow drivers give Shu Ting
440
00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:13,373
a harder time than the road conditions.
441
00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:15,783
Go back.
442
00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:18,590
Why do you keep going ahead?
443
00:30:18,590 --> 00:30:20,420
You're blocking the road.
444
00:30:20,420 --> 00:30:22,420
Can't the truck get past?
445
00:30:36,141 --> 00:30:38,120
Whenever the drivers encounter traffic jams
446
00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:40,533
at roadworks, they get nervous.
447
00:30:43,418 --> 00:30:46,001
(bright music)
448
00:30:55,570 --> 00:30:57,450
Ren Taiping and his colleague
449
00:30:57,450 --> 00:30:59,930
have almost reached their destination.
450
00:30:59,930 --> 00:31:03,770
Between them and Litang remains only a last descent.
451
00:31:03,770 --> 00:31:06,340
They arrive a day too late because of the accident
452
00:31:06,340 --> 00:31:08,200
and the many traffic jams.
453
00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:10,170
Still, they are in a good mood
454
00:31:10,170 --> 00:31:13,283
because up here the road is free of potholes.
455
00:31:14,587 --> 00:31:17,590
(speaking in foreign language)
456
00:31:17,590 --> 00:31:19,953
There used to be lots of thieves here.
457
00:31:20,810 --> 00:31:23,163
I never used to dare driving here at night.
458
00:31:26,220 --> 00:31:27,870
And in the old days it was impossible
459
00:31:27,870 --> 00:31:29,960
to make rapid progress.
460
00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:32,833
You used to have to drive much more carefully than today.
461
00:31:36,013 --> 00:31:38,596
(upbeat music)
462
00:31:40,900 --> 00:31:43,190
Ren Taiping particularly enjoys
463
00:31:43,190 --> 00:31:46,970
this part of the journey, especially if the sun is shining.
464
00:31:46,970 --> 00:31:50,840
The lofty beauty of the landscape at 4,500 meters altitude
465
00:31:50,840 --> 00:31:52,693
gives him a feeling of freedom.
466
00:32:29,250 --> 00:32:31,700
They arrive at Litang in the afternoon.
467
00:32:31,700 --> 00:32:34,000
It's one of the highest cities of the world,
468
00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:37,853
situated at 4,000 meters altitude on a high plateau.
469
00:32:41,147 --> 00:32:43,410
(speaking in foreign language)
470
00:32:43,410 --> 00:32:46,350
One of the most famous Tibetan Buddhist monasteries
471
00:32:46,350 --> 00:32:47,263
is in Litang.
472
00:32:49,910 --> 00:32:53,700
Ren Taiping and his colleague have now delivered the cement.
473
00:32:53,700 --> 00:32:56,510
Not only construction material, but also most of the food
474
00:32:56,510 --> 00:32:59,843
for the inhabitants of Litang comes from the lowlands.
475
00:33:02,431 --> 00:33:05,098
(horn honking)
476
00:33:09,790 --> 00:33:12,960
They have mastered this adventurous trip once again.
477
00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:15,490
They won't rest for long at this restaurant.
478
00:33:15,490 --> 00:33:18,290
Already in the afternoon, there'll be heading back home.
479
00:33:22,523 --> 00:33:26,440
(speaking in foreign language)
480
00:33:30,687 --> 00:33:33,354
(Tibetan music)
481
00:33:46,550 --> 00:33:50,610
The monastery of Litang was built in the 16th century.
482
00:33:50,610 --> 00:33:53,870
The third and 10th Dalai were educated here.
483
00:33:53,870 --> 00:33:56,580
Even today, the monastery is one of the most important
484
00:33:56,580 --> 00:33:58,730
schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
485
00:33:58,730 --> 00:34:02,193
More than a thousand monks live behind these ancient walls.
486
00:34:05,830 --> 00:34:08,930
The 10-meter high statue of Buddha on the inside
487
00:34:08,930 --> 00:34:10,930
is famous as well.
488
00:34:10,930 --> 00:34:12,620
Splendid ornaments bear witness
489
00:34:12,620 --> 00:34:14,773
to the ingenuity of Tibetan artisanship.
490
00:34:20,765 --> 00:34:23,515
(dramatic music)
491
00:34:34,890 --> 00:34:38,320
Zang Yong has been on the road for three days now.
492
00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:41,180
He is happy about the improvement of the road conditions
493
00:34:41,180 --> 00:34:42,733
up here in the mountains.
494
00:34:45,160 --> 00:34:47,980
The Sichuan-Tibet Highway runs from Litang
495
00:34:47,980 --> 00:34:50,610
at the Tibetan border, across Eastern Tibet,
496
00:34:50,610 --> 00:34:52,083
all the way to Lhasa.
497
00:34:59,630 --> 00:35:01,070
At the Tibetan border,
498
00:35:01,070 --> 00:35:04,560
Zang Yong crosses the legendary Yangtze River,
499
00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:08,050
which enters the Pacific Ocean near Shanghai.
500
00:35:08,050 --> 00:35:10,800
A bit further West, the road follows the valley
501
00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:13,350
of the River Mekong, which sometimes carves
502
00:35:13,350 --> 00:35:16,020
two kilometers deep into the mountains.
503
00:35:16,020 --> 00:35:18,810
Finally it reaches the 72 turns
504
00:35:18,810 --> 00:35:20,610
which lead down to the River Seluin.
505
00:35:22,239 --> 00:35:23,200
(speaking in foreign language)
506
00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:25,940
It's not easy driving down these serpentines.
507
00:35:25,940 --> 00:35:27,713
The bands are extremely narrow.
508
00:35:29,204 --> 00:35:31,783
If you drive too fast, the car might roll over.
509
00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:34,210
You always have to keep an eye
510
00:35:34,210 --> 00:35:36,660
on the approaching traffic and the curves.
511
00:35:36,660 --> 00:35:38,220
If a big truck shows up,
512
00:35:38,220 --> 00:35:40,110
you have to wait in front of the curve.
513
00:35:40,110 --> 00:35:42,410
That's the only way to pass.
514
00:35:42,410 --> 00:35:45,210
This is a good car, but you shouldn't drive it too fast.
515
00:35:45,210 --> 00:35:47,040
An SUV is big and high,
516
00:35:47,040 --> 00:35:49,083
but that means it can easily overturn.
517
00:35:50,252 --> 00:35:52,835
(upbeat music)
518
00:35:54,353 --> 00:35:57,220
(tires squealing)
519
00:35:57,220 --> 00:35:59,570
In spite of his high center of gravity,
520
00:35:59,570 --> 00:36:02,213
Zang Yong pushes the vehicle to its limits.
521
00:36:21,750 --> 00:36:22,890
Next to the road,
522
00:36:22,890 --> 00:36:26,050
three young Tibetans are sorting pieces of aluminum.
523
00:36:26,050 --> 00:36:29,070
They are a kind of vanguard of civilization.
524
00:36:29,070 --> 00:36:31,473
Hu Kai is in charge of the brigade.
525
00:36:39,130 --> 00:36:41,810
He has invested all his money in five mules
526
00:36:41,810 --> 00:36:43,700
in order to be able to offer his services
527
00:36:43,700 --> 00:36:45,560
to the electricity board.
528
00:36:45,560 --> 00:36:47,760
He wants to help put up power poles
529
00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:50,200
until he has made enough money to fulfill his dream
530
00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:52,060
of buying his own car.
531
00:36:52,060 --> 00:36:54,753
One day, he wants to be a taxi driver.
532
00:36:58,850 --> 00:36:59,683
At the moment,
533
00:36:59,683 --> 00:37:01,573
we don't have any power supply lines.
534
00:37:03,050 --> 00:37:04,203
There's no electricity.
535
00:37:07,190 --> 00:37:08,500
Depending on the whereabouts,
536
00:37:08,500 --> 00:37:10,500
it'll take up different amounts of time.
537
00:37:11,550 --> 00:37:13,683
In this sector, it'll take another month.
538
00:37:19,870 --> 00:37:21,840
Hu Kai is only responsible
539
00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:23,950
for this area next to the road.
540
00:37:23,950 --> 00:37:25,950
Higher up there is another brigade
541
00:37:25,950 --> 00:37:28,090
putting up the power poles to also supply
542
00:37:28,090 --> 00:37:30,333
this Tibetan region with electricity.
543
00:37:34,280 --> 00:37:35,270
The stronger mules
544
00:37:35,270 --> 00:37:38,750
can carry 400 to 450 kilos.
545
00:37:38,750 --> 00:37:40,873
This one here only 250.
546
00:37:44,429 --> 00:37:47,990
(aluminum crashing)
547
00:37:47,990 --> 00:37:49,523
We have to be careful.
548
00:37:50,910 --> 00:37:53,760
The parts fall on the mules' legs, we have a big problem.
549
00:37:56,789 --> 00:37:59,539
(dramatic music)
550
00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:11,500
Highly focused, Zang Yong heads west.
551
00:38:11,500 --> 00:38:14,670
He enjoys being able to drive as fast as he wants to
552
00:38:14,670 --> 00:38:16,233
in this remote area.
553
00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:31,700
These bikers are also heading towards Lhasa.
554
00:38:31,700 --> 00:38:33,800
They are from the Guangdong Province
555
00:38:33,800 --> 00:38:36,430
and have been on the road for 26 days already
556
00:38:36,430 --> 00:38:38,623
and driven 4,000 kilometers.
557
00:38:39,460 --> 00:38:41,693
Hung Xintao has come up with a plan.
558
00:38:42,610 --> 00:38:44,540
I'm 66 years old.
559
00:38:44,540 --> 00:38:47,550
He's 62, and this gentlemen here is 61.
560
00:38:47,550 --> 00:38:49,203
We're all retired.
561
00:38:49,203 --> 00:38:53,120
(speaking in foreign language)
562
00:38:56,300 --> 00:38:58,350
I already planned to drive to Tibet
563
00:38:58,350 --> 00:39:02,000
on a motorcycle for eight years, but it never happened.
564
00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:04,570
I did go to Lhasa with a group of tourists,
565
00:39:04,570 --> 00:39:06,740
but to find people that go there on a motorbike tour
566
00:39:06,740 --> 00:39:08,017
isn't easy at all.
567
00:39:10,152 --> 00:39:12,639
But now, finally, my dream comes true.
568
00:39:12,639 --> 00:39:16,556
(speaking in foreign language)
569
00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:21,390
Lhasa holds a mysterious attraction
570
00:39:21,390 --> 00:39:23,040
for many people.
571
00:39:23,040 --> 00:39:25,660
Some are searching for freedom and adventure on their trip
572
00:39:25,660 --> 00:39:28,930
across the mountains, while others have religious
573
00:39:28,930 --> 00:39:32,263
and spiritual reasons to explore the heart of Tibet.
574
00:39:42,628 --> 00:39:45,211
(upbeat music)
575
00:39:56,320 --> 00:39:58,310
For these Tibetan travelers,
576
00:39:58,310 --> 00:40:01,483
the Sichuan-Tibet Highway is a pilgrim trail.
577
00:40:03,429 --> 00:40:04,930
(speaking in foreign language)
578
00:40:04,930 --> 00:40:07,730
We're going to Lhasa to the prayer mills.
579
00:40:08,692 --> 00:40:11,259
(laughing)
580
00:40:11,259 --> 00:40:14,626
(speaking in foreign language)
581
00:40:14,626 --> 00:40:16,630
We've been traveling for a month now.
582
00:40:16,630 --> 00:40:19,103
We carry all we need, our food too, Tsampa.
583
00:40:24,966 --> 00:40:28,883
(speaking in foreign language)
584
00:40:30,920 --> 00:40:34,220
They eat pure barley flour without additives,
585
00:40:34,220 --> 00:40:36,860
their only sustenance for many weeks.
586
00:40:36,860 --> 00:40:37,693
See you later.
587
00:40:42,660 --> 00:40:44,900
The pilgrim trail leads them on,
588
00:40:44,900 --> 00:40:47,920
uphill and downhill, through ice and snow.
589
00:40:47,920 --> 00:40:51,293
Only those prepared to suffer hardships will endure.
590
00:40:52,346 --> 00:40:54,929
(upbeat music)
591
00:40:57,220 --> 00:40:59,803
(wind blowing)
592
00:41:01,324 --> 00:41:05,241
(speaking in foreign language)
593
00:41:31,850 --> 00:41:34,240
For the professional driver, Zang Yong,
594
00:41:34,240 --> 00:41:37,870
the Sichuan-Tibet Highway is just part of his job.
595
00:41:37,870 --> 00:41:41,010
He doesn't care much for the discovery of slowness.
596
00:41:41,010 --> 00:41:44,220
The earlier he arrives, the more content he is,
597
00:41:44,220 --> 00:41:46,140
but shortly before reaching Lhasa,
598
00:41:46,140 --> 00:41:50,188
he encounters a traffic jam for the first time in days.
599
00:41:50,188 --> 00:41:54,105
(speaking in foreign language)
600
00:41:57,510 --> 00:41:59,610
There are various hazards on the trip,
601
00:41:59,610 --> 00:42:02,410
landslides, deep snow in the high mountains,
602
00:42:02,410 --> 00:42:04,470
slippery and icy streets.
603
00:42:04,470 --> 00:42:07,470
It may be difficult for someone who never drove here before.
604
00:42:08,690 --> 00:42:11,280
For me, it's no problem to drive down this road.
605
00:42:11,280 --> 00:42:12,253
I know it well.
606
00:42:16,210 --> 00:42:19,970
Zang Yong has reached his destination, Lhasa.
607
00:42:19,970 --> 00:42:22,740
The pilgrims also arrive after their long journey
608
00:42:22,740 --> 00:42:24,410
at the Potala Palace,
609
00:42:24,410 --> 00:42:27,520
the Dalai Lama's residence for centuries.
610
00:42:27,520 --> 00:42:30,110
They believe that by spinning the prayer mills,
611
00:42:30,110 --> 00:42:32,810
they can remove the harm of all living creatures
612
00:42:32,810 --> 00:42:35,440
and dissolve bad karma.
613
00:42:35,440 --> 00:42:38,500
Now, at the end of the sea Sichuan-Tibet Highway,
614
00:42:38,500 --> 00:42:40,903
everyone has fulfilled their goal.
615
00:42:41,836 --> 00:42:44,419
(upbeat music)
46348
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