The Lhasa Express
China - October 22, 2006
View during the journey.We had an amazing opportunity recently to travel on the Lhasa Express, the world's highest rail track at 16,640 feet. The train travels across an immense number of landscapes as it makes it's way from Beijing all the way to Lhasa, Tibet. The $4 billion project just recently began service in July of this year, so it was a delight to be able to be one of the first to take part in the adventure.
Here's a quick video during our adventure.
We booked a midrange (and somewhat cramped) hard sleeper for the 48 hour journey, which cost around $150. The berths were stacked three high in sections of six beds, without a door or individual reading light. The bottom bed functioned as the social sofa during the day.
The journey traverses over 2,500 miles of permafrost and towering mountain passes over three days, going right through the heart of China. According to rail statistics, more than 600 miles, or over 80% of the railway, is built at an altitude of more than 13,000 feet, over half of it is laid on permafrost, and 675 bridges on the line. The train's sealed windows also prevent passengers from littering Tibet's fragile ecosystem. The squat-variety vacuum toilets compress waste, zap it with disinfecting ultraviolet rays, and discharge it only in stations.
According to a recent Wired magazine article, there was concern during construction that the rail tracks would not hold up, as nearly half of the tracks were built on permafrost that thaws and becomes muddy during the summer. Chinese engineers dealt with this problem by building elevated tracks with foundations sunk deep into the ground, inserting vertical pipes that circulate liquid nitrogen and cold nitrogen gas into the ground, building hollow concrete pipes beneath the tracks to keep the rail bed frozen, and using metal sun shades. However, global warming may require new methods to be invented in the coming decades to keep this railway operating.
Due to the thin Tibetan air (35-40% of the oxygen of air at sea level), special passenger rail cars were used, which are sealed and have the abillity to provide passengers with oxygen-rich air (witnessed in the video).
We will spend a few days in Lhasa, Tibet before traveling overland (via guided Land Cruiser) through the Himalayas to Kathmandu, Nepal. Our plan is to also spend a few nights at Everest Base Camp.
Amaury said...a cool journey ! i'm dreaming of these landscape from France :)
monie said...Miss you guys. Stay safe....
Bina Ellefsen said...Hi, I am a friend of your sister Vanessa. I don't know if you remember me. She sent me your website a while ago. I meant to send you contact information for my uncle in India in case you would like to stay with my aunt and uncle in Southern India (where my family is from). My uncle and aunt are missionaries in Karnataka State. They often house international visitors. They worked for Inter-Varsity for many years. They have "retired" now, and they decided to start a ministry called "Neerekshe" in their home village in Muranpur. (Neerekshe means hope.) The village is predominately Hindu and very poor. There are many children who are orphaned too. My aunt and uncle and their adult kids (and others) have started a school & a medical clinic in the village. They are leading Bible studies and worship. If you would like to stay with them (they live in Bangalore, but travel back and forth to Muranpur), you can contact them at: shadpete@dataone.in OR shadpete@vsnl.net. Their names are Shadrach and Gladys Peter. Tell them I suggested they contact you. Also, if you are interested in going to South Africa or Tanzania, I recommend the Agathos Foundation: http://www.agathosfoundation.org/Home.aspx Here's their mission statement: "The Agathos Foundation provides Southern Africa's AIDS orphans and elderly with a familial environment that allows them to achieve healthy, prosperous, and fulfilling lives, by meeting physical, emotional, and spiritual needs critical to their advancement. " Rob Smith, who directs the program, attends Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA. God bless you! Bina (Hanchinamani) Ellefsen
Bina Ellefsen said...Another great organization in India is Vision Nationals. http://visionnationals.com/ Lots of folks from Mars Hill Church and the Acts 29 Network have been involved in this work. For more information, contact Arjuna at: arjuna@visionnationals.com
Senne said...Hi, love the project guys ! Lookin forward to some new podcasts. Any idea when they 're commin ?
Lonnie said...Welcome to China!!! Greetings from the South.
Phil Goodlaxson said...This is such an awesome site! What you two are doing is great. It really proves that giving to others without any thought of reward gives many many rewards. You deserve all the awesome things you do on this trip for yourselves because of all the amazing things you are trying to do for others. Also, great pictures! Is one of you trained in photography?
Markus said...Amazing! I envy you guys. Enjoy the trip. Must be awesome to meet all these people.
KevinChen said...Welcome to China~ I hope I can go to Tipet by train ,but I am so busy now. If you would came to ShenZhen(GuangDong) in the future ,I would like to show you around :)
chuanlee said...o,that's great to get to tipet! now i am studying in chengdu,sichuan provice in china,near to tipet. i plan to take a travel to lhasa just like you. by the way ,next time u are in china welcome to chengdu=)i am studying in a university in chengdu now and maybe we can make friends and travel together.
Eric Baroy Mahinay said...Hi..I just found your site thru another site....I like your program and your dreams....pls try to visit my country Philippines especially my homeprovince at: www.mysiquijor.com I love being around in your site and hopefully I can be like you someday.
foxhidden said...I'm from China, have fun! To tibet is my dream!