Nyoam, Tibet
October 4, 2004 - October 5, 2004

This is not a normal stop, but it's 30 km from the Nepal border, and there had been Tibetan police raids along the border.  We were traveling illegally (only because everything is illegal in Tibet so the police have an excuse to ask for bribes - this time it was because we didn't have a "licensed guide" AND driver - yes you need both), so we couldn't afford to stay near the border.  We started off at Everest and only drove a few hours to Nyoam.  The drive was interesting though, because we went from the highest elevation in Tibet to the lowest.  The whole drive was downhill and when we passed through the tree line it was as if we'd never seen trees before.  After a month in Tibet I had forgotten that that landscape was so bazaar.  Not only did we pass through the tree line, but we passed into jungle, so the difference was as extreme as you could imagine.

Our hotel room

These hotel toilets were pretty nice... given the standard we'd become accustomed to.

The drive earlier that day from Mt Everest

In Nyoam we heard what sounded like a club.  Eran, Andries, and I went to inspect. 
This was the dilapidated entrance (no glass in the doors or windows). Sadly to say
there WAS a "club", but it consisted of the drunken owner, his girlfriend and I think a
homeless guy. We tried not to be noticed as we turned back around.