Tag Archives: Cha Ma Gu Dao
Tea Horse Road Chronicles – A Gathering of Women
Nomadic women of Ganze gather on a grassland to take part in a horse festival. It was through and over such high grasslands that the Tea Horse Road moved towards Dzogong, Chamdo, Lhasa and beyond. Nomads and their lands were … Continue reading
Tea Horse Road Chronicles – The Pluck
Napu went up the tea tree amid a forest of tea trees, shimmying along a support branch, until she could access the buds and leaves two metres off of the ground. I shimmied up along side her to watch her … Continue reading
Tea Horse Road Chronicles – The Crossing
One of the gems of old world Himalayan transport and the Tea Horse Road in particular was the yak hide ‘ferry’ that would take tea, salt, mules and journeyers across waterways where there were no bridges. It still does operate … Continue reading
Tea Horse Road Chronicles – He Said, She Knew
This ‘moment’ was more accurately a series of moments and most of an afternoon, with an old muleteer and his wife. We interviewed the gentleman who lived near my home in Shangrila and he began (and ended) our chat with … Continue reading
Tea Horse Road Chronicles – Part 6 – Tenzin
Legend, guardian of caravans, and hunter of ‘tea thieves’, Tenzin. We had heard of this legend but worried we wouldn’t track him down upon the route. Worried that we would not get time nor access to listen and take in … Continue reading
Tea Horse Road Chronicles – The Coming Snow
The Coming Snow. A nomad tucks in amidst a coming snow storm at 4200 metres near Litang, western Sichuan. The Litangba (people of Li’thang) were revered and feared along portions of the Tea Horse Road for sometimes opposing reasons. Not … Continue reading
The Tea Explorer Film to Screen at Hawaii International Film Festival
The Tea Explorer to Screen at the Hawaii International Film Festival, November 2017. Continue reading
The Journey to Sho’La Pass – Part 3 – A Route of Stone and Ngawa’s Wife
Heat and its lethargy inducing powers have long played havoc with my own senses and perspectives. I am not alone in this feeling. Exiting our safe cool forests, and descending into the hot valleys, I feel the itch of impatience … Continue reading
“Yunnan Tea Road” Article in award winning TRVL
Arriving back to Zhongdian (aka Shangri-La) to wet, hints of snow in the surrounding mountains, and the usual fun and games getting up-to-date with the goings on in our old town. Building goes on, buildings go up and the sound … Continue reading