I walked up a "Red Stone Mountain" (small mountain; 1hr walk. Still, definitely red stones.) and wandered back the stupidest way possible because I couldn't find the trail. I was just straight up blazing through bushes and shrubs and trees and sheep. What a dumb mess.
Today I rented a bicycle and rode on some hiking and horse trekking trails. Glommed on with a friendly American horse trekking group because I didn't know where I was going, and I wasn't going any faster than they were anyway. Their Tibetan guide invited me to join them for lunch in a black yak-hair tent, and then advised me to stay with them to avoid the (loud, gnarly, obnoxious, vicious) Tibetan guard dogs around. (dogs here are mean! apparently at night their job is to defend their territory from the wolves. eep!) Ended up in the Ocean of Flowers, which was like it sounded: wildflowers making the grass kinda blue-green so it looks like an ocean. Amazing and quiet. Nothing around except a couple of buzzing bugs. Ended up being a 6 hour ride when I was headed out for about two. Super difficult (high altitude + uphills + kinda creaky bike that wasn't quite big enough for me) ... another mess I might not have gotten myself into if I knew what I was in for. But so worth it!
Oh, the messes travel will get us into!
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