I traveled alone to the last county in China to be connected by a highway

Before every trip and after returning, I ask myself the same question:
Why do we want to see the world?
Unfortunately, over the years, I haven’t found a fixed answer.
But while flipping through my photo album and seeing the heavy snow in front of Galongla Tunnel,
a thought suddenly popped into my mind:
Because the world itself is incredibly beautiful.

Today marks my 7️⃣th day wandering through southeastern Tibet.
On the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, I set off from Lhasa—just me, my backpack, and my camera—heading east and south along the Yarlung Tsangpo River, passing through Bomi, Medog, and Qamdo. These past few days have been truly spectacular: watching Namcha Barwa slowly drift by, soaking in wild hot springs beneath snow-capped mountains, falling into snow pits, staying in a Lhoba family’s home, and trekking through tropical rainforests draped with prayer flags.

Posting during travels is exhausting: my days are spent exploring, and as someone who loves chatting, my messages pile up the moment I have a free moment. Selecting, exporting, editing photos, crafting captions—each platform demands something different. Ahh, it’s been over ten days since my last update—I *have* to post on Xiaohongshu now!

A few days ago, I crossed the Zhamo Highway to reach Medog, the last county in China to be connected by road. I asked Teacher DS why it took fifty years to build this road, and here’s his answer:

🌟The Zhamo Tunnel cuts through the eastern Himalayas. In just 40 minutes, the altitude drops from over 3,000 meters to Medog’s ~500 meters, passing glaciers, primeval forests, and gorges while crossing six disaster-prone zones. Construction involved traversing seven fault lines. Medog’s annual rainfall exceeds 2,300mm, and workers faced over 200 landslides and mudflows.

Living at 3,600 meters for over a month left me lean and energetic. Descending into the forested lowlands, I felt invigorated, running around cheerfully every day. I was eager to see Medog’s infamous leeches, but it wasn’t leech season—a small blessing, haha. In February, Medog’s orchids bloom while peach blossoms fade.

Flowing time is a gift I give myself.
I’m ready to open the door again to life’s beautiful moments.

📍Location: Galongla Tunnel, Medog, Tibet
📍Gear: Sony A7R3 (JPEG)
📍Editing: Lightroom Mobile
📍Date: February 2025