Tsetang - Gampa

Wellcome to Zedang Again!	Tsetang is the easternmost point on this trip	From here we journey westbound past Everest to Nepal	First, we need to backtrack along the Yarlung Tsampo River to Gongkar and Lhasa Airport
The sand dunes along the south bank of the Yarlung Tsampo River	Autumn colours, Yarlung Tsampo River valley	The famous Samye Monastery, the first in Tibet, on the north bank of the Yarlung Tsampo River	In October 2008, the monastery was closed to allow for the political re-education of the monks following that year's unrest
The road from Tsetang to Gongkar	Yarlung Tsampo River	Traditional Tibetan stone house of southern Tibet	Lhasa Gongga (Gongkar) Airport 51 km
Yarlung Tsampo River	Yarlung Tsampo River	Yarlung Tsampo River valley	There are sand dunes on the north bank of the Yarlung Tsampo River as well
Sturdy Tibetan houses	Gongkar, the town next to Lhasa Airport	Gongkar, Tibet	The main road passing through Gongkar
Gongkar, Tibet - elevation 3600m	The main gate to Lhasa Airport (LXA)	The seatbelt-less ancient Land Cruiser meets us at Gongkar for the vehicle swap	Unfortunately, we lost the good driver as well
New territory, straight ahead on the road to Gyantse (Jiangzi)	The road west continues to follow the south bank of the Yarlung Tsampo River	Yarlung Tsampo River	Looks like something interesting ahead...
Sundruling Monastery	"I'm sorry sir, that's not on the itinerary" ...	Sundruling Monastery (N29.274/E90.787)	At least she let us stop on the side of the road for some photos
Village below Sundruling Monastery	Village below Sundruling Monastery and Gongkhar Dzong	The ruins of Gongkar Dzong	The ruins of Gongkar Dzong
Roadside between Gonkar and the old bridge (N29.297/E90.794)	Stretch of road along the south bank (N29.322/E90.740)	At a sharp bend in the road (N29.333/E90.719)	View west with the old bridge across the Yarlung Tsangpo River
Turnoff for the old bridge - 67km to Lhasa - Yangze, another bad spelling of Gyantse - 196km	The old Yarlung Tsangpo Bridge	Shrine near the south end of the old Yarlung Tsangpo Bridge	Shrine near the south end of the old Yarlung Tsangpo Bridge
Yarlung Tsangpo Bridge with a snowy Himalayan peak	Chang Thang, the first village on the south bank west of the old bridge	Chang Thang village (N29.298/E90.689)	Woman with a large metal jug in front of a stack of uncut firewood
Chang Thang village	Herd of sheep crossing the road, Chang Thang village	Snow capped mountains - just a taste of what's to come	Snow capped mountains - just a taste of what's to come