The starting point of this trip was seeing photos shared on a website, which triggered our wanderlust. We immediately booked tickets and invited friends to join us, without knowing the budget or the specific destinations. We only knew our final destination: Larung Gar, a Buddhist academy on the roof of the world (Larung Gar Buddhist Academy), also known as Nyarung in Tibetan. It is located in the Larung Valley, Sertar County, Sichuan Province. We came with the concept of "no wrong plans, because we didn't plan anything ^^".

6 unforgettable words 1 Kanding 2 Setar 3 Larung Gar 4 Danba 5 Siguniang Shan Ziguniang Mountain 6 Jinchuan City (Jinchuan) Stay tuned to see where and how we will travel.

Suddenly, Thai Airways launched a promotion for flights with two or more people, starting at 9,920 baht per person. We were so excited that we booked the tickets without even considering other airlines. We left Thailand on April 29th, 2016, with three people: myself, P'Nui, and P'Tae. We met up with our friend Lek in Chengdu, who works in Guangzhou and flew in to join us. Our trip lasted from April 29th to May 8th, 2016.

Upon arriving in Chengdu, we took the Airport Shuttle Bus Line 1 to the Minshan Hotel, the last stop, for 10 CNY each. We met up with our junior, Som, who was pursuing her master's degree in Chengdu. She checked us into our accommodation first. :) We chose to stay at Mrs Panda Hostel, which we booked in advance on booking.com because it was close to the bus station that would take us to Kanding and Setar. Then, we took the subway to Chunxi Road Pedestrian Street to wait for another friend coming from Guangzhou. While waiting, the staff at Panda Hostel chatted with us and asked where we were planning to go. That's when our unplanned trip began. Following the map of Sichuan Province displayed inside the hostel, our junior suggested places to visit and how to get there.

From the video, it seems like they understand each other. The girl can speak English, mixed with Chinese and sign language. Haha, but they understand each other. Let Som translate for you.

So, the trip is set. Tomorrow we'll take a bus to... Chengdu - Kanding - Ganzi - Luhuo - Sertar - Larung Gar - Maer kang - Xiao jin - Siguniang Shan - Dujiangyan - Chengdu That's it. If we can complete this whole trip, it'll be amazing, haha. After that, it all depends on the actual events and situations we encounter and how much we can actually accomplish, given our circumstances and the time we have. Let's go! Let's fight!

Four people gathered together, except for Som who couldn't go because she had an exam. Only Ling, Plern, and Namthip will be leading the team, followed by Nui, Tae, and I. Haha, just thinking about it makes me excited already. Hehe.

Now that we know where we're going, we bought bus tickets in advance for fear of being full. Walk to Xinnanmen Bus Station (新南门长途汽车站) next to the accommodation. Got a bus ticket to Kanding or Kanding at 7.30 am. The price is 139CNY per person. This station has destinations to many cities. You can see from this bus schedule.

To catch a bus in China, we need to arrive 20-30 minutes before the departure time. This is because we need to have our bags scanned, and if there are a lot of people, we might miss the bus. It's always a good idea to allow extra time.

It usually takes about 7-8 hours to get from Chengdu to Kanding, but we were unlucky from the first day. We got about halfway there when there was a landslide on the road, forcing us to stop and wait for them to clear the way. We were stuck for almost 5 hours, which was really frustrating.

Another landslide, in addition to the one we already encountered. Due to the heavy rain the previous night, landslides occurred everywhere. We arrived in Kanding City at 11 pm. Sigh! We couldn't walk around at all. As soon as we arrived, we bought bus tickets to Ganzi City and then rushed to find a place to sleep. There is a bus at 6 am for 121 CNY. Oh my god, will we be able to sleep tonight? It's also very cold. We walked around looking for a place to stay near the bus station. It was just enough to sleep. It's a good thing we brought our sleeping bags. There's no hot water, but hey, we'll only be sleeping for a few hours, then we'll wake up. We can do it.

The journey from Kanding to Ganzi was filled with stunning views. We dozed off and woke up intermittently, snapping photos whenever the scenery caught our eye. Then, we'd drift back to sleep.

Tibetan-style house

Tibetan has begun.

Thammanat Prompao

Even stones are not spared.

I saw a lot of yaks.

On the way through a small town, I don't know the name, I doze off and wake up, enjoying the view.

All I remember is passing through the winding streets of LuHuo.

After a 7-hour journey enjoying the stunning views and nature, we arrived in the small town of Ganzi. Despite its size, the town boasts breathtaking scenery and snow-capped mountains. Unfortunately, we only had one evening to explore this charming place before heading to Sertar, a city located at an altitude of 4,000 meters above sea level.

Upon arrival, we immediately looked for accommodation near the bus stop. Then we went out to find food and hired a car to tour the city. This place is considered a tourist city. There is an old market. There are many rental cars available. It depends on our negotiation and agreement on the price. We negotiated for 100CNY to tour the city, wherever they would take us, for about 2 hours. We wandered around until it was dark.

The road is empty, it's all ours. Hehe.

The first temple I visited, I can't remember the name ^^

The kind lama greeted us and offered us holy water to bring good luck, according to Tibetan beliefs. ^^ Amen.

On to the second temple, I don't know the name of this one ^^

It is a symbol of Tibetan temples. It must have a wheel for chanting and praying.

I met villagers in the temple. They were lovely and kind.

He asked to take a picture of you, so he held your hand and swung your arm the whole time.

Come watch the sunset

Tonight, we finally got to eat some meat. We had a Tibetan-style barbecue, but we were warned not to add any chili sauce, as it was incredibly spicy. We were so full that we could barely move. We then negotiated a price for a car to take us to Sertar. We agreed on 70CNY per person, and the driver will pick us up at the hotel at 8:30 am. He said it will take 3-4 hours to get there, so we will have plenty of time to sleep in.

Slept well. The city is very cold. The accommodation's water heater didn't work, so I had to take a partial bath. ^^ There was an electric blanket to help keep me warm. I woke up early and packed my bags. The car that was supposed to pick us up arrived, but there were already people sitting in it. We thought we had chartered the car for just the four of us, which explained the low price. It turned out that there were two other tourists who were also going with us. I guess we made some new friends.

Sitting next to each other, we were able to talk and share snacks. She's Japanese and traveling alone. Amazing, a woman traveling alone in China.

Leaving Ganzi City and seeing the scenery along the way, I feel a little regretful. I wish I had more time to explore this city. I would love to stay here longer. ^^

Lalla practicing selfie outside the car, hilarious.

The majestic mountain, a spectacle of grandeur, dwarfs humanity to a mere sliver of its presence.

They didn't ask to stop, but they kept pressing the shutter in the car.

The driver was very considerate and stopped at a scenic viewpoint so we could take photos.

But the parking spot doesn't have a bathroom, so we have to find a place to hide according to the situation. Hehe.

Which way should we go? I can't read it ^_^

We are almost there. It took us 3 days and 3 nights. Just along the way, it allowed us to gain the most experience, collect, manage, plan, and solve problems day by day. It was fun. Get ready and let's continue to find Larung Gar. https://th.readme.me/p/4084

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Story by LingPle Mayuree : LingPle Mayuree : [email protected]

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