American Autumn Shishapangma Expedition 2005: Night Pool and Hi-Lo

Sunset on Shishapangma from Base Camp

Walking the streets of Sigatse, Tibet, by yourself at night brings a few new and unusual experiences.

Night pool, for example.

During the daytime, there are no pool tables to be seen. But at night, they drag  them out from behind the corrugated metal doors of the little shops, and get into lively games. The tables are ancient, with cord-mesh pockets, and totally warped surfaces, green frayed in many places. But it is fun. The streets are pretty dark, occasional taxis zoom by and beep at anybody who looks likely to be a fare.  Monks walk in pairs and threes here and there, not in a particular hurry.

As you walk down these streets, you are unlikely to see any other Caucasians. But the locals know that the standard greeting is 'hi-lo', so I reply with 'hi' or 'hello', but never 'hi-lo', as I believe it is my duty as a world traveler to correctly pronounce English.

Tomorrow off for Tingri. 300 km of bad roads.

--Eric

Updates

Millet One Sport Everest Boot  has made some minor changes by adding more Kevlar. USES Expeditions / High altitude / Mountaineering in extremely cold conditions / Isothermal to -75°F Gore-Tex® Top dry / Evazote Reinforcements with aramid threads. Avg. Weight: 5 lbs 13 oz Sizes: 5 - 14 DESCRIPTION Boot with semi-rigid shell and built-in Gore-Tex® gaiter reinforced by aramid threads, and removable inner slipper Automatic crampon attachment Non-compressive fastening Double zip, so easier to put on Microcellular midsole to increase insulation Removable inner slipper in aluminized alveolate Fiberglass and carbon footbed Cordura + Evazote upper Elasticated collar. Expedition footwear for mountaineering in conditions of extreme cold.  NOTE US SIZES LISTED. See more here.

A cold weather, high altitude double boot for extreme conditions The Olympus Mons is the perfect choice for 8000-meter peaks. This super lightweight double boot has a PE thermal insulating inner boot that is coupled with a thermo-reflective outer boot with an integrated gaiter. We used a super insulating lightweight PE outsole to keep the weight down and the TPU midsole is excellent for crampon compatibility and stability on steep terrain. WEIGHT: 39.86 oz • 1130 g LAST: Olympus Mons CONSTRUCTION: Inner: Slip lasted Outer: Board Lasted OUTER BOOT: Cordura® upper lined with dual-density PE micro-cellular thermal insulating closed cell foam and thermo-reflective aluminium facing/ Insulated removable footbed/ Vibram® rubber rand See more here.

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