Addicted: Book One - The Inquietude of Youth

Chapter 202 - A SMOOTH ARRIVAL IN TIBET

There are two routes that one can choose from to get to Tibet from Qingdao: the Sichuan-Tibet and the Qinghai-Tibet. After a careful consideration, Gu Hai and Bai Luo Yin decided to take the Sichuan-Tibet route on their way there, and the Qinghai-Tibet route on their way back. That way, they would be able to see more sceneries along their journey.

The SUV was completely packed with every possible thing they could need. Prior to this trip, Gu Hai had researched diligently about all the things that could happen to them, and comprised a thorough list of items to bring along. Since he was responsible for the preparation, it was only natural that Bai Luo Yin was responsible for the inspection. The two had vigilantly considered all the sudden emergencies that can possibly occur as well as the methods to combat each.

Three days after they left Qingdao, the two arrived in Chéngdū. [1] Due to their extreme happiness and unwavering curiosity towards this city, Bai Luo Yin suggested that they stay and explore it for at least two days. After two days of playtime, as promised, they continued their journey.

The two encountered countless problems while on the road. From their car breaking down and road constructions to abnormal weather changes, and even robbery, they've more or less faced all the mishaps any traveler could experience on the way to Tibet. But thanks to their courage, intelligence and foresight, they were able to overcome all these without much worry. The only thing was, they arrived at their destination four days later than planned. By the time they reached Tibet, it was already April.

As the car continued to smoothly cruise on the appointed route, the road gradually and quietly elevated nearly 3,000 meters [2] above sea level without them even realizing it. The further they proceeded, the sky became more and more crystal clear. One by one, snowy mountain peaks wrapped with streaks of clouds and nearly transparent mist, started to appear before their line of sight, promptly eliciting their weary minds back to soberness.

Bai Luo Yin's bright eyes immediately swept towards the window for a better look. It didn't take long for his fingers and toes to tingle with excitement while flashes of light drew across his face, bringing forth a beautifully evocative smile.

Brimming with happiness, he pulled Gu Hai's arm, "Quickly look over there, it's a Tibetan antelope!" [3]

Gu Hai slowed the car down just enough to keep it rolling. A reddish-brown Tibetan antelope stood at a distance not too far from them. Its strong and muscular body revealed the endurance required to live and survive in this high altitude and bitterly cold atmosphere. The moment he saw them, the antelope quickly sprinted north in a graceful posture as if soaring off the ground, parading the vivid colours of life.

"Are you having any difficulty breathing?" Gu Hai asked while taking in Bai Luo Yin's features.

Bai Luo Yin's train of thoughts was drawn back from the sight ahead. He touched his chest. He has not felt anything strange yet, but it was possible that the excitement suppressed everything.

Gu Hai stopped the car and passed him a liquid capsule medicine.

This type of capsule is taken in advance to guard against altitude sickness. [4] For the past few days, the two had been properly taking it without fail. Unsurprisingly though, Bai Luo Yin did not like the taste of this medicine. And his dislike is made even more evident by how he would always waste time before actually ingesting it. But today is different. Today, he obediently took the capsule before Gu Hai could force him to. This is probably because of the breathtaking scenery unfolding before his eyes. It's so beautiful that it's only normal to ignore this small annoyance.

"If you feel any discomfort, you have to tell me right away, OK?" Gu Hai kept telling him repeatedly.

Bai Luo Yin would always respond by nodding his head. "Don't worry, I'm fine. Focus on the road."