“If you don’t like where you are, then change it. You are not a tree.”

For the last few days (since my first home stay in Ki), I have been descending down, out of the mountainous region of Spiti, and into Kinnaur valley. Though the oxygen is richer and the descents have been fun, the road is now busy, dusty, and hot, an awful combination. Oftentimes when trucks pass I have to slow down since the dust makes it impossible to see, and difficult to breath. There is absolutely no flat ground (meaning no camping), and the villages are built hundreds of meters up from the road on the cliffs. It’s interesting to see how they are able to live perched in the side of the hill, and even have small farms beside their homes. Though at one point I was a mere 2km away from Tibet, there was no way to enter because of China’s unfortunate control and restrictions over the area.

Here is a cute village I stayed at along the way.

Since there is absolutely no flat ground, these people have figured out how to do agriculture on the cliffs.

Let’s not forget the goats! I have been swarmed many times on the road as the shepherds bring their goats to a different area. It’s absolutely hilarious, they are some of the silliest creatures.

I chuckled when I saw this sign as the road I was on a week ago was much worst.

That being said, much of it was still unpaved, and there was obviously a landslide problem. I got held up a few times when an active slide covered the road.

I realized that the road, which will continue to descend, won’t be anything like the great cycling I encountered up north, so I decided to take a little 45km (uphill) detour into a side valley to return back to the mountains once again. It was definitely worth it. The ride passed through small villages on the cliffs before meeting up with the river. Though it was a hot ride up here, at least I am back over 3,400m!

Home sweet home. My tent certainty feels like my home, and though I love staying with people I meet along the way, I often crave a night or two to myself in my tent. I have spent the last three nights camping in this gorgeous valley.

I spent one night on the patio of a school. Though it is nicer to sleep with the stars, rather than concrete above, the school provided a great wind block and a hidden spot to safely stay.