Big Sis Hitchhiking in Tibet 大妹西藏搭车 by Vasthi

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哈喽！我是Vashti, 朋友们都叫我大妹，性格使然加上个高笑声狂饭量大，得此名号，我可喜欢了！认识Yuan还是经由朋友Ellen介绍，说“你俩都在做（我曾经做过）书屋，而且都不约而同地觉得这是件极致浪漫的事”。这可不，咱一拍即合！这家伙还在四撒明信片，我已经收到了一张。又被他说 ‘写篇文吧，稿费是一张明信片’ 轻易地给收买了，于是就有了下面这篇回忆。

Hallo. This is Vashti and all my peeps call me Big Sis. The reasons why I rock this nickname are 1. I laugh loudly and 2. eat a lot. I so dig this name. I know Yuan through our common friend Ellen. She said, "You both tried your own bookstore (me in past tense) and somehow you happen to deem this as extremely romantic." Well, we hit it off right away. This fellow is also spreading postcards here and there and I've already received one. This time he asked me, "Write something for me, will ya? I'll pay you with another postcard." And that was a cheap bribe to get me on the hook. Then such a memoir was penned down.

2016年的初秋，在北京工作的我，邀请爸妈从马来西亚过来成都，一起圆我父亲的西藏梦。他作了一辈子的神职人员，向往各处宗教色彩浓厚的目的地，西藏便是其一。八天的行程，除去高反和家人间的小矛盾，剩下的全是视觉震撼和心灵碰击。

It was early autumn in 2016 and I was working in Beijing. I had invited my folks to Chengdu from Malaysia. Our goal: to realize my old man's Tibetan dream. Devoting his life as a clergy, he yearned for all religious holy lands and Tibet was one of them. Other than altitude sickness and little spats among us, it was a visual spectacle and spiritual shock for this 8-day trip.

与陌生人的故事，发生在世界屋脊珠峰大本营。

The story with a stranger happened at the Everest Base Camp.

我们与同伴乘坐小客车，沿着之字形盘山公路迂回向前，不久我们就从山峦间看到了珠峰的身影。那时大约下午三点左右，珠峰还被云层厚厚地盖住了。大家抵达后在大本营周围活动了一番，就预备返回附近的住处休息。那时云层还未离去，珠峰仍害羞地躲着。略有不甘，我询问了返回住宿的距离（离大本营三公里）后，向导游要求独自留下等云散。导游絮絮叨叨地交代了一些事情后，留下了一句“我懂你的心情”，带着我爸妈和其他小伙伴上车往住宿方向走。

On a minibus with our fellow travelers, we zigzagged forward through the roads in the mountains. Soon the shape of Mount Everest, hidden behind small other mountains, came to our sight. It was around 3 p.m. and Everest was surrounded by thick clouds. After getting to the base camp, we walked about around the camp and then headed back to our hostel. Mount Everest was still being shy among all the clouds. Refusing to be bummed out by his shyness and knowing it was 3 kilometers from my current location to the camp, I asked our guide to let me stay until the clouds vanished. Our guide was pretty wordy about things I should be warned about and left with one comment: "I understand how you feel." She then led my folks and the rest of the gang to the bus, returning to our hostel.

我架起了三脚架，找个舒服的地儿抱着保温瓶席地而坐，目不转睛地盯着珠峰方向。两小时过去了…… 就在天色逐渐暗下来的最后五分钟，突然云散，珠峰现形，一米金色的阳光洒满营地！日暮，落日没入群山，入夜。那时候，独自一人激动地在原地跳阿跳阿，嗯对，就跳了两下，即刻头晕目眩……高反的真实体验用户本人！

I set up my tripod and sat down in a cozy spot, my arms warmed by my thermos bottle and my eyes fixed on Mount Everest. 2 hours passed and the sky darkened. Yet, 5 minutes prior to complete darkness, the clouds suddenly disappeared, showing the true colors of Mount Everest. A beam of golden sunshine scattered across the camp. 5 minutes later, sun set behind the mountains. So evening started. I was jumping up and down on my spot, unleashing my unbridled excitement. Mmmh. Yeah. my unbridled excitement powered merely 2 jumps before my head started spinning. I am a real-life altitude sickness customer!

拾起三脚架，就着一点点的光，开始返回。这时候发现了问题，我压根没法走得快，走三步歇一步。更让我忧心的是，我没法有效呼吸。就是努力深呼吸，也感觉不到氧气进入肺里的畅快。呀... 在平地的三公里和在高原的三公里，我怎么办？边想办法边缓慢地前进。真的超级超级慢，看着手表已经过去20分钟了，我回头还能看见大本营的入口，也就是说我还没走出百米。

With the dim light, I walked back with my tripod. A problem occurred. I was unable to walk fast. 3 steps forward and 1 step for a break. What's more concerning, I couldn't breathe effectively. I tried to inhale, yet failing to feel the sensation of oxygen entering my lungs. Oh, my. 3 k on flatland and 3 k on a plateau, apples and oranges. What can I do? Contemplating that, I trudged forward. I walked so slow that 20 minutes passed, I could still see the entrance of the base when I looked back, which indicated that I walked for merely hundreds of meters.

这时候我在他国搭车的回忆跳进脑海里。“试试吧！在中国土地上，我还没试过搭便车呢。”

At this moment, my mind recollected my hitchhiking experiences in other countries. "Why not? In China, I hadn't tried that yet."

咻~ 一辆车飞驰而过，我挥动着手臂试图引起注意。“没事！第一辆呢！”

Swoosh...A car flew by. I swung my arms to get its attention. "It's OK. Only car NO.1!"

咻~ 又一辆车经过，我满怀希望看了一眼司机，哎，没看清呢车走远了...

Swoosh...Another one. I looked at the driver with hope. Sigh, the car went far...

咻~ 再一辆车经过，大拇指在空中有点落寞。“没关系，好事成双，咱双位数开始数，这是第11辆。”

Swoosh...Another one. My thumb in the air felt a bit lonely. "It's OK. Good things come in doubles. Let's start with an even number. This is car NO.11."

咻~ 咻~ 咻~ 咻~ 咻~...Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh...

我已经没有继续数了，因为心情激动导致耗氧更快，我已经累得蹲在路边喘息。这时已经入夜了，我身上没有任何反光的物料，手机也早已没电，但大拇指还是倔强地高高举着。眼眶热热的，嘴唇撇得紧紧的，心里那个慌啊……“我爸妈是不是担心我呀？我是不是今晚要在路边将就一晚了？眼下我是不是要找一块儿看起来舒服一点的地儿躺下休息了？”呼吸不畅好难受……

I lost count. My exciting heart had cost me more oxygens. Hyperventilating, I was so tired that I squatted down beside the road. It was pitch dark and I had nothing to reflect the lights and my phone died. But my thumb was still rising with its strong will. Tears were welled up in my eyes and my mouth went pouty. I was thinking with a heavy heart, "mom and dad must be worried. Should I just make do with sleeping beside the road tonight? Should I find a cozier spot to lie down for the moment? I can't breathe. It's too much..."

哎，我旁边怎么一大阴影，转过去看还有轮胎... 抬头看，黝黑的司机大哥亮着一口大白牙看着我：“唷！你没事吧！上哪去？来，上车吧！” 我...我!! 我搭车成功了!!!

"What? What's up with the shade?" I turned my head and saw a wheel. I looked up and a driver with sun-tanned skin and white teeth stared, "Oy, you all right? Where to? Come, hop on!" I, I, just hitchhiked!!!

四轮驱动车上有司机一名，摄影师一名，还有一对盛装打扮的男女。上车后，我梗咽地说了一下目的地，接着打从心底放松地说了一句 “哎哟喂呀……!!” 把一车人都逗笑了! 司机大哥问我蹲在哪里多久了？摄影大哥笑说远远地看，以为我是长了独角的动物，后来发现那是我高举着的大拇指。女孩特别贴心地倒了半杯温水给我。我简短说了一下我的 “历险”，男孩瞪大眼睛地看着我说 :“你自己一个人，不担心自己被狼叼走吗？”我瞪大眼睛回看着他一句话也说不出来。后来还是司机大哥打破僵局说他是开玩笑的。

On this 4X4 vehicle, there was a driver, a photographer, and a snappy-dressed couple. I told them where I wanted to go and said an "Aiyo...!!" with great relief from the bottom of my heart. It made everyone burst with peals of laughter. Mr. driver asked me how long I'd squatted down there. Mr. photographer thought I was an animal with a unicorn from afar and then realized it was my thumb. The girl poured half a bottle of warm water for me. I briefly told them about my "adventure". The boy looked at me with widening eyes, "You're all alone here. Aren't you afraid that the wolves might get you?" Equalling his widening eyes, I looked at him, tongue-twisted. Then Mr. Driver broke the ice, saying that it was all a joke.

距离不远，不一会儿就把我送到了住宿处。我下车后，要求与他们合影一张。互道一声“扎西德勒”后，挥手送别他们。很可惜，我现在已经找不到我们的合影了。

It didn't take long for me to get to my hostel. After getting off, I asked for a group picture. We bade farewell with a "Tashi Delek". Too bad I can't find that pic now.

我还记得，那天我从门口缓慢回到大家所在的餐馆，就着热茶给我爸妈和小伙伴们说：“我想，我今天被山里的神灵眷顾、保护了。”

I still remember I walked slowly to the restaurant where everyone was dining. With hot tea in my hands, I said to my mom, dad and the gang, "I think, the spirits in the mountains took good care of me today."

023 睡前英文 ｜大妹西藏搭车 by Vashti #西藏 #马来 18:20 Share

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023 睡前英文｜大妹西藏搭车 by Vashti #西藏 #马来