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Nick and Mathilde of the Next Meridian Expedition travel through frozen western China with local overlanders Story and Shay. Their convoy climbs into the Shinh High mountains, avoids deep snow, crosses into Qinghai and deals with a vehicle bearing problem. At a farmer's home, they spend a night in minus 15°C weather and learn how standard diesel thickened in the cold. After warming the fuel lines, they drive to frozen Qinghai Lake, pass an abandoned town and camp on a local family's land. A herder family shares lamb, beef dumplings and butter tea, and the grandmother braids Mathilde's hair.
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Nick and Mathilde, the Next Meridian Expedition, start their China episode in the northern town of Zang, near the Mongolian border. They've linked up with two local overlanders: Story, a seasoned traveler who spends six months a year on the road, and Shay, a first-timer full of excitement. They form a convoy to navigate China's regulations and frozen terrain together. The group tries to spin a large prayer wheel outside a temple, a task that takes all their strength and makes them laugh together.
Across the mountains
As they climb into the Shinh High mountain range, the landscape shifts dramatically—red mountains turning gray, snow piling up, and cliffs growing more menacing. At 3,800 meters, they find a frozen stream. Nick and Mathilde accept a 'stupid challenge of the day': crossing the ice on foot. They slip and slide on the ice, getting wet in the process. The convoy decides to skip a local tunnel for a mountain pass, but a drone scout reveals deep, trackless snow. They turn back, avoiding the deep, trackless snow. On the other side of the tunnel, they enter the vast, harsh high valleys of Qinghai. Story's Defender starts making a loud noise from the front wheel, likely a bearing issue, forcing a detour to a mechanic 80 kilometers away.
A cold night with Mr. Ma
Police stop the convoy, but the interaction is surprisingly sweet—officers are more concerned about altitude and safety than fines. The team learns that these valleys are heavily regulated; foreigners were once banned, but traveling with locals grants them passage. They cannot wild camp, so Story leads them to a local farmer's home. That night, the temperature drops to minus 15°C. They sleep in the farmer's backyard, exploring his property—a vegetable garden, glass houses, and a small kitchen. The farmer, Mr. Ma, is part of the Muslim Hui community and is fasting for Ramadan. He gifts them traditional bread, and they learn about his life as a farmer with three daughters. The next morning, the Albatross refuses to start. Nick and Mathilde used standard diesel instead of minus 35 diesel, and the cold has thickened the fuel lines. They pour hot water on the lines, a trick that works, and the car chugs to life.
Qinghai Lake and the herder family
They say goodbye to Mr. Ma and head for Qinghai Lake, a large high-elevation salt lake. The lake is frozen solid, and for the first time, they drive on proper ice. They slide, spin, and laugh, comparing it to their unrealized dreams of Alaska. A local man walks a cow across the ice. Nick notes, 'I feel alive. I like the difficulty to breathe.' Passing a 90% abandoned town—a ghost village of collapsed factories and solar panels—they finally catch sight of the lake: a vast, frozen expanse surrounded by sand dunes and grasslands. Their main challenge is finding an unfenced place to camp. A local car overtakes them, waving enthusiastically, and pulls over. The driver invites them to camp on his family's land. They meet a herder family who welcomes them into their home. They share a meal of lamb, beef dumplings, and butter milk tea. The team learns the fire is fueled by dried sheep poop, which burns efficiently without smell. The grandmother braids Mathilde's hair, transforming her into a 'Tibetan cowboy.' The family's young son, who is studying Chinese medicine and knits with yak wool, puts the Chinese sticker on the Defender. The evening is emotional, even as they remember that Story's car won't start again. The fuel line is clogged, and they have to tow it to the next city. At a Land Rover specialist garage, they wait for good news. Despite the breakdown, Nick reflects on the beauty of travel: 'How ever would we have made memories like this?' The episode ends with the convoy one defender down but still pushing forward into the roads ahead in China.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: What was the hardest part of driving in the cold?
- A: The vehicle would not start at minus 15°C because they had used standard diesel instead of minus 35 diesel. Pouring hot water on the fuel lines helped get it running.
- Q: How did you find a place to camp?
- A: A local driver waved the convoy down and invited them to camp on the family's land. The invitation happened spontaneously on the road.
- Q: What was the most surprising cultural experience?
- A: They shared dinner with a herder family. The family used dried sheep dung for a fire that burned without a smell, and the grandmother braided Mathilde's hair.
