Hu Fushou is a retired teacher from a middle school in Weifang City, in east China's Shangdong Province. His greatest interest is to cycle to various parts of the country to enjoy significant sceneries and get to know local customs.

Learning that a 72-year-old Japanese man had climbed to Mount Qomolangma twice, the 69-year-old retiree was hit by the idea of cycling to Lhasa and then climbing the world's highest peak.

Hu's idea was objected by his family as it was too risky for a senior at his age to climb the mountain. Without telling his family, Hu took a train to Xining, capital of southwest China's Qinghai Province. He planned to ride on his bike to Lhasa from Xining.

Hu then started his journey on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau on July 3. All along the way, he passed some places of interest and got the chance to enjoy the grandeur and beauty of the plateau.

With the rise in the altitude, the temperature dropped. Although travelers he met along the way were wrapped up in thick clothes, he was only wearing shirts and shorts as he was sweating all over.

While showing their admiration to him, travelers reminded Hu of taking a bottle of oxygen with him as he might have altitude sickness once he arrived in Tibet.

Hu declined, saying that he could do without the oxygen bottle. "The Red Army climbed over snowy mountains and crossed grasslands by wearing straw sandals only. I am stronger than they, how couldn't I finish my trip," he replied to the travelers.

Hu enjoyed his trip till the fourth day when he was astonished to find that his skin began to peel off. He got to know that was caused by the strong ultraviolet radiation on the plateau and so were the aches he felt in his eyes, legs and head from the second day he was on the plateau.

From then on, Hu wore a cap, a facial mask, and long pants. "I would not laugh at the motorcyclist wearing hats and masks in such hot weather," said Hu.

From July 3 to 9, Hu travelled about 1,000 km on his bike. Drivers and road maintenance workers he came across were all astonished at his persistence and perseverance.

On July 11, he arrived at the Kunlun Spring at an altitude of 4,600 m in the Hoh Xil Nature Reserve. Unluckily his bike broke down and he lost his bedding on the way.

Hu then decided to continue his journey on foot. After six hours' walk, he covered 33 km and came to the Soinam Targyai Nature Protection Station of the nature reserve, where he spent the night. "It is an amazing experience to walk across Hoh Xil," he recalled.

As it was too far for him to go to Lhasa on foot, Hu decided to get a lift. A truck driver agreed to take him there for 150 yuan (21.9 U.S. dollars). After three days' drive, Hu finally arrived in Lhasa.

Having visited the Potala Palace and the Jokhang Temple -- the two landmark buildings in Lhasa -- Hu went to a local mountaineering organization and told them his wish to climb Mount Qomolangma.

As he was almost 70 and had no professional training in mountaineering, Hu was told to go to a local mountaineering association. As the association was closed for an annual holiday, no activities were available that day.

Later Hu learnt from a traveler that to scale the world's highest peak, he needed professional mountaineering apparatus which could cost 200,000 to 300,000 yuan.

He said with a shy smile, "I didn't know that it would cost so much to climb Mount Qomolangma. I presumed that it was just like climing any other moutains."

Though he didn't make it to Mount Qomolangma this time, Hu said he would not give up his dream. "I will go to Tibet to climb the peak when it is the right time. I will try to climb as high as I can. Climbing Mount Qomolangma is not my dream, but my goal. I'm sure I can make it someday," he said resolutely.

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