I had the privilege to visit a beautiful portion of the Tao River during the last week of July. Together with some co-workers of mine, we went swimming in the river for an hour or two under beautiful blue skies and warm temperatures.
The water was cool, but not too cold. It didn’t take too long to get accustomed to it and begin to launch out into the current for a brisk swim. The Tao River begins high up on the Tibetan Plateau at an altitude of more than 12,000 ft. By the time it reaches the place where we took our swim, the altitude is still well over 10,000 ft.
There are only a couple small Tibetan communities located up-river from this location, so the water is very clear and clean. The grassy riverbank provides an awesome place to lay out in the sun and dry off or warm up after a swim.
I would love to go back to this spot, which is located about 65 miles south of where we currently live, but we (because we are foreigners) have been forbidden by the local authorities to visit this region for at least the duration of the Olympics. So much for freedom!
