2024 Hainan-Tibet-Xinjiang Self-driving Tour: Day 6 Appointment to Visit Wuming Buddhist Academy

Last night, we were really exhausted and randomly found a hotel by the roadside to sleep. In the morning, while packing up, Ken noticed a Tibetan wedding car across the street through the window. During breakfast, the restaurant owner mentioned that his wife was attending five weddings today, indicating that 8/16 is a good day in the Tibetan calendar. We quickly packed our luggage and set off, with 100 kilometers left to Seda County. The appointment for visiting the 【Wuming Buddhist Academy】 mini-program has been suspended since June 2024, so tickets must be purchased in person at the 【Seda County Jinma Grassland Tourist Distribution Center】 with a valid ID. Generally, same-day tickets are not available unless you go early in the morning to try your luck; otherwise, you can only buy tickets for the next day. There are two places to take the bus to Wuming Buddhist Academy: 1) The Tourist Distribution Center in Jinma County, which is also the ticket purchase point (ticket price 48 yuan); 2) The Tourist Distribution Center in Luoruo Town (ticket price 30 yuan). The former has many accommodation and dining options but is more than 20 kilometers away from Luoruo Town, while the latter is closer to Wuming Buddhist Academy. Regardless of where you choose to board, tickets must be purchased at the Jinma Grassland in Seda County, as the boarding points do not sell tickets. The departure times of the two distribution centers are different, so you need to choose clearly when buying tickets. On the day we arrived, there was a major power outage in the entire Seda County, making it difficult to even have dinner. We found a small restaurant that could still cook, but due to the power outage, the kitchen was filled with smoke, and the chef was cooking in the dark. We ate in the smoke, which was quite choking! After dinner, we took a walk and found that the better-off shops had started diesel generators at their doorsteps, creating a cacophony of noise; the less fortunate shops could only light a candle or hang a flashlight. Tomorrow is the Ghost Festival, and the moon was very bright at night. Locals gathered at Jinma Square in the county center to dance the Guozhuang dance. We groped our way back to the hotel room, and Ken turned on both camping lights. Ha! It was quite fun! We went to bed early! At 1 a.m., the power came back on.