Starting in Yunnan Province of southern China, Matthew cycled alone, unsupported, and without the necessary permits, into the mountains of Tibet. Cycling roads that varied from smooth pavement to rough rocks and cobbles, he climbed high snow covered passes, crossed through deep arid canyons, and cycled past police checkpoints at night to avoid detection. His tortuous path eventually led him to Tibet's capital, Lhasa, where he trekked through the surrounding mountains, explored its monasteries, and delved into the Tibetan Buddhist culture and its tragic relationship with its modern day overlords. His journey continued past Everest base camp and dropped into the verdant green of Nepal. Matthew continued west on the baking, chaotic plains of India before turning north, cycling deeper into the mountains, over ever higher passes, to Ladakh, to finish on the edge of the Muslim world, on the India-Pakistan cease fire line. High Road to Nirvana is a story of a supremely difficult journey of harsh roads, high altitude, climatic extremes, and trying human circumstances. Yet it is also a thoughtful exploration of the Tibetan Buddhist lands, its people, culture, religion, landscape, and its modern day situation. It is a grand solo journey, a hard-won pilgrimage, through a dramatic and beautiful, yet unforgiving landscape, told with perspective, sensitivity, and insight. Includes 14 photographs and a map
About the Author: Matthew Cull, a native of Australia, and current resident of Aspen, Colorado, USA, has spent much of a lifetime exploring the world, primarily by self powered means: cycling and walking. His journeys by bicycle have taken him through 72 countries, across six continents, and his long distance hiking has taken him along the length of both the European Alps and Pyrenees. This slow, deliberate progress has allowed him to find isolated corners far from the beaten path, and to make a contact with the land, its people, and elements, unhindered by glass, metal, speed or apparent affluence. The added effort and energy is more than amply countered by a richer and deeper experience that allows time for savoring the beauty, reflecting on cultural differences, and to notice the similarities of folks across the cultural divide. The physical journey also reflects in the internal journey and process, giving rise to a better knowledge of self, personal capability, the joys of human endeavor, accomplishment, and what it takes to succeed. The extensive photo library Matthew has generated along his journeys highlights the beauty and reality of the world and its peoples. Matthew's work places emphasis on traditional culture, activity, and religion and the array of human emotion and human activity within landscape. Matthew has published two adventure narratives about several of his journeys: Solo Bicycle Journeys Across Six Continents and Hard Road to Nirvana, thoughtful and dramatic stories about hard won explorations by bicycle across the planet. He has also published six fine art photography books of candid and spontaneous photographs of people from non-western countries, under the series title, International Celebration of Culture, with individual titles: Women, Men, Kids, Parent and Child, Faith, and Marketplace. These books celebrate humanity and cultural diversity, an aspect that is diminishing as the world becomes progressively more modern