Hornbill Chapter 8 Silk Road

The poem is fairly universal. At times, the lack of mutual understanding between a father and a son creates a lot of misunderstandings that result in silence between the two. 

The father tries a lot to understand his child but he fails every time. He wants to build a good relationship in between them. He doesn't want his child to do anything, he would simply forgive him. He just wants him to come back, give it a fresh start and discover a new love out of sorrow. 

1. This child is built to my design yet what he loves I cannot share.
2. We speak like strangers, there is no sign of understanding in the air.
3. Silence surrounds us.

No, the poem doesn't have a consistent rhyme scheme.

In ancient times, the network of trade routes linking Europe and Asia were referred to silk road. Silk was carried to the Europe from China by these land routes. The author travels to Mount Kailash to explore the Himalayas in Tibetian region of China.

Tibetian Mastiffs are massive and fearless. They were popular in China's Imperial courts as guards and hunting dogs. They cock their big heads to a stranger approaching and fix them in their sights. 

According to the author, Hor was a grim, miserable place. The town sat on the shore of Mansarovar. However, there was no vegetation, just dust and rocks.  A Japanese monk who had arrived there in 1900 was moved by the sanctity of the lake and burst into tears. Some years later, Sven Hedin, who wasn't prone to sentimental outbursts, experienced the similar effect.

The author was disappointed with Darchen because he had some health problems there, couldn't able to breathe well and had a disturbed night due to nasal blockage. The place was dirty, partially derelict and punctuated by heaps of rubble and refuse.

The author was disappointed with Darchen and had many health problems there. Tsetan had left for Lhasa. He felt lonely and wanted someone to visit Mount Kailash with. Then he met Norbu, a Tibetan who could speak English and also wanted to visit Mt. Kailash. Norbu was also an academician and teamed up with the author. Author's positive thinking worked well as it gave his a new enthusiasm. 

The author teaches geography at Oxford University and is an adventurer and author of travelogues. The author finds it refreshing to traverse vast tracts of physical geography. He wanted to visit Mt kailash to do kora.

The author underwent few health problems in Darchen. At high altitude, he couldn't able to breathe well. He had a disturbed night because of the nasal blockage. The next day he visited a Medical College where the doctor gave him some medicines and he got some relief.

The author was all alone in Darchen. He wanted someone who could speak English and would like to visit Mt Kailash with him. He didn't lose his hope. One day he was sitting in a cafe, Norbu saw him reading an English book. He came to the author and introduced himself. Coincidently, Norbu was also an academician, could speak English and wanted to visit Mt Kailash. Both decide to visit Mt Kailash together.

Tsetan is a Buddhist who believes in life after death. Kailash is a holy place and if the author dies here, he would go to the heaven. But if he dies, it won't be good for his business as no tourist would book his car for being careless and unhelpful towards a tourist who died. 

1. Unshaven.
2. Saline.
3. Shaky, unstable.
4. Extreme bend.
5. Minimal.