For the past 10 years I     1     (be) crazy about cycling on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (高原). Every summer vacation, I spend a month     2     (bike) across the plateau.

In 2014, I set out     3     a cycle route with five other people. Our 2,000-kilometer route started in the east, and     4     (end) in the west.

The Plateau has     5     (drama) landscapes. Travelers can see the snowy mountains, clean blue lakes, lots of animals during the day, and clear, starry skies at night.

The high altitude (海拔) and low level of oxygen make cycling     6     (extreme) challenging. With a sharp temperature difference between day and night, and unexpected rain,     7     is easy for cyclists to lose body heat.

The route consists of dirt, even broken stones, and paths, which have been formed over time by countless passing     8     (vehicle). One night, we had to camp near a forest     9     there were possible animal attacks, especially from wolves. We found a house in a     10     (lock) yard, but no one answered our calls from the gate. It was the time of the seasonal migration, so maybe the people had moved to another place for better water and grass.

On my first Saturday in South Korea, I decided to climb Mount Bukhansan. I enjoy hiking, and everyone told me about Bukhansan National Park. They mentioned its beautiful forests, clean air,     1    historic temples. They didn't tell me about the huge     2     (crowd) that go there every weekend!

After following the crowd for an hour, I asked a group of hikers     3    far the summit was. The leader of the group Mr Choi saw I was alone and introduced me to his friends. We hiked together for an hour until the group decided     4     (stop) for lunch. I tried to get a sandwich from my backpack, but one of Mr Choi's friends said, “No, no, no. You will eat with us.” After they shared their meal     5    me, the group decided they     6     (walk) enough. They began walking back down the mountain.

I continued climbing, and finally arrived at the summit. A man     7     (stand) on the mountaintop introduced     8     (he) as Mr Kim. Together we shared a bottle of makgeolli, a     9     (tradition) Korean drink, and enjoyed the view. “In Korea,” he said, “we say that the people you meet on the mountain are     10    best people.” I thought about my day on Bukhansan, and I knew he was right.