you arrive at the foot of mount kailash a himalayan peak sacred among buddhists and jains and hindus and followers of bönpo the latter is tibet’s indigenous faith the summit’s snow-covered dome caps nearly vertical slopes no one has achieved the top since the sage milarepa flew there on a sunbeam a thousand years ago a spanish expedition in 2001 was cancelled after protests from religious leaders to honour one’s faith one must circumambulate the mountain a trek of three days completing the circuit triggers a spiritual current and voltage equals current times resistance the greater the path’s resistance the greater the voltage but you did not come here to walk the route you’ve made a deal with tibet’s occupying chinese government to build an orbital motorway round kailash you observe the diggers and steam rollers and men at work soon anyone able to afford a car will complete the pilgrimage in mere hours and repeat the circuit again and again with ease low resistance but high current still equating to high enough voltage for motorists yet robbing pedestrians of the resistance they need to accumulate the same charge now the road is complete how will you circumnavigate the peak

• drive round it clockwise like hindus and buddhists
• drive widdershins like jains and adherents of bönpo