A mission completed. Twice as meaningful! Last year, our Konstantin Polukhin set out on a remarkable journey: the sacred Kora pilgrimage around Mount Kailas in Tibet.

But heavy snow forced his group to turn back at the pass, halfway through one of the most spiritually significant treks on earth. This year, he returned. Determined to complete the mission. But this time, he didn’t go alone :) He brought with him something special – a piece of our T1A community.

During his first trip, Kostya was deeply moved by the Tibetan prayer flags: bright, wind-blown banners that carry messages of hope, strength, and intention. The belief is that as they flutter in the wind, the prayers written on them are lifted into the universe, spreading blessings far and wide. So he offered to carry the dreams, wishes, and names of those who couldn’t make the journey themselves – but wanted to be part of it in spirit.

Colleagues and friends from T1A sent him dozens of notes with their names. Each one was carefully placed inside a prayer flag chosen according to the sender’s Chinese zodiac element – a thoughtful and symbolic detail. Once he reached Mount Kailas, Kostya installed the flags along the sacred trail. Step by step, intention by intention, this personal quest transformed into collective message – carried halfway across the world.

And while the spiritual moments were real, so were the unexpected ones. At one point, Kostya found himself mobbed by tourists asking for… selfies! Turns out, his maroon hiking pants and yellow jacket had unintentionally turned him into a “foreigner-lama-explorer” cosplay – or, as he put it, “a spiritual boy band member on tour”.

Other signs were more divine. On the eve of the trek, his group spotted a clear halo around the sun while visiting Lake Manasarovar – a rare and auspicious symbol. Their guide smiled: “That’s a very good sign”. With a boost of cosmic optimism, they set out.

Thank you, Kostya, for sharing this special path with us. For carrying the voice of the T1A community – and for reminding us that even the most distant journeys can still bring us closer.

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