At 4,500 metres above Shiqu in Sichuan, a narrow mountain road winds across the high plateau, offering a rare glimpse into the cold, exposed landscapes of the Tibetan Plateau. Stopping briefly along the roadside, I found the dark alpine slope unexpectedly dotted with Meconopsis integrifolia — an ice-field belt species that survives in thin, frozen soils close to the snow line. Their brief summer bloom brings a sudden burst of colour to an otherwise barren environment, revealing a side of the plateau that travellers often pass without noticing. As dusk settled over the valley, the yellow poppies caught the last traces of light, merging the experience of the journey with the quiet resilience of life at high altitude.