Nomad on the Khamba-la Pass, Tibetan Plateau

This morning our group had nearly reached the Nepali border. We had just traveled overland for ten days, after having crossed the mighty and vast Tibetan Plateau - the highest altitude desert in the world. After having just crossed one of the high passes of Tibet (5,000 meters +) and driven under the mass of prayer flags which you find at high passes, this Tibetan nomad appeared out of nowehere! He came up to us, wishing to sell old fussils to us - real or not I am not sure.. I looked around this vast landscape to see if I could catch sight of any settlements and there was nothing to see.. Where did this lonesome nomad appear from?