Our Cabin life which we refused to share with no one. Melissa gave us plenty of cherries, peaches, bananas, pipa, eggs, sauages, cup noodles, cakes, nuts and sunflower seeds to waste our 48hrs on. Every now and then, we feast on our high altitude pills to prepare us for the higher lands. Cabin TV is screening snowflakes continously on all channels. Very interesting indeed.
We landed in Lhasa station on a bright and sunny evening. 10 mins later, sandstorm descended and we were forced to eat sand and dust. What did they say? Tibet is unpredictable.
Daybreak at Potala Palace. We did not develop ASM but that does not stop us from panting and catching our breath every 6-8 steps. And, as with all impressive or important interiors, no photograpy allowed.
Looks like a hoarding at night. Actually I like passing by Potala Palace after trinklet shopping in the evenings.... kinda surreal.
Every emperor must have their summer palace. Filled with bamboo (yes bamboo!!), dandelions, exotic flowers and highly unsustainable and high maintance flora and fauna. This place is so packed with oxygen you never knew you are STILL in Tibet.
Tibetians love to "boil" their water with these "solar" panels. Yes, we all wondered how long we have to wait. Anyway since we are on the topic of water. Tibet is the water source for most of Asia. China, India, Nepal and many countries, rely almost entirely on Tibet for their rivers and fresh water supply. Just on this factor alone, Tibet is of utmost importance to China. Which is also the reason why Tibet remains a sensitive issue for many countries.
Temples, monasteries, stupas... As we drive nearer to India, the buddhas become more sensual and animated. The "eye" starts to make its appearance as we near Nepal... Every temple visit is a different experience. I like all of them. On top of that, tibetian buddhism is so different from China or the southern buddhism that our poor guide has to entertain tons of questions from the 3 of us. He is good!
Daybreak at Potala Palace. We did not develop ASM but that does not stop us from panting and catching our breath every 6-8 steps. And, as with all impressive or important interiors, no photograpy allowed.
Looks like a hoarding at night. Actually I like passing by Potala Palace after trinklet shopping in the evenings.... kinda surreal.
The sun is in your face at 7am. It never sets till 9pm. Chilly when there is wind but generally, its blazing hot with very intense rays. Good for photograpy if you love Marlboro skies in every shot. Tibetian architecture is asymmetrical, defined by primary colors and best represented by a 2D poster color graphic art. Much like their mountains, the concept of layering, depth and perspective appears totally unheard of.
Every emperor must have their summer palace. Filled with bamboo (yes bamboo!!), dandelions, exotic flowers and highly unsustainable and high maintance flora and fauna. This place is so packed with oxygen you never knew you are STILL in Tibet.
Tibetians love to "boil" their water with these "solar" panels. Yes, we all wondered how long we have to wait. Anyway since we are on the topic of water. Tibet is the water source for most of Asia. China, India, Nepal and many countries, rely almost entirely on Tibet for their rivers and fresh water supply. Just on this factor alone, Tibet is of utmost importance to China. Which is also the reason why Tibet remains a sensitive issue for many countries.
Temples, monasteries, stupas... As we drive nearer to India, the buddhas become more sensual and animated. The "eye" starts to make its appearance as we near Nepal... Every temple visit is a different experience. I like all of them. On top of that, tibetian buddhism is so different from China or the southern buddhism that our poor guide has to entertain tons of questions from the 3 of us. He is good! 
The Himalayan Ranges. It continues for hours and runs into days and it is still the monotonously exhilarating himalayan ranges. BUT it has many faces and unpredicatable moods.
The many faces of the Himalayan Ranges... sunny one minute, stormy the next, snow decends in summer without any reason. I dont think we are that prepared for this wintery summerland
Where is this? Ah, reached +4900ASL. Photographs are such bad medium of communication. They convey nothing of the bitter cold and the rain. It just shows lx and Ally walking. They do not even look like they are struggling to walk but they are. This is the place I lost my nose. I mean I cant feel it anymore.
Where is this? Ah, reached +4900ASL. Photographs are such bad medium of communication. They convey nothing of the bitter cold and the rain. It just shows lx and Ally walking. They do not even look like they are struggling to walk but they are. This is the place I lost my nose. I mean I cant feel it anymore.
In case you are wondering what the kids are doing sitting around by the mountain roads. They are giving their "schoolbus" a break before they continue their jounery home.
5hr drive to the highest and biggest salt water lake in the world - Namso Lake. 4700ASL. Legend has it that whoever circles the sacred hill beside Namso lake 3 times, infinite karma points will be bestolled. OH WE SO NEED IT!!
It started to snow 20mins into our points accumination. Ah! the Buddha is determined to test our will. Another 20 mins and the skies is seriously snowing. Lx proposed to head back since we are nowhere near the midpoint. (NO! my infinite karma points!!) (YES! I am freezing in my wool/nylon+ cashmere+ cashmere+
Guide told us that if we walk another 5 mins, we will be able to seek shelter in the caves. A hemit moved into the cave 2 years ago and should be able to take us in. Hmmm, I thought the whole purpose of being a hemit meant to escape from people like us?! Oh never mind. For the gesture of kindness, our guide made a small offering of cash to the gods when we decided to leave, just in case the snow gets worse. We opened the door and hmm... its a bright sunny day all over again!!!!
Hmm... Due to harsh weather conditions and NOT weakness of the flesh. We only managed to complete one round of the hill. we did not further enquire on the finer points in the karma distribution program but I assume we still each get 33.3% karma points. Enough for a lifetime if we dun start wasting them with our nonsence. Oh, but due to teo-ZAP questions Ally ask on and off, her karma points in the bottle is already running low.
I really do not want to consider sleeping in tents when its already 4 deg in the midday. Then as usual, why worry? Our guide booked the best accomodation for us by the Holy Lake!
TADA!!!! Its obvious that we will be staying in the BIGGEST tent here!!!
5am. Convinced ourselves it is worthwhile crawling out from our sleeping bags and mountains of blankets for the sunrise. Nite is not easy. You either freeze from the bitter cold, or suffocate from the weight of the blankets, or freak out with the complete darkness and silence all around. I hate to breathe. Air stung my lungs. Too thin, too cold, too dry... Like what lx describes - "now I know what a fish out of water feels like"
+5300ASL. My eyeballs are pulsating in my sockets. Ally's camera battery has long decided to expire from the cold. lx is unusually silent. Go girl Go. Fingers still on my shutter. I just snap away.
Last but not least. Grandmas in bed after a hectic trip to the roof of the world.
It started to snow 20mins into our points accumination. Ah! the Buddha is determined to test our will. Another 20 mins and the skies is seriously snowing. Lx proposed to head back since we are nowhere near the midpoint. (NO! my infinite karma points!!) (YES! I am freezing in my wool/nylon+ cashmere+ cashmere+
windbreaker) (NO! we cannot trek anticlockwise in Tibet!!) (YES!!! btw isn't it summer NOW?)
Guide told us that if we walk another 5 mins, we will be able to seek shelter in the caves. A hemit moved into the cave 2 years ago and should be able to take us in. Hmmm, I thought the whole purpose of being a hemit meant to escape from people like us?! Oh never mind. For the gesture of kindness, our guide made a small offering of cash to the gods when we decided to leave, just in case the snow gets worse. We opened the door and hmm... its a bright sunny day all over again!!!!
Hmm... Due to harsh weather conditions and NOT weakness of the flesh. We only managed to complete one round of the hill. we did not further enquire on the finer points in the karma distribution program but I assume we still each get 33.3% karma points. Enough for a lifetime if we dun start wasting them with our nonsence. Oh, but due to teo-ZAP questions Ally ask on and off, her karma points in the bottle is already running low.
Ally keeps getting into the yak's way. No matter which direction she goes, she is still right in front of the yak!!! Only after the yak treatened to ram her a few times did she manage to move out of the way. Still has the cheek to "did you get that photo?!" to me... Gee, what did I say about the low karma points.
I really do not want to consider sleeping in tents when its already 4 deg in the midday. Then as usual, why worry? Our guide booked the best accomodation for us by the Holy Lake!
TADA!!!! Its obvious that we will be staying in the BIGGEST tent here!!!
5am. Convinced ourselves it is worthwhile crawling out from our sleeping bags and mountains of blankets for the sunrise. Nite is not easy. You either freeze from the bitter cold, or suffocate from the weight of the blankets, or freak out with the complete darkness and silence all around. I hate to breathe. Air stung my lungs. Too thin, too cold, too dry... Like what lx describes - "now I know what a fish out of water feels like" +5300ASL. My eyeballs are pulsating in my sockets. Ally's camera battery has long decided to expire from the cold. lx is unusually silent. Go girl Go. Fingers still on my shutter. I just snap away. 
This is one trip which I learned a lot. Religion is usually strong when a country is poor. The opening of doors in Tibet and its prosparity is definitely going to affect the culture which is so strongly tied to religion. A natural cycle in all developing cities, I feel. Not a "cultural genocide" by the chinese as criticized by many who have never even stepped a foot in these highlands.
It is very easy to say what should and should not be done when one does not live and face the challenges of the everyday living here. In my years of travel, I have seen much more beautiful places than Tibet. But Tibet is different. The experience here in Tibet makes it unique. Way to go, lx and Ally who will be returning to replenish their karma points in 6 years time. I give you my best wishes.
Last but not least. Grandmas in bed after a hectic trip to the roof of the world. 
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