Lhasa - 20th July 2010

Currently in Lhasa, the holy city of Tibet. We drove in to Tibet via the highest road in the world with the highest point being 5237 meters. After a few nights bushcamping, one of which involved us being threatened and chased off by the friendly locals! it's good to be in a hotel. Aptly named the yak hotel. It's quite hard to describe Lhasa. It's big, busy and vibrant with lots of westerners. There are Chinese soldiers on every street corner in what seems to be a show of force against any dissenters. The soldiers are mixed in with the pilgrims on the way to the holy sites and even march amongst them. To me it all seems wrong that a holy city should have soldiers everywhere, but what do I know! We went arond the Jokhang temple, but again I felt uneasy and as if I was intruding on the pilgrims lives. Some of the pilgrims travel thousands of kilometers to get to the temple, prostrating all the way. It's incredible. To me it seems wrong that something which means so much to people should be reduced to a tourist attraction, but as I was one of the tourists I cannot complain really.


On a lighter note there are dozens of outdoor shops here selling fake top brands such as North Face and I've spent plenty of time and money in those. Helping the local economy and all that. I've successfully avoided yak meat but the general consensus is that it is very good. I'll stick to my chicken.

So far China is a strange but fascinating place. We've crossed vast deserts, seen snow covered mountains, camped at high altitude and are soon to visit Everest Base camp. The Chinese bureaucracy make up there own rules and it seems one day you can do something the next day not. Very frustrating I'm sure for Pete and Kirsten, but they're coping well. We've had road works where they just shut the road for hours and it's a matter of waiting. Quite a problem when you are on the only road across the mountains. Anyway enough moaning, onwards and upwards to Everest base camp.