From the dusty, higgeldy piggeldy streets of Kathmandu we crossed into the expansive plains of Tibet - the roof of the world. With rolling mountains, arid fields and an endless blue sky, everywhere we looked the scenery was dramatically alien.
Under the care of our cowboy-hat wearing Tibetan guide, Tenpa (or "Cavalier" to those in the know), our ragged group of 28 rode seven jeeps across the Tibetan desert. On the way we passed hauntingly desolate frontier towns, pony-riding farmers, monastery ruins and devout pilgrims prostrating their way across Tibet. Some of these pilgrims make 3000km journeys lying themselves flat on asphalt, dirt and snow and picking themselves up again until their hands and knees crack and bleed, all in the name of religious piety.
Unfortunately for a good portion of our time in Tibet I was hideously ill with mucuousy diarrhoea and vomiting, and I saw the inside of a fair few hospitals in Tibet (surprisingly clean and well-equipped, but all the toilets were revolting).
After five days and a few 5000m passes and witnessing a weird solar flare around the sun, we finally made it to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Here, the results of the policy of Han Chinese immigration is prominent, with most businesses run by Chinese, the ubiquitous Communist flag and a Tianamen-style public square right in front of the Potala Palace. Our guide said a lot of the Chinese have no idea about the history of the political situation in Tibet as they never learned such things in school.
We visited a fair few monasteries and saw monks chanting, monks "debating" (more like fake slapping each other) and lots of yak butter candles.
After the end of our 7-day overland tour, a group of 10 of us decided to hire two jeeps for an overnight trip just outside of Lhasa. We visited lake Nam-tso, "the highest saltwater lake in the world", at 4718m. (Not to be confused with Lake Titikaka, "the highest navigable lake in the world"; or Panch Pokhri in Nepal, "the world's highest lake".) At the lakeside, Kris and I rode yaks for five yuan apiece, hiked up another 200 metres to the lookout on the hill and took a lot of jumping photographs (the ingenious idea of two Danish girls).
Then it was back to Lhasa for some much-needed R+R in the form of tasty nosh, beer and a visit to a bass-thumping nightclub filled with Lhasa's cashed-up socialites - all on a Wednesday night. I have no idea how a city of 270,000 can support such a flash mega club, but by gad, is it doing good business!
Next: around China in 48 hours (by train).
