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a climatizing

Just when I get used to Lhasa it is time to leave. Nope, I am not returning to India yet (though I do miss that warm low country). I found an Australian couple and Brit to do a larger tour of Tibet with. We just finished a most beatiful drive, taking the long way, from Lhasa to Shigatse (Tibet's second largest city).

We went over several passes (and saw actual snow!), through tiny towns adorned with prayer flags, stopped at a lovely monastery in Gyantse and finally arrived here, at 3900 meters above sea level.

Tibet is beautiful. I knew this already from the plane ride, but it is even better seeing it up close and walking (slowly so I don't get dizzy) on the soil. For those of you familiar with the western U.S., I would say it is similar to western Montana and the Badlands, only ten times more so. The mountains are higher and more frequent, the canyons deeper and steeper. Occasionally the brown mountain sides even change hues in an appealing way.

Then there are glaciers, lots of Tibetan style houses (small white square brick huts with black window frames and very decorative work over the windows and doors), yaks, goats, chickens, ducks, sheep, dogs, the funniest tractor things I have ever seen and lots and lots of horses pulling carts. So I suppose it is a little different than the west. Despite the dizziness, nose bleeds, and head aches I highly recommend it for all adventurers!

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