Tibet

- By Lingling CAO
Oct2008

Tibet is a plateau region in Central Asia and the home to the indigenous Tibetan people. With an average elevation of 4,900 metres (16,000 ft), it is the highest region on Earth and is commonly referred to as the "Roof of the World."

The government of the Dalai Lamas, a line of Tibetan spiritual leaders, nominally ruled a large portion of the Tibetan region from the 1640s until its incorporation into the PRC in the 1950s. During most of this period, the Tibetan administration was subordinate to the Chinese empire of the Qing Dynasty. As a measure of the power that regents must have wielded it is important to note that only three of the fourteen Dalai Lamas have actually ruled Tibet. From 1751 to 1960 regents ruled for 77 percent of the time

Several major rivers have their source in the Tibetan Plateau (mostly in present-day Qinghai Province). These includeYangtze, Yellow River, Indus River, Mekong, Brahmaputra River, Ganges, Salween and the Yarlung Tsangpo River[70]. The Indus, Brahmaputra rivers originate from a lake (Tib: Tso Mapham) in Western Tibet, near Mount Kailash. The mountain is a holy pilgrimage for both Hindus and Tibetans. The Hindus consider the mountain to be the abode of Lord Shiva. The Tibetan name for Mt Kailash is Khang Rinpoche. Tibet has numerous high-altitude lakes referred to in Tibetan as tso or co. These include Lake Manasarovar, Namtso, Pangong Tso, Yamdrok Lake, Siling Co, Lhamo La-tso, Lumajangdong Co, Lake Puma Yumco, Lake Paiku, Lake Rakshastal, Dagze Co and Dong Co...

Source: Wikipedia

Last minute decision again,I flew to Tibet for Oct 1st national holiday break alone, reading the guide book on the plane,
adventure ahead, I dont know what I will meet there, but that unpredictable feeling excites me like always...

Tibet has always been a place I want to visit, therefore I took the chance to visit Tibet at this Oct. 1st break in China. The trip was not early planned, I printed my ticket on Friday to leave on Sunday. I checked a few travel agencies, the routes are not very ideal, so I decided to take my risk to fly there and then find an agent locally or rent a car myself to go whichever way I want to go... Just like this, I packed my backpack, got on road, not sure where to go, booked two nights hotel in Lhasa, 5 star, nothing can be too wrong, I thought.

Even at the holiday season, this year there are not many tourist in Tibet, due to the 314 Tibet riot. This is one more reason I went to Tibet this year, since usually it is very crowded at the best season.

I went to Tibet for two reasons, first I want to see Tibetian people and understand their culture, secondly, I need nature badly. I miss nature too much in Shanghai, this drives me crazy, for a moment, I simply dont want to see people. Dont want to hear any noice... I am holding on, because Shanghai is my hometown, there are many things I cannot get in another city such as family connection, I am holding on also because I know the time I spend in Shanghai is limited, just like my life, each day spent is gone, I have one day less. I know I will be in Shanghai for 2-3 years, but after that, I dont know. The world is so big, I think I will move on... however I somehow also know I will not move on alone any more by then.

Immediately after arriving in Lhasa, I met a group of young Chinese who went to the same hotel like me, on the way we teamed up to travel together...It was quite fun.

Day 1, we went to dinner, tried the Tibetian Team with yak butter. One cup was enough for me... I decided that I do not need to like it. :-)
that night I negotiated a car for 6 of us, the negotiation has caused me a bit headache, In Tibet you shall just save energy in any form...

Day 2. We went to visit Potala palace and Da zhao temple

Day 3 With the rental car, we went to Namsto, one of the most famous lake around 200km north of Lhasa, the elevation raised up to 5300m. Arriving Namsto, it was freazing cold, I had my winter jacket, excited, rode horse immediately for 30 min around the lake, however right after that, I felt headache, I could only lying down beside the beautiful lake, moving to any direction more than 3 steps took me endless strength

... to be continued

Lhasa first impression!

Potala palce

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