Son of a...

I got pick pocketed. I feel like such a sucker. Right after I updated the blog, and THANKFULLY downloaded all of my photos from the last few days in Kathmandu and the whole Tibet trip to CD, Tim, Tess (great Swedish girl we met, who's been traveling around the subcontinent for 2.5 years), and I decided to head to the nearby Jokhang Monastery because there's free entry at 6pm. We were planning to walk up to the roof and take some sunset photos of Lhasa and the Potala palace. Well, there was a huge crowd waiting to get in (ala free entry), about 100-150 Tibetans, and us. Just before they opened the doors there was a huge push in the crowd and everyone was getting crushed up against the doors. Lots of pushing and bumping. I put my camera in my right front pocket and kept my hand on it. The crowd then really started pushing and the three of us got split up, we were struggling to keep upright and I took my hand off the camera to use my arms to push and brace against everyone. It was sort of dangerous, but as soon as the doors opened we all just rushed through, nobody got hurt. Once I got through, I realized my camera was gone! I was pretty shocked, I hand my hand on it like 45 seconds before... I was frantically looking around, but couldn't go back because of all the people rushing through. Once they all got through I looked and looked, but it was long gone. I looked for shady folks walking away, but didn't notice anyone.

Man, I was pisssssed. Felt like such an idiot, I had my camera out and was taking pictures just before I got into the crowd, must have looked like such a target. Tim and Tess came back and helped look, but no luck, it was gone. My camera was in the sticky fingers of some damn pickpocket. I talked to my hotel front desk people, they told me where to go tomorrow, since it was past 6pm, the police office I was supposed to go to was closed for the day. So today I've been sitting around, and trying to find 3 different PSB (Public Security Bureau) offices. The first one I went to had lots of cops, but none that spoke any English, I tried to get someone from the hotel that spoke Chinese and English to come with me, no luck. Tess came with me as a witness to the correct office and I got the report filed out and gave a statement. They asked if I had any 'suspects,' I wanted to say "yeah, dark hair, 5'4'', either Tibetan or Chinese." But figured that would just cause more confusion than it was worth... Oh well. At least I didn't lose any photos, just the Camera and a memory card... both replaceable. Oh and I had the room key and about 150 yuan in cash in the other pocket. Not the way I wanted to end my Tibet trip... Looking forward to getting back to Nepal tomorrow. The flight goes right over Everest and is supposed to be awesome!

Tashi Delik

TIBET

Tibet has been both a difficult and delightful trip so far. Difficult for many reasons, cultural differences, illness, miscommunication and arguments between our crew (the three of us, whom you must know by now, and a really cool French couple) and the guide. The Tibetan people, the scenery, and the great people we've met have been a delight.

The drama started almost as soon as we arrived in Tibet, when our guide informed us that no accommodation or breakfast was included in our six day tour. We specifically payed for a tour which included both, back in Kathmandu. So, as explained before, we had to make a couple of international calls to sort things out. We 'thought' we had it all sorted until about day 5, when our guide got a call from his boss saying they still hadn't received the rest of the money, and told us we'd have to pay the difference when we got to Lhasa, or else he was calling the cops. Great...

So, we met with boss man when we got to Lhasa, got him in touch with the guy we booked through in Kathmandu, and finally things got sorted out, and we didn't have to pay any more. It was an expensive jaunt to begin with, so we were not excited about the prospect of paying anymore. It added a bit of stress to the trip which is never welcome. Also, we all were sporting some excellent cold/flu symptoms, which sucked as well.

Once in Lhasa, we got a room in the popular but pricey Yak Hotel, by pricey it was about $6 USD or 50 Yuan (WAY over our budget of $12 US/ 100 Yuan a day). But it did have an awesome restaurant. After a day or so of R&R and a hotel change, we've been exploring the wonderful city of Lhasa. There's all kinds of monasteries, nunneries, and other Buddhist sights. I won't bore you with more words, I know you just want to see the pictures... :)



On the road to Tingre, day 2.


We drove over a couple of 5000+ meter passes, and at each one there were tons of prayer flags to catch the wind. The Buddhists believe the prayer flags send the spirits of the dead throughout the world, and can usually be found on the top of every accessible mountain or pass.


One of the high/low lights of the journey, Mt. Everest's Tibetan side basecamp. It was awesome to hike there, it was a 7k walk from the village of Rongbok. But, the weather was crap, clouds and snow, no Everest in sight. But still, very cool to spend the night in the same tents that climbers sometimes use. Great Tibetan hospitality that night, and a good game of 500.
(This shot was looking South, without the clouds you could see Everest straight ahead.)


Another shot of Basecamp, this time looking North/ away from the mountain.


Tim's here practicing one of his many cool looks at another high pass.


monastery overlooking Shigatse, a more developed town in Tibet, on the way to Lhasa.



Xigatse monastery, view from the road. We climbed to the very top of the highest wall surrounding the place, it was a really fun climb up crumbling mud walls.


View from monastery wall, overlooking a mountaintop fortress in the distance, in Xigatse.


Tibetan on the road to Xigatse, overlooking a sacred lake.


The Potala Palace, ex-home of the Dali Lama, the Chinese would kill him if he tried to come back, so he lives in India. Aren't those Chinese just so friendly?


The crew and the Palace.


Begging is something that we've all had to get used to. The first time you see a adorable little kid begging, you give them what you can. But after the 1,000th time, and someone just comes up to you and says "Hello, Money." It gets old, especially when you see the wad of cash they've already collected for the day. The more aggressive Tibetan kids will just latch onto you and a plead, like this one is doing to Matt. It's tough. Matt walked with her on his leg for about 20m until she gave up and pealed off.

It can be fun though, and the kids can sometimes be pretty funny. At one of the mountain passes, when we would hop out of the land cruiser to take a photo of the view, the kids nearby would jump in front of us and try to get us to take their photo. If we did, they'd ask for money, usually about 5 yuan. So at one pass, I gave one of the kids my camera and asked them for money when they took a picture of me, we all had a good laugh, and I obviously didn't take their money. But when this little girl pulled out her wallet to pay me 5 yuan, she must of had a wad of 200... Those little kids do well with their little gig. Here are two shots that the kids took, while I successfully looked like a dork: