Had to queue for 4 1/2 hours this morning at the Indian visa centre. Just one small official change has huge effects, as I need special permission to re-enter India, as it is less than two months since I left - and this special permission comes at a cost!!!
Still I am relaxing in a garden restaurant with free wifi access and have just had a treat of a burger for lunch .... Sometimes it's nice to have a break from rice or noodle soup! Must get my strength up to join the queue of hundreds collecting their passports later this afternoon!!!!
Monday, 19 April 2010
Saturday, 17 April 2010
Half way there
Half way there
I can't believe that I am already half way through my travels - already I could write a book on all my
adventures. As I have headed back to Kathmandu it makes me appreciate just how incredible this journey is. From the over surveillance and lack of free speech in Tibet you can really see how a nation are fighting to maintain their identity. Just as there is a significant China town in major cities across the world, equally there is a much smaller community of Tibetans who have fled their homeland.
Last night at a local street festival here it was funny to see all the young people out on a Saturday night. The street could of been any where with burger bars and fashion boutiques and girls dressed in mini skirts and lads in jeans.
I was asked yesterday to proof read a speech one if the heads of the NGO I worked with, which next week he will present on the indiginous populations of Nepal to the UN in New York. It made me reflect - are we all trying to be the same? The east wants to be more western and the west more eastern, exploring yoga, alternative medicines from China and India, tantric, meditation and religion. It is always the older generation that uphold the traditions and values and at what point will these be lost in time? That is why travelling is so amazing - to explore all our differences across the world, before Lhasa has a Mcdonalds, before that older generation has gone and gone too is their pride to be different.
I can't believe that I am already half way through my travels - already I could write a book on all my
adventures. As I have headed back to Kathmandu it makes me appreciate just how incredible this journey is. From the over surveillance and lack of free speech in Tibet you can really see how a nation are fighting to maintain their identity. Just as there is a significant China town in major cities across the world, equally there is a much smaller community of Tibetans who have fled their homeland.
Last night at a local street festival here it was funny to see all the young people out on a Saturday night. The street could of been any where with burger bars and fashion boutiques and girls dressed in mini skirts and lads in jeans.
I was asked yesterday to proof read a speech one if the heads of the NGO I worked with, which next week he will present on the indiginous populations of Nepal to the UN in New York. It made me reflect - are we all trying to be the same? The east wants to be more western and the west more eastern, exploring yoga, alternative medicines from China and India, tantric, meditation and religion. It is always the older generation that uphold the traditions and values and at what point will these be lost in time? That is why travelling is so amazing - to explore all our differences across the world, before Lhasa has a Mcdonalds, before that older generation has gone and gone too is their pride to be different.
Long road to Lhasa
Flight booked, travel confirmed and I am fulfilling a life long dream by heading to Lhasa overland on the friendship highway, the highest road in the world!
Join the bus in Kathmandu and we start our journey heading forever higher, leaving at 1300m and after crossing the friendship bridge we have entered China. We have our body temperature checked, a thorough bag search, as we can't take in our Tibetan lonley planet guides ( too many mentions of the Dalai Lama and Chinese occupancy) then we got through. Joining our 4x4 jeep we began the incredibly steep climb, not for the faint hearted sitting 'drop' side. The scenery was stunning and we began a week long adventure by staying in a small village hotel that was so cold we needed two duvets!!!!!
Next day was a travel day on the Chinese well constructed tarmac friendship highway across the erie lunar landscape of the inner himalaya's. Small bunches of houses were scattered across this harsh lanscape. The first pass that we stopped at was at 5,320 and we all felt the effects of this high altitude. I had a thumping Headache and others were sick. Back in the jeep and we all fell asleep, only to be woken up by the driver announcing that we had a photo stop for Everest ..... Just incredible.
Along the 630km drive to lhasa we stoped at xigatse and gyantse, visiting the most amazing monastaries, watched monks chanting and saw the most incredible temples.
The high anticipation of reaching Lhasa was initially spoilt by the high density of modern
Chinese shops and apartments. Luckily all that was left behind when we reached the Tibetan area and stayed for three nights in a wonderful 300 year old guest house, formally a temple and more recently, the home of the tutor to the dalai lama. Sadly there was an enormous police and army presence here - there were even surveillance cameras in the monastaries. So many tales to tell of this trip, but it was the most incredible week of adventure and a huge challenge with dealing with high altitude on a daily basis. But Tibet as every where else is full of the most amazing people and I was humbled by their devotion and unwavering sense of identity and being able to live in the conditions that they do (both politically and geographically)!!!
Join the bus in Kathmandu and we start our journey heading forever higher, leaving at 1300m and after crossing the friendship bridge we have entered China. We have our body temperature checked, a thorough bag search, as we can't take in our Tibetan lonley planet guides ( too many mentions of the Dalai Lama and Chinese occupancy) then we got through. Joining our 4x4 jeep we began the incredibly steep climb, not for the faint hearted sitting 'drop' side. The scenery was stunning and we began a week long adventure by staying in a small village hotel that was so cold we needed two duvets!!!!!
Next day was a travel day on the Chinese well constructed tarmac friendship highway across the erie lunar landscape of the inner himalaya's. Small bunches of houses were scattered across this harsh lanscape. The first pass that we stopped at was at 5,320 and we all felt the effects of this high altitude. I had a thumping Headache and others were sick. Back in the jeep and we all fell asleep, only to be woken up by the driver announcing that we had a photo stop for Everest ..... Just incredible.
Along the 630km drive to lhasa we stoped at xigatse and gyantse, visiting the most amazing monastaries, watched monks chanting and saw the most incredible temples.
The high anticipation of reaching Lhasa was initially spoilt by the high density of modern
Chinese shops and apartments. Luckily all that was left behind when we reached the Tibetan area and stayed for three nights in a wonderful 300 year old guest house, formally a temple and more recently, the home of the tutor to the dalai lama. Sadly there was an enormous police and army presence here - there were even surveillance cameras in the monastaries. So many tales to tell of this trip, but it was the most incredible week of adventure and a huge challenge with dealing with high altitude on a daily basis. But Tibet as every where else is full of the most amazing people and I was humbled by their devotion and unwavering sense of identity and being able to live in the conditions that they do (both politically and geographically)!!!
Friday, 9 April 2010
Hurrah off to Lhasa tomorrow
Begin the trip of a life time tomorrow and start an 8 day trip overland to Lhasa. Will be taking the highest road in the world!!!!
Only had confirmation from the Chinese embassy at 7.30 tonight, so it has been a busy evening of sorting out getting the lens of my nikon fixed, renting a sleeping bag and buying lots of water.
Will sign back in when I return from Tibet next Saturday :)
Only had confirmation from the Chinese embassy at 7.30 tonight, so it has been a busy evening of sorting out getting the lens of my nikon fixed, renting a sleeping bag and buying lots of water.
Will sign back in when I return from Tibet next Saturday :)
Thursday, 8 April 2010
Have a little patience ....
Patience is a virtue.....
I always think that travelling reminds you of three important things:
Patience, your abilty to really challenge yourself and the reminder that the world is overwhelmingly full of the most amazing people. The hardest reminder of the three is of course patience.
When will this local bus leave? When it is so crammed with people it might burst.
when will the young beggar take his head of my foot desperately needing money? When he sees someone who looks more likely to give.
When will this traffic jam end, as I have been sitting on a local bus for almost five hours with little progress? When the lorry that has crashed way ahead is cleared.
When will I get served at this post office? When I manage to stop everyone pushing in front of me.
Will I be able to start my Lhasa trip tomorrow? Only if my visa comes back from the Chinese embassy today.
Where is my breakfast of poached eggs, porridge and lime tea? Oh must dash the waiter is bringing a tray over to my table now :)
I always think that travelling reminds you of three important things:
Patience, your abilty to really challenge yourself and the reminder that the world is overwhelmingly full of the most amazing people. The hardest reminder of the three is of course patience.
When will this local bus leave? When it is so crammed with people it might burst.
when will the young beggar take his head of my foot desperately needing money? When he sees someone who looks more likely to give.
When will this traffic jam end, as I have been sitting on a local bus for almost five hours with little progress? When the lorry that has crashed way ahead is cleared.
When will I get served at this post office? When I manage to stop everyone pushing in front of me.
Will I be able to start my Lhasa trip tomorrow? Only if my visa comes back from the Chinese embassy today.
Where is my breakfast of poached eggs, porridge and lime tea? Oh must dash the waiter is bringing a tray over to my table now :)
All this before breakfast!!!!!
After completing some very interesting work on the receipt of pensions in Nepal and the social impact of financially empowering the older generation, I got back to being a tourist for the first time this week.
I took the only cable car in Nepal up 1300m to an amazing temple and watched a goat being sacrificed! Don't worry there are no photos attached. It's so interesting to be somewhere that is so culturally different and have these opportunities.
Tomorrow I want to do some wondering around Kathmandu, but I have just had a great steak dinner with the guys from the NGO here and had my first glass of wine in almost a month and it tasted so good.
I took the only cable car in Nepal up 1300m to an amazing temple and watched a goat being sacrificed! Don't worry there are no photos attached. It's so interesting to be somewhere that is so culturally different and have these opportunities.
Tomorrow I want to do some wondering around Kathmandu, but I have just had a great steak dinner with the guys from the NGO here and had my first glass of wine in almost a month and it tasted so good.
Sunday, 4 April 2010
Hurrah it's cooler in Kathmandu
Bid a sad farewell to Emma at Delhi airport and after a short flight I arrive in katmandu. Last here 16 years ago it now feels to be bursting at the seems. Have sucessfully made contact with the local NGO and have an exciting and challenging week ahead.
My room has a great view of the famed monkey temple and this evening before sunset I walked over to the base of the temple and it was full of Tibetan monks and devout worshippers spinning the many prayer wheels - it is just such an amazing and magical place.
My room has a great view of the famed monkey temple and this evening before sunset I walked over to the base of the temple and it was full of Tibetan monks and devout worshippers spinning the many prayer wheels - it is just such an amazing and magical place.
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