Tibet was a good and worthwhile (if expensive) experience in the end. The highlight was obviously Mount Everest and the Himalayan landscape.

Some notes on Tibet (possibly will only mean something to us):
– A lot of stray dogs. Dogs seem to rule in Tibet. They are not harassed and you see them sleeping soundly in the middle of busy roads and on the pavements next to piles of raw meat in the markets.
– The cities were not at all charming or interesting to us.
– There are plenty of monasteries (mostly boring) but very few monks (possibly due to the Chinese?)
– Reportedly 20 Chinese to one Tibetan. Very obvious in Lhasa.
– Must be one of the highest Toyota Land Cruiser per capita rates in the world.
– Tonnes of tourist trinkets and curios. Unfortunately just about all fake and made in Nepal.
– Insanely beautiful and vast countryside. The Himalayas rule!
– Wonderfully friendly, hospitable and polite people (compared to the Chinese).
– Seemed to be a lot more English spoken but even better is that the Tibetan language sounds soft and quiet compared to the loud, crass Chinese.
– Hooters (not the fun kind) need to be banned in Lhasa
– Tibetan culture is endangered. Complicated and unfortunate situation.
– Hotels: The Banakshol is beyond basic and never take a street side room. The Tenzin in Shigatse was great. The Yak Hotel Lhasa is overpriced.
– Food: Namtso, Snowland and Summit were great. Dunya’s yak burger didn’t come close to the one we had in Shangrila.
– Potola is a cool looking and picturesque (from the outside) icon of Tibet but they really should silence the huge advertising screens near the entrance that you can still hear from the top.

If our comments sound negative; 1) You should know me by now. 2) The cities could have been a thousand times worse and it still would have been worth it to stand at EBC and look up at that marvelous outcrop (We’ll be back one day – but probably on the Nepal side).

Thank you to Bob, our travel companions and Tibet !

[Pictures: clip of the Alien travel permit required outside Lhasa ]

– Posted from my iPhone via Wifi