Flying to Lhasa today. Wow! China’s TSA is even more thorough than ours. We can’t carry ANY liquids – forget the 3.5 oz. rule. They x-rayed everything in my carry-on TWICE and then made me take everything out anyway.
We have to fly to Lhasa via Chengdu, which makes for a long day, especially when the Chengdu – Lhasa segment is delayed. The flight over the mountains of Tibet is impressive. (And, no, you can’t see Mt. Everest from the plane. Everest is over a 100 miles away and on the border with Nepal, in case you were wondering.)
When we arrive in Lhasa, we are given a white scarf by our local guide, Baima, as a greeting. On the way to the hotel, we stop by a Buddhist shrine painted on a cliff. There are lots of white scarves on the hillside by the Buddha, given as an offering.
At the hotel, we are greeted with more white scarves and a small group of singers. I feel the altitude (11+K ft). We are taking Diamox to help with the adjustment, but that med, combined with the altitude and a profound lack of sleep, knocks me out. I sleep through dinner and wake up the next morning for breakfast.
It’s a busman’s holiday for Paul. He ends up doing rounds on our group. Lots of people are feeling the effects of the altitude. I notice that the rooms are equipped with emergency oxygen cylinders. I can understand why.
