Beauty causes pain

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Every time you stop there are locals begging at the door of the bus to give you anything - even trash. It's a bit nutty. I've had a headache for quite some time now. I'm a bit jealous of the couple on the bus who have someone to lean on when they wish to sleep or to take care of them when they feel bad. I wish Cam were here. For some strange reason the locals don't want change - they only want to take paper money. It's kind of strange as it's worth the same amount of money. I rode my first yak today. It didn't really go anywhere, just sat there while I got someone to take some pictures of me. Yet it was still pretty neat. They had horses you could ride too but they looked to be mistreated so I decided not to. I wish it weren't so cold and rainy today - if it weren't I would probably go swimming here at Yang Ba Jin but it's probably best I didn't in the end so I could rest and get rid of my headache - although the locals singingat the door aren't helping. Even though it gave me a big headache I'm glad I got to go to Nam Tso Lake - it was beautiful all the way there and it's the cleanest lake I've ever seen. Unfortunately the bagged lunch they gave us was crap so I didn't eat very much for lunch - which of course prolonged the headache.

After the lake we went to what was to be a hot water resort called Yang Ba Jin - it was really just a heated outdoor pool and a couple shops. We didn't even end up going swimming. After that they took everyone to listen to some yak lecture - which I didn't have the head to pay attention to. Then we finally got back to Lahsa and ate at the same place we had eaten lunch yesterday. I've kind of grown attached to the him to the group of Chinese men - so much that people think I'm with them. But after all I have known them the longest. There was a man from the Netherlands on the trip today who had spent a considerable amount of time in the US and a bit over a year in Shanghai. I didn't talk to him much but one of the other people - Xiaohui - introduced me to him. Xiaohui thought it was pretty comical that we'd been in China the same amount of time and he could only say hello and thank you. He had a translator there with him who he knew so I don't think it was a huge problem.

I was going to go out tonight and meet Mathieu but I decided not to due to my headache and it was probably a good idea as I got to pack and plan my Nepal trip instead. I'll meet him on Wednesday and I think I'll stay in his hotel. Sounds easiest.

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