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Published: August 2nd 2008
(Day 117 on the road)I am in Shangri-La, and I am freezing my butt off. My body was expecting temperatures in the range of 30 to 40 degrees, instead the thermometer is showing a chilly 9 degrees. Shangri-La, the former Zhongdian, renamed by clever city officials to attract more tourists a few years ago (it works, I am here, along with thousands of others) lies at an elevation of 3300m. I can feel the height of this place when I walk up a small hill and wonder why the heck I am so out of breath. Then I remember that 3300m is quite high already, Shangri-La being at the edge of the Tibetan mountains, which lie to the north-west of here.
Apart from glimpsing the Tibetan lifestyle (the "real thing" is almost impossible to get to at the moment in the run-up to the Olympics), I had one main reason to come here: Get my second visa extension. From various travelers I have heard that this is one of the easiest places to get the extension in the whole of China, and this certainly proved true. I walked into the PSB office at 0900h and left at 0920h with my
new visa, perfect! Now there should be hopefully no more reasons to go the police in my remaining month in China.
Shangri-La also sports a huge Tibetan monastery, situated on one of the hills just outside the city. I found it to be a mixed blessing: Whilst the location and the building were certainly great, the whole area arou8nd the monastery and also inside looked like a big rubbish dumb. Litter was just everywhere; I guess the monks are not the most environment-aware people in the city.
Next stop: Lugu Lake (Yunnan Province, China).
To view my photos, have a look at
pictures.beiske.com. And to read the full account of my journey, have a look at the complete
book about my trip at Amazon (and most other online book shops).
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Dora
non-member comment
contemplating a leave, still working
hi, Ben Biesk, this is Dora. It seems a little rude to write to you. Quite by accident, i saw your travel blog, was attracted by your great journey and subscribe it. So when you update your blog entry, i can read it immediately. I can feel how you enjoy your travel each day. I admire you. I'm now at the condition of contemplating move but still working, i hardly enjoy the work now but i have to save money for the travel in my dream. So i'm still contemplating without move. Thank you for your nice blog. I can see the world through your it, and it make my determination to travel stronger and stronger. Hope my travel can start soon. Bon Voyage along the travel. Be happy and healthy along the travel.