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Published: June 30th 2005
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Lhasa 2005
Views are pretty good Hello Folks,
The Dirtman writing to you again from Lhasa Tibet.... in the middle North West China.
Looks like my writing is stirring a few of you back there in the real world..... So first a few memos
1 - Hello Kristin, sorry for the poor tone, I'll try to improve, and sorry about the blender ... SUCKER!!
2 - Another one for Kristin - just so you know I'm having a WICKED and I mean WICKED time....
3 - Big hello to Esther Ward - how are you mate ... send your email address to dirtmanmichaels@gmail.com as for anyone else who wants to respond to me.
4 - Gidday to Dave, Johns mate back in Aus land.
5 - To all the sad sad people who have so much care in the world to ask about my sex life on a week to week basis.... keep guessing.
6 - Big congratulations to Amanda Haywood from Melbourne Australia who has recently been released from prison aka her old job. For all those other suckers stuck in the Penal institute of MCT - what are you waiting for!!!
That I think covers it.... oh
Tibetan Hospital
Printing old school no! Hold on one more;
7 - To any whining sad cases supporting the lousy & rubbish British and Irish Lions ... stop your complaining! We can hear you from here. O'Driscolls got smashed!! Bring on the decider and let’s get this over with.
I think from memory the last blog was sent after the first day or two in Lhasa after flying directly from Chengdu in central China. First impressions where ... "why is it hard to breath" followed by "Dirtman your at 3600 meters above sea level" ... thank you Wazza. Lhasa is around and hour from the airport and at first seems to be surrounded by enormous mountains. But after trekking they are really just kittens in the scheme of things. Still, the city was very colorful and at first I was really impressed. A day or two of walking around starts to get you a bit skeptical.
So what can you say about Tibet that hasn’t been said before... I guess the real question is what's happening to this place now. As lonely planet puts it so well Tibet is struggling with the Chinese assimilation and its practice of cultural genocide is
Lhasa 2005
Gantem Monastry obvious. The Chinese presence here is strong yet discreet. Mottie our Israeli monk was here 10 years ago so it was easy to get an idea on the destruction and changes taking place. Lhasa is a commercial beehive and many many Chinese are doing very well out of it. The Tibetans have been under Chinese rule for almost 60 years so have adapted of course but it’s not the same. The city itself is constantly been rebuild and the architecture is this phony Tibetan rip-off. Beggars are everywhere and there are more than you can believe. Its depressing.... we did get a chance to go to a Tibetan hospital with Mottie and meet a professional who took us to tea for a chat. But the most obvious fact about that evening was the lack of things we could talk about. The conversation got uncomfortable for our host at the mere mention of anything to do with the political situation or the outside world as the city is full of spies. It's still incredibly easy for a Tibetan to be thrown in prison. Don't know if I’ve said too much ... maybe someone's watching.... come and try to question us mother******
Lhasa 2005
Yak in high spot , we'll fight you !!!
One of my many lessons to date while traveling again was a simple one ... don't eat the Chicken Masala in Tibet .. No matter how good it looks. Well I did it twice and paid handsomely. The night before our first trek from Gantem Monastery to Samye Monastery a 80k trek with yak man over two solid passes = the first being 5250 m (that’s higher than Everest Base camp people) and the second at a poultry 5100 m was delayed ... by my gut. Oh boy ... how to have fun. Luckily I didn't upset our host from the night before and after a quick visit I had the correct antibiotics and we where off the next morning with camping gear and food, we where set.
The bus ride took us to the starting point at Gantem Monastery (is the spelling right warren?? - you've got the book) With someone’s insistence that we would all be big pussies if we didn't at least walk with our packs to the first village of Hute (17km) we embarked after laughing off some pathetic touts wanting around 600 RM for a 4 day yak
Lhasa 2005
The cute and the camera shy ! man and yak. Trust me, that's a joke. Unfortunately it seems that some ridiculous tourists (we won't call them backpackers) are paying that much and ruining the chance for everyone to do it cheaply. After about an hour and 500 m later we where to my great joy come across by a Yak man and his trusty stead "Lebu". After a quick negotiation on went the packs and off we went for 200 Rm for the 4 day journey. While Wazza was very adamant that myself and Motti where of the female gender over this brokered deal to use a yak, one must add that he was quite willing to add his pack to the rear-hide of the animal - hardbastard eh Waz!!!
So the first day went off well with some spectacular scenery and many other treats along the way such as small tents with kids coming out to meet us. Once out of Lhasa it was great to see local people smiling again. We stopped to camp under the main pass of 5250m. One thing to be noticed first up in the region was the climate and how quickly it changed. We set up camp on the
Lhasa 2005
Just over main pass 5250m ... yee haa ! first afternoon at around 4.00 pm and the sun did not disappear until 9 pm. At which time we went from maybe 25 degrees to 5 degrees in the space of 40 seconds. Incredible but bloody annoying.
Day two was by far the hardest especially for Dirtman "the softie - poor sick boy with no fitness and no trekking exp since he was 15". We had to get over the main pass of the journey at 5250m. To be honest though it was not that difficult. The hardest part was the adjustment in the altitude. By the time we crashed we had come down maybe 300 m to sleep. That night was awful and no one slept. Throbbing headaches and an inability to simply breath normally where the culprits. I'm just glad I can tick sleeping at altitude off my list.
Day three saw us over the second pass at 5100 m and then dropping down to the valley below to begin the walk through forest to Samye Monastery. The final campsite was the best by far. Camping next to the river it was time for a manly swim in subfreezing water, but it hit the spot and
Lhasa 2005
Finally at the end ! got rid of the stink. Our Yak man at this time was now Sang Da Ba. The fittest 13 year old kid I've ever met. He was uneducated and would work the trek we where doing maybe 3 to 4 times a month for probably buckley's.
A bit of a smartarse at first, we soon where getting on well and having a laugh at his antics. The next day he walked us out to the next village and returned to his older companion with my sunglasses.... as a gift.
Day 4 was now getting on and we had to get back to Lhasa to sort out our details for the next trek north and west to Everest Base Camp. An interesting tractor ride x 2 saw us catching a ferry over to the other side of the massive river before us before the 2 hour bus ride back to Lhasa with a driver who persisted in beeping very loudly at every passing car, truck, bus, person on the road, bike, duck, or yak... get my drift. Anyway, it was the best hot shower I had had in.....5 days!
Tomorrow we leave at 4 am to start our 4x4
Lhasa 2005
Love the water ... journey to EBC. We will then head into Nepal. Not sure on the Internet access between now and then so don't get concerned if you’re not getting responses. Just in case anyone thought that this journey was about to get boring, Waz and I have just recently been given permission to use Motties 2 seated Enfield motorcycle to get around Northern India.... Mum, don't worry, will be very very careful.... can't wait. Take care all and don't be jealous!!
Watched Team America today - to funny !!
Gotta go buy somemore sunglasses for the next trip.
Luv the Dirtman
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Ray Mead
non-member comment
Hi mate, looks like you're having a bloody good time. Great photos by the way - take them all yourself? As for the Lions, i'd like to say the ABs were lucky but in fact they were excellent. I'll be smacking Umaga if I ever see him though for that tackle on O'Driscoll. I would then imagine that Umaga would get up and smack me(much)harder. Keep on having a good one and see you in the UK. Ray