Tibet

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Sorry guys, this blog was a long time coming. It is the begging of the Tibet journey.

There is something about “Tibet” that makes you think of National Geographic—the land that seems so isolated, desolate and deadly. It is home to the largest mountain ranges with the largest mountains in the world. The vast land in southwest China had a great appeal to me that I was unaware of until the proposal of going for the May holiday was mentioned. As soon as the prospect of going to Tibet was thrown up, I jumped on it. I wouldn’t let the idea go. It was enough for me just to step foot off the air plane onto the land, look around, then get back on the airplane just so I could say “I’ve been to Tibet.”
Getting to Tibet was very difficult for the whole group financially, physically and even ethically; the details of which I will save for another time.
When we did arrive in the airport miles and miles outside of Lhasa we immediately noticed the lack of oxygen. I would take a few steps and feel dizzy, it isn’t that we would be out of breath and panting, just dizzy. You didn’t feel like you ran a marathon, you just felt dizzy and got headaches. I only breathed hard because I knew it was the lack of air.
The group slowly made their way outside to find our tour guide (Nathan) and the driver (we named him Jesse because he had a mullet). Along the way to Lhasa I got to view the vast land of Tibet. It manly consists of long flat valleys of dry rock and sand with a slowly flowing river down the middle. Along the edge there are mountains that you think you can run up because they look like giant sand and rock mounds. Off in the distance, between the sand mounds, you see the white tops of real mountains that mock the clouds.
We arrived at Lhasa and were ordered to “rest” and not eat that much. An idea went though my head that if the body didn’t get enough oxygen would it just slowly fade out like with carbon dioxide. I took a nap and to my relief…I woke up. So I passed the first test.
After exploring Lhasa and the great temple in the center of the city, we piled onto the bus and took a 9 hour drive to another town. There, we saw more palaces, more monks, more Buddha’s and many, many more mountains. Then after that day and other days exploring, the group spend the May 1st in the bus for 12 hours. During the ride Jesse stopped the bus so we could get out, stretch and gaze out to where Everest was. I was the most excited (at least I showed it the most) and ran out and pointed my camera at the clouds that Everest was hiding behind. After the trip we arrived at a lonely hotel next to the road. At this building we rested and waited before piling into a van than barely fit 15: the 10 Americans and some Dutch adults and some Chinese. The whole van barreled down the bumpy road for and hour and a half before arriving at the Monk Monastery a few kilometers off the base of Mount Everest.

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Comments

[Danielle]

dont go to china
luke, we all miss you. your stories are great, keep em comin! much love from the 617! -danielle

[Mike C.]

Spelling errors, that reflect your sexual preference, are not permitted
After reading this, it sounds like the lack of oxygen really got to you. Glad to hear you got to check out Mount Everest. I want to see those pictures, so make sure that film doesn't go through checked baggage and get ruined by the x-rays (a past experience of mine.) And how were the monks? Twenty bucks says you can't climb Everest.

[Rachel Harrison]

Your too chill with seeing the bottom of Everest
WOW that is so remarkable you are doing such wild things. I would have loved to see that stuff. i hope your taking pictures. I hope your taking advantage of the limitless experiences to have on your last days in China. I hope you end your trip with a bang. Go wild! Be a pimp! Enjoy cuz these are the days to do it. We miss ya lots!