Home and Away's Guestbook

Haircut
I don't remember cutting your hair in Tanah Rata! Can you wait until 3 April to use what Mom gave you?

Trains
We only saw our train attendent when we boarded. We didn't need her otherwise. As for tours I'm sure most travel agencies in Beijing have similar packages. I'll be posting my next blog soon. We are having problems with the authorities here blocking sites we go to...we'll see how long this one lasts.

Summer Palace
Most of it was closed...I guess until summer. We agree that a full day would be required there. We had more time at the Temple of Heaven, but I could have had more. However, we really spent time at the Forbidden City where we saw as much as we wanted.

I was very aware that things can change at the last minute...
in 2009 we had to cancel the visit to Xiahe due to travel restrictions, so we understand how disappointed you were in having to cancel your visit to Tibet. I've been keeping my eyes and ears open to news, reading the China Times, not only for political unrest in the Tibetan areas, but also the Urghur northwest. And then there is the weather with severe dust storms and the constant bad air pollution. I bought some surgical masks for that contingency. I know I can't anticipate everything, but I should be able to anticipate and respond to the normal situations. Thanks for your best wished about my ankle...it's healing well but I will only know to what extent next Monday. Like I said, I'm going anyway!

The ankle is healing well...
and this time it looks like we might make it to Xiahe...not self immolations at the Labrang monastery recently. I just read the Economist article about Tibetan hope for the future, and the Chinese keeping a tight lid on potential immolations. The government even stockpile blankets and prepositions fire trucks at demonstrations to put out fires. As for pictures, I only published a few here. Most of my Dad's pictures of Tibetans are in my second blog. I'll pass on yours and Denise's greetings to Linda and Will.

When planning, I realize that I am going against the travel philosophy of so many TBers...
who take long trips and go with the flow...spending 4-5 days in a capital city just waiting for their visa to the next country. For those of us who have tight time contraints, I have built in a day or two for emergencies, but when I book a flight on a specific date to take advantage of cheap prices, then I have to get to that airport on time. Anyway, we'll se how this plays out with Plans C, D, and E! Glad you enjoyed my parents photos...there are more in my first two blogs. And thanks for sending me the TB logo. I wasn't able to find a place to have it put on a cap here, so will try Beijing...they must have hundreds!