China and Other Parts in S. Asia 2012

I am off to China 19thApril, including others parts unknown (LOL have all my visas). Most likely, I will visit most of the usual sites, however, ideally I will see much, much more!

I plan on moving Beijing-Shanghai-Beijing-Datong-Pingyao - south to Xian - Yangzi/Chang Jiang R. - Guilin and the Dragon's Backbone rice fields and then into HGK and Macau - Taipei - Nepal for May 19 and Tibet Jun2.

To be quite frank, I do not know how I can countenance a visit to Pakistan without visiting the Indus Valley civilization region including, of course, most importantly Harappa on the bank of Ravi in Sahiwal District of the Punjab and another at Moenjo Daro on River Indus in the Larkana District of Sind. That and obviously my dream to cross through the Khyber Pass. I am still giving very, very serious consideration to travelling through the Khyber Pass - dangerous as some say it might be, although admittedly, I will likely leave all my expensive gear in Pakistan before hiring some guy in a jeep to drive me into Afghanistan!

All I know for sure, well almost for sure, is I return home out of Karachi sometime near mid- to end-August. Hope I don't get shot, I should really say shot at, really, I mean this, what with all that is going on in Karachi!! I will likely travel through Islamabad, Lahore and the Indus valley and onward into Karachi. There is much to hear about in between too!

Unfortunately, Tibet is still not a "sure" thing, notwithstanding my having already paid for the 8-day trek/tour to Tibet and Potala palace, etc.; apparently, Yonggou government is still very temperamental about us "foreign" tourists traipsing into Tibet what with their qualms about the status of the Dali Lama and his (il)legitimacy (?), and, unbelievably, they leave us blowing in the wind with regard to visas right up to the day of entry, or so I gather based on Bohemiantour.com replies to me.

While I am worried, or anxious really, about Nepal trekking what with the altitude and my physical condition, i.e. my bad back and old age, I am still excited and hope for the best. Luckily, I have also arranged a Mt. Everest flight for May20th. Hope my camera is up to the task.

Also, keen about photographing the ceremony between the Indian and Pakistani border; we'll see?

Finally, once again, thinking about a web blog, yes this one here, but in light of my lack of success with this during my trip through the Middle East in 2011, I will undertake only to do my best, and that is all I can say at this point. Just stay tuned to see what becomes of this possibility.

Finally, I do plan on sending photo of the day to tgam.com/photo-desk or more accurately travelphotos@globeandmail.com, so watch for updates if you are following me about the Far East. Those I send to Canada's Globe and Mail national newspaper will be fit for posting here and on FB.

This occasion, I have only done a limited amount of planning unlike when I was travelling the Middle East. Hope this works!

More later
zaijian

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Trip Length: less than a day
Blog Entries: 0
Photos: 0
Words: 0

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