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Published: July 16th 2005
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concrete boxes
Development outside Lhasa, this is one of the first sights entering from the north. As of a few hours ago, I am in Lhasa, the infamous T city, now infamous for tourist buses and treks and the real experience.
Coming into the city, a host of concrete boxes, C style. Ah, development, all the good things that come with progress.
To get to the official T, one must buy a permit, then fly or bus in. I bussed in. But forgot the permit, sort of. It is a hefty Y1500 or so, which works out to around US$200, and i am fairly certain none of that money goes to the T tourist board. Or rather, maybe it does, but that board is not run by Ts, nor, i don't believe, does the money benefit Ts.
So, there are other ways, involving paying off the bus driver and the police at the check. At that checkpoint, i covered my fair hair and donned shades and tried to look as non- non-asian as possible. Either the payment worked or the police were lazy, but i got past.
The ride itself is nice enough, passing through desert-like terrain of cracked earth and shrubs, then more lush grasslands, past some military camps hosting hoardes of
progress
The ugly which is 'improving' Ts lives trucks and tents and a couple of guns (in sight), through a few mountain passes, and on and on and on through the land. Much of it, unfortunately, was during the night, so i missed the reportedly incredible views of the Tangula pass. That pass is well over 5000m, and many people suffer from the altitude. Luckily, i didn't, only being pestered by a minor sore throat.
My bunkmates--- it was the back of the sleeper-bus for the smuggled--- were 3 C men and one Korean i had met in a hotel. The men turned out to be quite considerate, after a gruff start. Maybe the card game loosened them up, but they grew very protective of both myself and my suffering korean friend.
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wannabee
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Long Ride
What kind of card game can one play with three C's and one K? Was it crazy eights, Go fish, or Slap Jack?