Tibet to China

Published on July 16, 2007 in Tibet

Our friends from Hong Kong, whom had departed earlier, were doing some site-seeing in Xining. After departing the train we went to a little Muslim-owned eatery, got stared at constantly, then called my parents. Because we didn't know much about Xining, and didn't have much time, we decided to just wander in a local shopping center, and eventually found a giant bookstore. After several hours in the bookstore, I ultimately bought a English classics, for below bargain prices, and we left to walk through a market.

One item we didn't have for the trip so far was a portable alarm clock. We typically used phones for this purpose, but in one of the markets decided to buy a $1 alarm blue tiny alarm clock. It worked, although the alarm was a bit weak.

After the little market we met our friends from Hong Kong back at their hotel, which was plagued with people smoking inside the lobby, and went up to their room. They generously lent us their shower, which after our overnight train-ride was much needed. I'm a firm believer that simple things in live can be pleasurably enhanced if we are denied access. For instance, taking a shower after a dirty overnight train ride - the shower might not have been the best, but I'll always remember the great feeling of getting clean.

We said goodbye to our friend, again, and made promises to see each other sometime in the future. Just around the corner was the train, and we boarded it to BaoJi, pretending we were prepared for another overnight train ride.

Procrastinating Departure

Published on July 13, 2007 in Tibet

Although our trip schedule had hit a delay by the Bus From Hell, we refused to let that diminish our enjoyment. After eating our usual spicy pancake breakfast things we started preparing to visit the Sera Monastery, which is one of the three great Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet. While waiting for our friends we met a lady from Corsica, and upon mentioning our dreams of owning a vineyard, she reiterated that the people from Corsica are crazy. Although I tried to joke around what was actually a serious statement, she proceeded to tell me of the extreme pseudo-xenophobia from the locals, and the threats, bombs and fires that are associated. This scare tactic did seem to work, however, as it opened our eyes to other areas to have our dream vineyard. We left for Sera Monastery.

The flowers were in full bloom, which must have been great for the various tour groups tromping around. Our method of travel was, as usual, local bus. After walking up a long straight road lined with knick-knack shops, we passed where the buses dropped off the high-quality tourists.

The inside of the monastery looked like many others, except a little after 14:00 a swift commotion started. The monks exited into the open pit and the 'debate' or 'discussion' started. Although I had been in debate in high school, trying to speak as fast or smoothly as possible, this was a different form of debate. Several monks would sit down and start talking, while the 'opponent' came around slapping his hands. I'm not entirely certain what the methodology was, but it sounded unique.

Several hours later and we departed back to near our hostel. We sometimes knowing fair well that we shouldn't be doing them, but somehow justify it by saying "we're travelling." At 17:00, stepping inside a small Tibet-style tavern, we ordered our sweet tea. This time, however, we joined the lady to get the tea from the back. She moved to the back of the dirt floored room and stuck the spoon in a large wooden vat of yak milk, and created our tea. We sat back down and drank the milk, giving some to a beggar, and departed for dinner. Unfortunately, we'd be seeing this milk again, in the most vile fashion possible.

The next day our friends departed for the train station, and while we would have loved to have joined them, our tickets weren't until the 15th. The rest of the day was spent in idle waiting, the worst part of being stuck travelling but unable to progress forward. We visited an internet cafe, and ate YHDW for dinner. After the internet cafe we realised something was a little wrong with our stomachs. I'll fully admit, we don't have weak stomachs, especially Yan-Shih. We'd eaten food all around Asia, in some rather interesting places, and never became sick. Part of our medical kit included some, well, you get the idea. We were ready for the worst.

The 15th finally came, and late in the afternoon we boarded the overnight train back into China. Just before getting on the train it was apparent that we would be needing to take the pills, so we each took on. Just one.

I'll give future railroad travellers a bit of advice: don't do overnight trains in China, and if you must, do not get 'hardseat' class. Because no tickets existed for real beds, we were forced to get the hard seats back to Xining. After several hours of cruising through the plateau, the sun went down and we started to contemplate sleep. Unlike the trains in Europe that are somewhat clean, the trains through China, especially hard seat class, get dirty at an unbelievable rate. A frustrating habit was prevalent with the people on this train: sunflower seeds. One of two things would happen; firstly the chewer would suck on the seeds, finish, and drop them under their seat in a neat pile, or secondly, the chewer would throw them out the window, but because we're in a train they would fly back into the cabin a few rows back. When the cleaning people did come through, they just swept under everything, and by the end of the cabin it looked like an invisible garbage truck had exploded somewhere towards the front of the train.

We arrived the next morning in Xining, tired and dirty.

Bus from Hell

Published on July 12, 2007 in Tibet

Today is the day for us to part from our Hong Kong friends. We woke up and saw a deck of playing cards with a little note on them. We took out our cards and left them for them, and we headed out to the bus station. Our initial plan was to take a bus out to the East – both to save some time and see that part of Tibet. It turns out the bus no longer worked, despite our research saying otherwise (and only Yan-Shih was asking at the counter). While she was asking I called my parents and told them everything was ok. It turns out we decided to take a bus to Cheng-Du, and while the bus was a little sub-standard, we thought we could do it. During the day we went to the post office and bought some groceries, then went online. Finally at 16:00 we got on our bus, what we would soon realize was the bus from hell.

I'll be somewhat brief in describing this event. We boarded the bus on time, but it didn't leave the station. After an hour it didn't leave. After two hours, it didn't leave. Meanwhile, we are stuck in the back of this overheated, exhaust filled dirty bus. Yan-Shih started to get a little grumpy, and while I tried to calm her down, the situation was continuing to get worse. Finally the bus left, but only to go into the parking lot. People were continually arguing outside the bus, although we didn't really know about what. After at least two hours the bus finally left, but before leaving Lhasa stopped again. It turns out some of the people didn't pay to get on the bus, and didn't want to pay the full fare – in other words, they got on but wanted to haggle regardless, which is what was keeping us there.

I told Yan-Shih we could get off after 10 minutes, and sure enough, the bus didn't go anywhere. We picked up our bags and told the driver we were getting off and to give us our money back, which he said he would. We tossed our bags out the window and waited for the manager to come (he was coming anyways to deal with the people who didn't pay). He sorted them out, and when we demanded our money he went ballistic. To make a long story short: we threatened to call the police and report him, and he gave us some of our money back. We next said give it all back or we are reporting you at the bus station, and he said, well, he screamed a bunch as usual. We went to the bus station and the bus people didn't really care, but we finally negotiated a deal with the bus owner to give us most of our money back if we didn't report him – and we had to give him the piece of paper that had his license plate number written down on.

Not like it is that hard to remember: AA 13 18

By 21:00 we were back at the guest house, and by 22:00 we were playing cards. Shortly we fell asleep achieving almost nothing for the day, except now knowing Yan-Shih can stand in the doorway of a bus demanding money from a guy three times the size of her.

Back to Shigatse

Published on July 11, 2007 in Tibet

Once again we woke up early and ate breakfast. The weather was overall quite cold, surprisingly. After breakfast we walked up a secret back passageway up the fort, and got almost the entire way up before being stopped. Finally somebody asked us to buy tickets if we wanted to continue, yet the price wasn't right, so we took our photos of the valley and headed back down the hill. Around the corner we walked to the monastery, yet being unimpressed, we left without exploring too deeply.

We inquired at the bus station for the next bus back to Shigatse, and when our truck arrived, we haggled a bit and were on our way. Half way back to Shigatse the driver asked me to duck down in the back because a checkpoint was ahead. Covered in blankets I could feel his car slow down, nobody talking, then pull away. I was free. For now.

Back in Shigatse we bought our bus tickets back to Lhasa and were on our way The bus, a full length touring bus, drove as crazy as the small mini-buses we had taken so far. Almost into Lhasa another checkpoint was passed, yet we just closed the windows and I put on a sweatshirt. I was beginning to get the hang of this security thing, yet I'd never had a problem avoiding authorities as a youngster.

To feed our cravings we found a small Muslim lamb place – the type outside and basically in the street. We asked him how much it would be and he replied 5rmb per stick. That equates to about 70US cents a piece, which is quite hefty. We knew for whatever reason he was trying to have us, decided haggling for our food wasn't worth it, and left unsatisfied. Around the corner we found another guy just packing up for the night, yet he was all too eager to help us. We sat down for about two hours eating more and more of the spicy food, even buying some beer at a local market. It was yum.

Feeling warm from the lamb we wandered back to the hotel, played some more bridge, and by 22:00, fell asleep.

Kelvin the Yak

Published on July 10, 2007 in Tibet

Since our time was limited we woke up early, ate breakfast, and were out the door by 8:00. After breakfast we visited the permit office. Let me tell you, it is quite hidden. The door is near the exit of the “outdoor” market, so look for it there. We asked if they did travel permits and they simply said: “go get one is Lhasa.” Thanks.

In the other directions was the Tashilhunpo Monastery, which turned out to be one of the best we saw on the entire trip. Although locals can enter and exit as they please, we of course had to pay money. It was well worth it. The little city below the monastery was interesting, and we wandered through several of the little houses. The more religious buildings were further up on the hill. The view from the balcony of the highest temple was magnificent, and extremely peaceful. We spent maybe an hour on the large balcony just sitting, quietly, with no agenda. After walking around the back of the temple we met a monk who grabbed my arm and said, “yak.” If that doesn't ring a bell, it is the high altitude cow, used for meat, cheese and milk. “Yak, Yak, Yak.” We took a photo with him grabbing my arm.

Eventually we left the monastery, picked up our bags, and went to the bus station. Our “bus” was a small minivan cramped with people, which screamed along the high Tibet roads. The four of us highly stuck out, but people were quite kind. I decided to break the ice, as I had planned, and brought out a bag of candy I had purchased earlier that morning. Most of the people were eager to take a piece or two (or one guy who took four or five). The ride was a little nerve-racking, but after a few hours we finally arrived in Gyantze.

We surveyed the hotels in Gyantze and found one we found acceptable. One of our influencing factors was a guy we met who we had already met in Lhasa – he was doing a huge round-the-world trip. While at food we met a unique older teacher from Thailand, but the conversation was interesting. Eventually we played some bridge, and fell asleep.