The start day started off very badly. I hadn't slept all night because I couldn't catch my breath due to the high altitude. It was horrible.
I had booked a trip to go to some far off lake leaving at 7.30am; I wobbled outside to go to the pick-up point and promptly got lost. 7:30 came and went and I went back to the hotel. Stuff the $25 I had lost.
Breakfast cheered me up a bit, so at 8:30, I thought I would go to the Potala Palace-the summer residence of the Dalai Lama and seat of Government- when they are allowed, that is. Silly me, I hadn't reckoned on half of the world being there, but I persevered, even walking miles to the next entrance to buy a "foreigners" ticket. Well, the "foreigners" line-up snaked into the distance, and to top it all off the ticket would be for tomorrow and cost 2 nights in a reasonable hotel. My decision to forgo the visit was easy.
Across the street amongst the religious hawkers, was a Tibetan Handicraft Shop - half an hour later, I was the proud owner of a beautiful Tibetan Yaks Wool carpet. Just needing to carry the 9 kilos onto India now! I did feel better though, a little retail therapy goes a long way.
Back at the hotel I was flagging again but I thought I would fly to Kathmandu, damn the expense. I went to the travel agent, bad mistake; I went to the China Airlines Office, bad mistake. The next available flight was 8 days away! I was a prisoner in Lhasa.
The hotel reception rang to say they had a cheaper room available, would I like to view it? View it I did, decline I also did. Then they dropped the bomb-shell that my room was booked from tomorrow onwards, I would have to move. Terrific. But I could stay for another night at their exorbitant rates. Thanks a lot. So I packed and trudged around the streets until I found a reasonably priced hotel.
After lunch, I thought I really must do some "culture", booking offices were becoming too much a part of my trip. I decided to go to a monastery a little out of Lhasa and my guide book assured me that Bus no 303 would drop me there. Bus 303?, still haven't seen a Bus 303.Three taxis later, I eventually settled on a reasonable amount and off we went. The Chinese driver was out to impress the foreigner. I suppose his driving skills were OK, it's just that he drove like a maniac. Half-way the CD played Chinese love songs, oh god, not this crap again. I stared out the window and pretended he didn't exist. Amazingly, I arrived at the monastery.
Somehow my day was transformed as soon as I stepped inside this fantastic, wonderful place. I wandered around until I met up with a monk from Sera Monastery- a scholar- who spoke English. Yippee.
I was taken on a guided tour, watched the monks debating in the courtyard, had the escort of the head honcho, asked endless questions, got intelligent answers. Then I was taken to a smaller monastery down the hill, this one is to protect the Dalai Lama. After two hours of fantastic company I was dropped back in town.
If only this monk and his brother knew how much I appreciated their attention and how they made a terrible day beautiful again. They thanked me!
Back at the hotel, I got the good news of being able to team up with 4 other blokes for the trip to Nepal. In just 2 days time I would be leaving Lhasa and all the frustrations of trying to do business in a country where suspicion and shear awkwardness reign.
Sue Gibbins
Long time traveler in the Far East. For more traveling information goes to:
Reliance Travel
Travel Lodge London
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By Sue Gibbins
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