Though an attempt had been made to print the item names in English, their wording made it uncertain what one might get from ordering a specific items. We both ordered what we thought would be scrambled eggs, bacon and toast. We received a cold egg, a spoon full of rice and dry bread. We were more than glad that we had also brought some candy and snacks for the trip. With so many different nationalities using the train it would seem that a picture type menu like McDonalds uses through out China would be beneficial on the train. We had to return for some lunch and the results in the dining car were about the same. We just went without for dinner and picked up some more snacks near the hotel.

Every one of the personnel on the train we felt certainly could have used some training time in one of the large city hotels where a smile, a “good morning” and a helpful manner is abundant. It would be a total shame to have these trains become so notorious for indifferent and bad service that they are not appealing to foreign tourists.

Of further note — for dinner in Lhasa we sat at a large table with a couple from Australia, a couple from Britain and two young ladies from the U.S. who had all wanted to ride the train. One couple had been told it was impossible to obtain train tickets. Another waited for two days in Beijing to try and obtain tickets and the ladies from the U.S. were told by there agent that tickets could not be obtained. Something is totally wrong with this picture. You and I know that the number of trains a day operating to Lhasa are not all full. The train we were on was vacant compartments and seats in the chair cars available. The four trains we viewed going north towards Glommed during the day, none of the cars appeared to be full. Mostly they appeared to be totally empty. There is obviously a total lack of marketing for the seats on the trains leaving Lhasa and none of the people at the table we spoke with about the trains knew that there were train to Lhasa from other cities beside Beijing and none knew about boarding the train in Xining. To a person, they were totally surprised that we had arrived in Lhasa by train. All we could say was that we had a superior travel person looking after our requests. We told them they should have used CCT for their China tours.

The last deficient item I believe you should know about concerns the oxygen on the train. The web site, the initial advertisements stress the fact that oxygen supply nose tubes were available for all passengers. On our trip we did not see a single such oxygen supply devise of any type. The cabin attendant came in an opened the outlet door on the wall and turned on a valve and pointed to the oxygen outlet. We kept the compartment door closed and there seemed to be sufficient oxygen for us. WE live at a higher altitude than most here in Colorado and are not generally bothered by altitudes. However, I am positive there are many older persons and those with poor lung functions that should have had the nose tubes for the two hours or so the oxygen was in use. This lack of proper oxygen supply could be very critical to many persons.

Yes, we would recommend to any one interested, that the Tibet tours by train is well worth the trials, inefficiencies and problems, but a trip that should not be missed. We can only hope that someone will take an interest to improving the problems with these train trips next years give the experience a total black eye to this aspect of China tourism.

We highly recommend China Connection Tours to all people who are also interested in travel to Tibet by train. With their expertise, you will enjoy a lifetime Tibet tour for sure. For more of my China tours & Tibet tours experience, please contact ericduff0105@gmail.com

You can also send your inquiry directly to: http://www.china-tour.cn which provides discount China tours and China Vacations.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Duff

When planning such a trip, we first shall leave 2 to 3 days in Lhasa, not only for sightseeing there but also for high altitude acclimatization. Most people will not have any problem with the high altitude after some rest. During sightseeing in Lhasa, we should at least include the most beautiful splendor in Tibet – Potala Palace and the Tibetan spiritual center of Jokhang Temple. If the time permits, we usually shall have one day exploration to the Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery to get a glimpse of how Tibetan monks live or study there. Then we will drive out of Lhasa for other places of the route.

As part of the road to Gyantse is under reconstruction now, our next stop would be Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet. There is the Tashilumpo Monastery which stores the biggest copper Buddha statue in the world. The old town of Shigatse is also very interesting just like that of Lhasa. You may find some special souvenirs in the local market as well.

The next day we can either drive to Gyantse for a visit (approx. 180km back and forth) or skip Gyantse and drive forward to Ronbuk Monastery. The Shigatse-Ronbuk is a long trip of around 350km with the most difficult part in the last 100km. Ronbuk Monastery is the highest monastery in the world and only 8km from the Mt. Everest Base Camp. Upon arrival, we would be able to enjoy the glorious evening scenery of Mount Everest in distance. Overnight we usually stay at the Ronbuk Monastery guesthouse.

And in the next early morning, we will walk or take a carriage forward to the Mount Everest Base Camp.As we know there is very limited time to view the true face of Mount Everest in a year, many people feel it is already an unforgettable experience when just being with this highest mountain in the world..After enjoy the morning scenery of Mount Everest, we will get back to Tingri or forward to Shigatse depending on our last stop to Zhangmu or Lhasa. .

This Mount Everest Base Camp tour requires at least 7-8 days including that for high altitude acclimatization in Lhasa. The prime time for it shall be from May to October though it is available throughout the year except some snowing days in February (and raining days in August for the Friendship Highway to Kathmandu). Some tourists told us that they feel they changed to another person after the trip. I guess this might be because they experienced something really very unique in life.

Sherry Jia, experienced Tibet travel advisor from http://www.toursoftibet.com, a local travel agency based in Lhasa with an office in Chengdu, Capital of Sichuan Provice in China handling all on-line inquiries regarding a private tour to Tibet and China. For the detailed day-to-day itinerary of this Mount Everest Base Camp trip in Tibet, please visit our http://www.toursoftibet.com/docc/TP.html.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sherry_Jia

The trip and arrival in Xining went exactly as planned and we were met by Nancy, an exceptional guide. When she discussed what there would be to do for the afternoon we would have after lunch, she was pleased that we knew that there was an extensive street market in town that was certainly well worth our time and visit.

The timing of a large lunch and then the need to eat again early to be at the station on time made for an excessive amount of food and the restaurant manager just did not understand that we only want a bowl of soup and some more of their excellent watermelon slices.

Nancy took us to the station and to the “soft” VIP lounge. That was a very thoughtful addition to the wait for the train to arrive on time.

My wife and I had very mixed emotions concerning the new Tibet train. First the scenery and the event of riding this new China train far exceeded our expectations. We would recommend it to any and all who enjoy seeing new terrain and riding trains to any where. On the other hand the service and facilities on the train were a marked disappointment. I guess we pegged our level of service and facilities on the train we took on our first trip from Guangzhou to Hong Kong. Checked baggage handling. Smiling helpful car attendants in white gloves and emasculate pink uniforms who ushered us to our seats and provided drinks and service along the trip. With the train to Lhasa being new and even more up to date, we feel you can understand our expectations.

First, we were astounded that there was no baggage checking available. Even though Nancy and our driver stayed with us to take our luggage down into the subway tunnel to the third set of tracks away from the station, it was a difficult chore. If the guide and driver would have even have even had a group of 5 or 6 clients, this baggage hauling would have been extremely difficult. Then to have the luggage in the compartment where our two regular cases took up half the floor space. We did utilize the vacant upper bunks for our carry-on cases. The space under the lower seat/bed, was so narrow only a very small case would have gone under the bed.

The next disappointment concerned the bedding. It was obvious that the compartment had been occupied by at least four persons. The lower beds that were to be ours were “spread up” to look fresh, but the bedding was soiled and without question used and not changed. There were dirty shoe marks on the outer side of the bedding and food debris in the bedding. We cleaned up as best we could and carried out the old food waste that was left in the compartment.

We use China Connection Tours as our China Tour Operator and thanks to them as they guaranteed the Tibet train tickets for us.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Duff

Is it difficult to get there? No actually it is not. Most people think the best way to go about it, is to fly into Lhasa, and go from there. I found a better way was to go overland from Nepal, Kathmandu over the friendship bridge and through places such as Nyalam, Tingri, Skekar, Lhatse or Quxar, Shigatse, Gyantse, Nagartse to Lhasa, over a very small but breathtaking region of the Chinese labeled “Autonomous Region” of Tibet. Of course things change all the time, so make sure you fully update yourself on travel to Tibet, permits, travel ability and general stability of the country politically is never something one should presume. A good travel company should be up to date with the goings on, and also offer some alternative if things change on your planned journey.

Again on travel companies in general, I highly recommend organizing this through one that promises Tibetan guides, and secondly uses locally ran accommodations where ever and whenever possible. Although difficult, there are ways to support Tibetan people along your travels, if you know who to travel with. I know D’Tours Original offer such touring standards.

The best time to travel to Tibet is between September to early November, just keep in mind it starts to get very cold the later you go, and accommodations are not always the warmest. You will need to obtain certain permits to travel, and ATP (Alien Travel Permit) and of course a visa etc. Your travel company can help you obtain all of these things. You do not need a Chinese Visa stamped in your passport before coming to Nepal to travel there either, as long as you a returning the way you came, you should not need this at all. Of course rules continually change, so keep yourself informed via internet, forums and tour company advice.

Why is now the best time to go? Spiritually Tibet stands alone, a stony silence hangs over the air like a clear glass case, although it is heart breaking to see the devastation not only in the once lush landscapes, now raped of anything green and left barren and windswept, and to see the deep set lines on beautiful faces withstanding life saturated with iniquitous treatment of the basic human right to live and breathe one’s own air. However, It a fast growing foreign population, so fast in fact that soon perhaps traces of Tibet may be consumed forever, so better now than later, and it is worth it, if not for the historical splendour that lines each city with monasteries, stupas and Tibetan artistry. The Tibetan people still somehow find their smile, and warmth behind their eyes, offering you the traveller a rich and rewarding insight into strength and courage and beyond all else, a welcome into a country that is and always will be spiritually theirs and theirs alone.

So go now, because it is a place one should not put aside to go later.

For more information about Tibet Tours, please visit http://www.dtoursoriginal.com

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Like traveling in other parts of China, if you don’t speak any Chinese or have little knowledge of this country, please bring a phrase book with you. Though the attendants had some crash courses of English, it is surely not enough to cover different situations on board.

After going up more than 4500 meters above sea level, some weird things may happen at the altitude like ink-pens leak, vacuum-sealed food packages explode, some laptops and digital music players fail. So please get ready for what is going to happen on the way!

The trains may stop at some high-altitude stations with a fantastic view. Please keep warm if getting off the train. Catching a cold on the plateau will make you feel worse, even lead to a disastrous consequence. Please don’t run and get excited at the height, otherwise, you may feel very uncomfortable afterwards due to lack of oxygen.

Please take light, high-carbohydrate meals for more energy, and avoid alcohol as it may increase the risk of dehydration.

You can use sunscreen, sunglasses lip creams to protect your eyes and skin, for Tibet’s high altitude and the atmosphere allow the sun’s solar radiation to strike the earth with more intensity.

Please check with your doctor before coming to take the trip. Those who have heart problems, high or low blood pressure are not recommended to take the train ride and visit Tibet. For regular people, doctors may or may not suggest that you bring some high altitude medication based on your physical condition.

For more information, please visit the website at http://www.tibettraintravel.com/

Ricky Yang
A China travel specialist who has been in tourism industry for 15 years, He is now the managing director of the tour websites: http://www.easytourchina.com and tibettraintravel.com.

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The tourist must then apply for the Tibet Travel Permit at the same Embassy or Consulate. When applying for this permit, foreign tourists are asked to submit basic identification information (including name, nationality, age, sex, occupation, and passport number), route to and point of entrance, approximate travel time, travel intentions, telephone contact information and other materials, to designated offices of the TTB. This can be done directly or through travel agencies. A copy of the Chinese visa and first page of the tourist’s passport need to be faxed or emailed to the TTB (Tibet Travel Bureau). Tourists should receive confirmation for travel to Tibet within two to four business days.

The Tibet Travel Permit is usually issued instantly upon receipt of copies of the tourist’s passport and visa. Checking and approval of the letter however requires three working days. To avoid any possible conflict with airline tickets, hotel reservations, scheduled guides and vehicles, tourists are suggested to begin the application procedures as early as possible. This is a necessary step for anyone planning on visiting Tibet. When you fly from any city to Lhasa you will need to show this permit when you check in at the airport. Most travel agencies will ask to see this permit before selling you the flight ticket.

Amine Rahal
Absolute China Tours Ltd.

More information about traveling to Tibet in our Tibet Travel page.

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First off, foreigners must join a tour group in order to visit Tibet. Second, Tibet itself seemed much more developed than the places we had just seen in Qinghai and Sichuan.

For example, the hotels were much better and the roads were nicely paved and not pockmarked with potholes. Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet, seemed clean and orderly and caters to tourists with its many restaurants, sites and souvenir vendors. The scenery also seemed much larger: brighter sun, bigger mountains, more snow capped peaks and skies that are clear and blue. Temperatures can be warm during the day and then cold at night. The Tibetans that live here are different from the Kham Tibetans we encountered in Qinghai and Sichuan; the attire and language are very different.

Here’ my rundown of the top ten sites in Tibet.

1. Potala Palace

Located in Lhasa, this was formerly the residence of the Dali Lama. It’s the centerpiece of the city and Tibetans from all over come to do the walk around the outside of the palace in prayer. The tour brought us inside and we learned about its history. We were required to walk up many many flights of stairs along the outside wall to reach the main buildings at the top (not an easy task if not yet acclimated to Lhasa’s elevation). The views from the top of the palace are also spectacular as you can see all of Lhasa below with the snow capped mountains in the background.

2. Qomolangma, aka Mount Everest

Our tour took us to the Qomolangma base camp where we camped in a tent. The amenities were basically an outhouse, a stove that burns yak dung, beds with wool blankets and boiled water provided by the hosts.

The first day we were there we couldn’t even see the mountain due to cloud cover.

Miraculously, as we were leaving the next day the clouds cleared just enough to get some great photos of Qomolangma. The visit had its tough moments however. The base camp sits at 6000m elevation, and we hiked two km to the Rongphu Monastery which resides in a small village.

The monastery is known to be the highest monastery in terms of elevation. The hike was a little difficult for some of us due to the altitude. The night in the tent was also challenging because the strong gusts of wind and the cold temperatures. Our hosts had been diligently filling the stove with yak dung to keep the fire burning while we were awake. Unfortunately, nobody instructed us on how to keep the fire burning throughout the night, and it didn’t take long for the stove to burn out, the temperature going way down.

3. Jokhang Temple

Built in the fifth century AD, this temple in Lhasa houses Buddhist statues that were part of the dowries brought by the wives of Tibetan king Songsten Gampo.

Although many artifacts were damaged or destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, some of the oldest statues were hidden and therefore preserved.

Many Tibetans come to this temple to pray. People on the outside pray on the sidewalk. On the inside, Tibetans carry flasks of oil to help refill the burning oil candles. This temple is special to Tibetans and many come from very far to worship.

4. Barkhor Square

This is the centerpiece of the old city, and is adjacent to Jokham Temple. The square is full of vendors and shops selling traditional Tibetan clothes, jewelry and other goods.

We found it to be a good place to walk around and browse the many different things for sale. If you want to buy anything you must negotiate hard however.
The merchants can be aggressive and know how to get their price.

We also ate at a Nepalese restaurant here and found the food to be tasty and similar to Indian food.

5. Shigatse

Shigatse is Tibet’s second largest city. Tashilhunpo Monastery is in Shigatse and houses many statues of Buddhas and spirit towers. Spirit towers act as shrines and tombs for past lamas.

The monastery is traditionally the seat of the Panchen Lama who would rule over “back Tibet” or the western part of Tibet.

While at the monastery, we were lucky to get a rare glimpse of monks practicing a traditional spiritual dance. The dance is done to music from several long bugle-like horns.

6. Glaciers

During our many long drives around Tibet, we were able to see some spectacular scenery. Because we traveled through many mountainous areas, we were able to see many glaciers. Some even spanned several mountain tops.

One amazing glacier was at Milha mountain, where we stopped for a short break during one of our long rides. We were able to see the glacier up close. The place also must have been a very spiritual area given all the prayer flags.

I was surprised that even in a remote location, like near a glacier in a mountain pass, there would be beggars asking for money. The area must be well known for tourists stopping to take photos of the glacier. In any case, it helped that I had been carrying a bag of candy.

Whenever a child or elderly person approached, I simply handed out a piece of candy to each of them. Usually, they were happy to get something and went on their way. Always remember to hand out the pieces yourself. I made the mistake once of opening the bag and letting the kids pick a piece, only to have one boy nearly grab it all.

7. Gyantse

When we drove into Gyantse, something looked familiar. Along a mountain range that cuts through the city is a wall that slightly resembles the Great Wall.

Then, at the top of the mountain is a palace that seemed like a smaller version of Potala Palace. We didn’t get a chance to climb up to the palace, but instead visited the Pelkor Chode Monastery. Then we visited the Gyantse Kumbum Stupa, which is a six level tower with a golden dome on top.

The tower contains many rooms with old paintings. The name Kumbum means “100,000 images.” The view of the city from the very top floor is very impressive and above the doorway at the top is a painting of Buddha’s eyes. These eyes are symbolic and represent wisdom of Buddha.

8. Baji Cypress Reserve

One part of the tour took us to the southeast part of Tibet, known as the Nyingchi area. The landscape is much different from the rest of Tibet.

This area is lower in elevation and therefore is very green and full of trees. The Baji Cypress Reserve is a park that houses many 2000-plus year old trees with the oldest one about 2600 years old.

The trees are enormous, with trunks that are the size of houses. It reminded me of the giant sequoias in Yosemite except the trees here in Baji are cypress trees. Tibetans come to worship the trees, and there are many “hadas” (white silk sashes) that were hung in the tree branches. Apparently, the way to get them up there is to tie a rock to the hada and then toss it up into the branches.

9. Lakes and Rivers

Throughout the tour of Tibet, we’ve been amazed by the beauty and pureness of the lakes and rivers.

We visited Basomtso Lake in the Nyingchi area which had a beautiful blue-green hue. The lake has an island that has a temple built on it. Two bridges connect the banks of the lake to the island.

Another lake we visited was Yamdroktso Lake, which we passed after visiting Gyantse. The lake was equally beautiful, and some of the views of the lake from the hills made for great photos. The rivers of Tibet were also beautiful and many were rapidly flowing white water rivers such as Liyang river which we drove alongside on our way to the Nyingchi area.

10. People

One of the amazing things about the Tibetan people is how spiritual they are.

Every morning, hundreds of people will rise early to do the walk around Potala palace.

On the seven-hour drive back to Lhasa from the Nyingchi area we passed a family on a pilgrimage to Lhasa. It was a family of three, with one male pulling a cart with the family’s camping supplies.

The other two were performing the six-point prayer,where you start with hands together at your chest then move the hands to your head, back to the chest, kneel down, place hands on ground, extend body flat while lying face down, back to kneeling position and then stand up. One step is then taken and then prayer is repeated. Imagine how long it would take to reach Lhasa at that rate!

We had a great time in Tibet and saw so many beautiful and interesting things. The trip, however, was not without hardship. Luckily we were prepared for the altitude sickness, the cold evenings and minor inconveniences in this wild frontier. Although we had experienced Tibetan culture from our travels through Qinhai and western Sichuan, I definitely believe that visiting Tibet was well worth it.

Author: Greg Han – China hotels

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Han

No matter which way you take, a Tibet entry permit is necessary for issuing the flight/train tickets.
This permit is released by the Tibet Tourism Bureau to officially licensed travel companies only. You shall provide a copy of your passport and visa with your Occupation info for the permit application. It usually takes five working days but we shall always try to apply for it as early as possible to secure a smooth trip since more and more travellers coming to Tibet making the queuing much longer than before. The cost is around 7USD charged by the government department. If you will travel outside Lhasa and some remote areas in Tibet, some other permits will be applied as well including the Alien’s Travel permit, military permit, etc.

Sherry Jia, an experienced Tibet travel advisor from http://www.toursoftibet.com a local travel agency based in Lhasa with an office in Chengdu handling all on-line inquiries regarding a tour to Tibet and China.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sherry_Jia

The first site we visited, and the one which I was most looking forward to visiting, was the Potala Palace. It stands in the center of the city of Lhasa and it took my breath away. I was surprised at how big the whole complex is. The bottom half is painted half, with red buildings on the top. It looks like a giant fortress. It was the home to Tibet’s Dalai Lama. It was packed full of people, but because they limit the amount of tickets sold each day, it was not overwhelming. I’m glad I had a guide, because if one was allowed to wander alone, I’m not sure they could have ever found the way out. It seems to just keep going and going. It is like a huge labyrinth. It is full of unbelievably beautiful treasures. Every square inch seemed to be decorated. Even the ceilings are incredible. Everything seemed to have secret meanings. I’m sure that place could be studied for decades and never be fully understood.

We also checked out Jokhang Temple. The tour guide told us the legend of its creation and I thought it was pretty bizarre. Supposedly the temple was built on a lake. They had tried to build the temple a bunch of times, but each time it collapsed. An educated woman said that the geography of Tibet was like an old woman, with the lake at the heart. In order to build the temple, she suggested that they kill the old woman by filling in the lake. They were supposed to use 1,000 sheep to carry the soil. Those must have been some pretty strong sheep! The temple is really cool though. It is actually a large complex, and it was filled with pilgrims that had come from all parts of Tibet. There is a long passageway that had paintings showing the temple being built. I tried to get some photos of it, but they didn’t turn out too well, too many people. After the temple, the guide took me to visit Barkhor Street. It wasn’t a far walk, because it is a round road that surrounds the temple. I had a lot of fun there. It was packed with tourists, Buddhist monks, and pilgrims. It was a really neat mixture of peoples. Many of the pilgrims were crawling on the ground. Apparently, on their pilgrimage from their homes, they walk two steps, then prostrate themselves on the ground, then walk two more steps, then prostrate themselves on the ground. This is repeated for hundreds of miles, until they reach Lhasa. Talk about dedication. Many others were spinning prayer wheels. The street was lined with stalls selling all sorts of stuff. There were some really beautiful arts and crafts, and of course some touristy things. Most of the objects for sale were Buddhist related. I saw a lot of pottery, and tea shops there. I think my favorite things they had for sale there were the Thangka paintings. These are religious Buddhist paintings. Some of them were really beautiful, and the details on them are amazing. I watched a man painting hair on a creature’s head. He was painting them one by one. I can’t imagine how long these paintings take to complete. My mother and I picked up a couple of these.

On my second day, we went to Norbulingka Park. Apparently it is the biggest garden in Tibet. This place was gorgeous. Even though it was filled with filled with people, it was actually quite peaceful.

The summer palace of the Dalai Lama. It was quite large, with a lot of water, and wooded areas. Every wall in every building was covered with murals. After the park, I went to the Sera Monastery. This place was packed too, but it was filled with monks in their red robes. They were having a debate. I was told that monks often gather here to have debates on the Buddhist scriptures. I couldn’t understand them, but it was really fun to watch them, and I could tell they really took it very seriously.

We saw the largest mountain in the world, Everest. It was really beautiful. It was covered with white snow, and seemed to be the pillar that holds up the sky. I took so many photos of it. It could be seen from almost everywhere we went. I don’t think I’d like to attempt climbing it, but I really did enjoy
looking at it.

I think my favorite part about visiting Tibet, was the evening we spent with a local family. Ours was a small group, so it was a really nice intimate visit. The family we visited lived in a traditional wooden home, which was beautifully painted. It was very colorful, and had religious decorations everywhere. It didn’t have all modern conveniences, but it was really beautiful, and I felt really comfortable there. They wore traditional Tibetan clothing. I asked if it was just for our visit, but they said that they wore it every day. The family was so sweet. I got the feeling that they were just local folks, and the language barrier didn’t seem to matter. Of course I did have my guide to translate, but I could tell that this was a truly loving family. The father gave us a tour of the home, while the women prepared dinner. It was all local food. At first I wasn’t sure I liked it, but after a few bites, they really seemed to grow on me. We had what they call Tsamba. It is a kind of dough made from barley. They had it plain, but offered some sugar and butter for me to mix with mine. I tried it both ways and defiantly liked it better when I added the extra ingredients. I was told that this was a staple, and was eaten at every meal. We also had beef stew, steamed duck, and beef jerky. I was offered Tibetan vodka, but I am not a big drinker, so I politely declined, and they did not push it. After dinner we had Tibetan butter tea. I had heard about it, and was told that most visitors don’t like it, but I liked it. It really filled me up. I can see why they drink so much of it. It really seemed to instantly warm me up and give me energy. I watched the woman prepare it, and asked her to teach, because I’d never seen anything like it. They put boiling tea, salt, and butter into a thin churn, and then churned it all together. It took some work, but was worth it. After dinner, they showed us some of their local dances. They wanted us to join in. At first, I wasn’t comfortable doing it, but seeing how much fun they were having I decided to give it a go. We were all laughing so hard, that we could hardly dance. I really hated to leave. It was a really wonderful experience.

I had been warned by many people about altitude sickness. I was concerned about it, but didn’t have too much of a problem. I did experience headaches for the first few days, but that was it. My brother on the other hand had it much worse than I, and had to miss our first day of site-seeing. Our guide suggested we drink a lot of water, and that really seemed to help a lot. Something to do with dehydration I think.

Tibet is truly an amazing place. We were only there five days, and I hated to leave. I felt I could spend the rest of my life exploring this amazing province. Sadly, with my limited writing ability, I cannot even come close to describing it. It felt so mysterious, yet welcoming. It is a place where ancient religious beliefs mix seamlessly with modern life. People live as they have for thousands of years, and it seemed to me that they do this by choice, not by necessity. Every place we went was packed with people, but it did make for some really cool photographs. The diversity of people there was really kinda cool. It was a wonderful experience, and I really hope I can return one day.

Tibet is a part of my adventure, below is the whole itinerary of my “China Adventure Tour”:

Beijing: Day 1: Arrival in Beijing. Day 2: Beijing city tour to the Forbidden City & Temple of Heaven Day 3: Drive to outskirt of Beijing; hiking the Simatai Great Wall. Day 4: Beijing Hutong tour; half day free.

Lhasa: Day 5: Fly to Lhasa; visit the Tibet Museum. Day 6: Lhasa city tour to the Potala Palace & Barkhor Street. Day 7 : Explore Lhasa Monasteries and visit Tibetan family. Chengdu: Day 8: Fly to Chengdu; try Sichuan Food Day 9: Chengdu city tour; visit the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base and observe the giant pandas up close.

Lijiang: Day 10: Fly to Lijiang; excursion to the Ancient Town. Day 11: Drive to the Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge; hiking and overnight at guesthouse. Day 12: Continue hiking up to the Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge; overnight at guesthouse.Day 13: Continue hiking up and get across the Yangtze River; drive back to Lijiang. Day 14: Lijiang city tour; half day free.

Guilin: Day 15: Fly to Guilin via Kumming. Day 16: Drive to Longji; walks on rice terraces. Day 17: Li River cruise to Yangshuo; bike ride in the countryside. Day 18: Guilin city tour; final Departure.

China Odyssey Tours specialize in providing package China tours, discount Yangtze River cruises and best rate hotels.

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Subert Kiing travels and writes for http://www.1asiatravel.com http://www.tropicalcaribbeantravel.com/RoyalCaribbean.html http://www.1asiatravel.com/china.html Reprint of this article is permitted by including the above links. webmaster@tropicalcaribbeantravel.com

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