China - Tibet Autonomous Region and a bit of Japan on the way home

[Matt_01]

Lunch was at a Tibetan restaurant.

 

[Matt_01]

After lunch it was back in the wagon and off to Korola Glacier.
Some photos from along the way.

The main mountain *sacred’ could net be seen due to the cloud cover.

 

[Matt_01]

Some more of the glacier area.

 

[Matt_01]

I will have to pause the TR and pick it up at some point in the coming days. I am now in the Japan part.

I arrived in Japan, through immigration no problem jumped on the bus to go to T1 all good so far. Then I went back out to exchange money, getting back in (airside) I realised I had left my transfer ticket in the lounge. It took around an hour to get back to airside and even then I was sent to the JL lounge at the other end of the airport.

The Dormy Inn @rbjhan had mentioned this chain in (her/his) TRs so I thought I would give it ago. The room is on the smaller side but I am used to Business Man’s hotels. The ammenities on the the top floor were fantastic, if I was allowed to take my camera I would have gone back up with my tripod and camera in an instant. The memory of sitting in the tub and seeing the crescent moon is not something I will not forget.

 

[Matt_01]

Time to pick up the TR again as I am many days in arrears, I am now in Japan and the biggest issue I have to deal with is the internet dropping out in the tunnels. That being said back to Tibet. The next stop was not a sacred lake, it was an obligatory driver rest stop. The lake was created by a local power company. We are still at altitude around 5000m, the rise from Lhasa (3650m) about 5-6 hours ago you soon realise how the simple act of walking a few stairs knocks the cough out of you. I have not had to use the ‘spare air’ (oxygen in a tin) since arrival in Tibet. One of the ladies and her husband seem to be suffering as they have sucked their tins dry, I gave them my tin which they accepted.

 

[Matt_01]

Next stop was Gyantse, this was register with the Police as we are in a different part of Tibet. I took a Quick Look around but there wasn’t that much to see.

At some point along the way we had to stop at the police entry gates. Bob mentioned that we are in different part of Tibet and it is why we had to register the police were checking our credentials, Bob was taking care of that.

 

[Matt_01]

Final stop was Shigatse. On the way into town Bob had mentioned we are staying in the nice hotel, then he mention The Hilton and if would fair to suggest I started paying more attention to Bob. It has been the only hotel I have taken any interest in for the check-in procedures, normally Bob just sorts out the passport and permit procedures.I have dropped back to gold but wasn’t going to stop showing the check-in staff my card, once that was done Bob took care of the check in. When he came back to hand out the room keys he mentioned you now have a better room than we book and they will send some snacks to your room. The Shigatse Hilton is actually very nice.

 

[Seat0B]

What beautiful healthy snacks!

 

[Matt_01]

The lounge and out door space.

 

[Matt_01]

We had arrived late so that evening I took a short walk around town.

 

[Matt_01]

Whilst out and about at some point I heard ‘Hello’, followed by anther couple of quick succession ‘Hello, Hello’ in my experience this just means stop and see who wants to talk to you, on may travels an my wandering around I have heard this more than once. It was the police and through a combination of his translator app and mine I was able to explain I was on a tour and just arrived so wanted to take a look around. During the conversation the policeman checked my passport and wanted to see my permit, I said the guide has the permit and he is in the hotel. After a few more questions and showing him I was staying in the Hilton I was told to go, and was pointed in a different direction, back along the main streets rather than the side streets. Not been to concerned and not being told I had to go back and stay in the hotel I wandered out again in the evening. I will admit in the evening I stayed much closer to the hotel.

 

[Matt_01]

The next morning breakfast was what one can expect from the Hilton. The place we were off to was the Tashilunpo Monastery and is the largest in the area and in Bobs opinion the best in Tibet, think I mentioned upthread that Bob thinks the Potala Palace is just becoming a tourist attraction. Some initial photos and it still into a second set of photos.

 

[Matt_01]

Some more of the Temple.

 

[Matt_01]

After that is was lunch and the fast road back to Lhasa.

 

[Matt_01]

This is where the road workers live and their support supermarket
The longest set of tunnels in Tibet

 

[Matt_01]

As I look though what I posted, I am bit surprised at both the colour and image quality. I had brought my proper camera with me and what ever it capturers as raw is what it is. iPhone 10-15 not so god.

 

[Matt_01]

I may get a head of myself back in Lhasa the home photos and I don’t think anyone was on the dish to eat.Bob side time to go home.