May 28th, 2010
Puteri Harbour Marina
Johor Malaysia
Hi All,
Randal is back from his visit to see friends in the Philippines. I have cleaned a good deal of the interior of our boat. Now it’s time to be off again to do some overland travel. Overland travel is defined as travel anywhere without the boat. It could be a trip a few hours away or to another country. Our trip in June is back to China to visit Tibet. It’s something Randal really wants to do. My theory is that if one of us really wants to do something, we should. If one of us really hates the idea of doing something, we shouldn’t. Everything else is negotiable. Everything we’ve read told us that we could only enter Tibet as part of a tour, so we are. I am posting the basic info sent to us by the Access Tour folks whose company we are using. This Monday we will do an overnight trip to Singapore to visit our friend Marie Louise just returned from a trip to Vietnam. We will visit the Commercial Straits Art Co. for paint; Bras Basah for used books, Sim Lin for a tiny travel computer, and Kinokushya Book Store because it has just about everything.
We have met several nice people here at Puteri and the staff is always friendly and helpful. And the Red Sox are starting to play ball. Little slip today against the Kansas City Royals, but I think they always have problems there. Good thing the Yankees lost too. Go Sox! There is a shop at the Jusco Mall that sells socks which they cutely call Sox World so now I have a pair of red socks that say Sox World! Perfect!
So finally, here is our itinerary for Tibet. The weather during June can range from highs in the mid 80s to lows in the mid 30s. But I figure it can’t be worse than when we went to Beijing in December 2004 with only our summer clothes. This time we’ll take some cold weather clothes too especially for our night stay near the Mt. Everest Base Camp.
Ruth and I have finally booked our long talked about trip to Tibet. Below is our itinerary as described by our Chinese travel agent in Lhasa. I had asked for soft sleeper train tickets from Guangzhou, China to Lhasa, Tibet; our Tibet entry permit; some time off in Lhasa to acclimate to the altitude before starting our tours; tours of Lhasa; and an overland vehicle trip from Lhasa to Kathmandu, Nepal through the Himalayas stopping overnight at the Mt Everest base camp.
I must admit, the agent did a good job, even putting in a bicycle tour of Lhasa. He doesn’t know we’re cyclist, or were. The train ride is 56 hours and we will be sharing a four sleeper cabin with two strangers. The train goes over a pass that is 16,000 feet high which will be a record for Ruth and I. Lhasa is at 12,000 feet.
I’m looking forward to the overland travel through the Himalayas to Kathmandu. We will likely arrange a tour of that city as well. I still need to organize our flight from Kathmandu back to Singapore but will do that after we decide how long to stay there.
Suggested tour day by day:
June 17th: Board the train from Guangzhou to Lhasa, Tibet.
June 19th:
Arrving from Guangzhou to Lhasa, take a rest for a while. Get used to the climate.
Accommodation: Mandala Hotel 3*
June 20th: Rest for one day!
Have a rest for a day, you could hanging around the city with the company of our guide.
Accommodation: Mandala Hotel 3*
June 21st: Lhasa city tour
Highlights: Norbulinka, Tibet Museum, and Tangka Factory
In the morning, we will first visit Norbulinka and Tibet Museum. Learn about Tibet architecture and Culture achievement, then in the afternoon, Let’s visit Tangka Factory.
Tangka—The most important art in Tibet, Tibet daily life is drawn on it along with their belief and their history.
Accommodation: Mandala Hotel 3*
June 22nd: Rest for one day!
Have a rest for a day, you could hanging around the city with the company of our guide.
Accommodation: Mandala Hotel 3*
June 23rd: A biking tour along the city and a close touch with the local Tibetans.
Highlights: A biking tour along the Lhasa River and to be a Tibetan for one day!
First we will bike to The famous Lhasa River bridge, then biking along the Lhasa River for a few time. We will go to a local Tibet village and have lunch there, in the afternoon we could try to be a Tibetan for a while, learn how to make traditional butter tea, you could also help them with harvesting, cook some fried potato, learn about Tibet local people ordinary life things.
Lhasa River Bridge and Lhasa River ( the bridge is for train)
June 24th: Gandan Monastery, free time — Today you will explore yourself, group members are arriving from else where
Highlights: Gandan Monastery, Kora and hike a little
Today we will vist Gandan Monastery, which is among the most famous monastery in Tibet, it’s around a hill not far from Lhasa city, where we could do a Kora like local Tibetans do around the
monastery and we could enjoy the natural view and hiking a little around this place.
The rest of the day is free time, you could explore the city yourself.
Gandan Monastery
June 25th: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Bachkor Street – Group tour
This morning you’ ll wind your way up through the stunning, awe-inspiring Potala Palace. Built in 637 AD by Songtsen Gampo, it was the former winter residence for the Dalai Lamas and is truly a splendor of Eastern architecture. Next, visit the Johkang Temple, the center of Tibetan Buddhism, also built in the 7th century on the legendary pond, Finish the day by taking a Kora around the Barkhor. Test your bartering skills with the locals in this push-and-shove economy.
Potala Palace
June 26th: Ani Sangkhung Nunnery, Sera Monastery – Group tour
Highlights: enjoy Tibetan tea in Ani Sangkhung Nunnery tea house, a short hiking into Tibet nature, catch the famous debate sessions of the monks in Sera monastery.
Head past Muslim tea stalls and butcher shops, along part of the Lingkhor pilgrim circuit to the yellow walls of the Ani Sangkhung Nunnery. This small, friendly and active nunnery is the only one within the precincts of the old Tibetan quarter. The site of the nunnery probably dates back to the 7th century, but is housed a monastery until at least the 15th century. The principal image, upstairs on the 2nd floor, is a thousand-armed Chenresing. A small alley to the side of the main chapel heads down to the former meditation chamber of Songtsen Gampo, the 7th-century king of Tibet. The busy nuns run a great teahouse in the courtyard. Then drive to Sera Monastery, have a little hike for the beautiful valley scenery nearby and picnic there, in the afternoon, visit Sera monastery, which was created in 1419 and has always been an important Buddhist seminary. As rose are planted everywhere in the monastery, it is also called the court of wild rose. Today still 200 lamas live in there. Catch the famous debate session of the monks before returning back to Lhasa.
Sera Monastery
27th: Lhasa – Gyantse – Shigatse – Group tour
Highlights: Yamdrok Lake
Today we will drive from Lhasa thru Gyantse to Shigatse, along the road, we will enjoy the blue sky with far away Nianqing Tanggula Mountains. In a minute we will drive along the stunning turquoise like Yamdrok Lake. We will have a look at the stunning Korala Glacier too.
We will keep driving to the second largest city – Shigatse.
Stunning Yamdrok Lake
June 28th: Shigatse – Shegar-EBC – Group tour
Highlights: Tashilumpu Monatsery, Free market, spectacular scenery en route
Morning, have a tour to Tashilumpu Monastery, the most famous attraction in Shigatse, then wander in free market for a while in which you can buy some souvenir for you friends or families. Today we drive about 350Kms to Everest Base Camp. You must enjoy the spectacular scenery, if you are lucky enough, you may have a chance of a glimp of Tibetan antelope.
Tashilunpo Monastery
Accommodation: Sightseeing Hotel
June 29th: Everest Base Camp/ Zhangmu – Group tour
Highlights: Rongbuk Monastery and Everest Base Camp
We will explore Rongbuk Monastery first and then hike a little around Everest Base Camp where you could see the Mt. Everest clearly if you are lucky.
We will arrive in Zhangmu today.
Everest Base Camp
June 30th: Depart – Group tour.
Finish your tour in the border, you could rent a car to Katmandu, it’s only us$80 per car.
Price includes:
1) Comfortable class hotel twin-sharing room accommodation in Lhasa, Shigatse, 3 star standard. The best available hotel in EBC area, Sightseeing hotel.(Still very poor due to the remoteness)
2) One private comfortable mini van for your private tour and one experienced driver, group tour vehicle is decided by the size of the tour.
3) An experienced English speaking tour guide (a local Tibetan)
4) All necessary permits
5) All entrance fees of sightseeing place mentioned in itinerary
6) Service charge
7) Meals mentioned in the itinerary [B]: Breakfast