HowToCN — Your China Guide for Europe: Culture, Business & Travel - Page 5

The flight from Chengdu to Lhasa was perfect. It lasted 2.5 hours and featured one of the best airline meals I've ever had, including yogurt, a crumbly cake, and rice with a chicken mixture. For some reason, I ended up with a priority seat that offered plenty of legroom and no one next to me, which I didn't pay extra for, so I'm just counting my lucky stars. I really wanted to sleep, but about 45 minutes into the flight, I caught a glimpse of a completely snow-covered peak rising above the clouds. The thrill and my desire to keep looking out the window kept me awake. About an hour before we landed, the clouds became thinner, revealing clear mountain peaks below, and a vast expanse of them stretched out. In the valleys, I noticed small clusters of houses, likely very remote from any significant towns. The mountain ridges had pathways that I eventually concluded were for small water tanks set high up to provide pressure for the villages below. At times, flying above the mountains felt strange, as the plane seemed to gently sway from side to side, likely due to the mild challenges posed by the air currents over the mountains. As we approached Lhasa, it seemed we were following a valley, with ridges visible on either side. Then, over a ridge, I spotted a landing strip. We continued along the valley, moving north from the runway as the ridges began to recede. The plane gradually turned about 80 degrees to align with the runway, making for an interesting airport approach. The landing and baggage claim went smoothly, and as I stepped outside, I was greeted by a smiling face, Jamie, who held a sign for Tibet Vista. He was there to welcome arrivals, so we hung out while waiting for others. In the lobby, there was a stand selling canisters of O2 and other altitude sickness supplies. Within 30 minutes of landing, I started to feel lightheaded and began some breathing exercises. Fortunately, this feeling subsided in about 10 minutes, but we were being advised on how to prevent altitude problems. Lhasa turned out to be a much busier and chaotic city than I had anticipated. The airport resembled a regional airport in the U.S. and the ride to the hotel took about 30 minutes. Upon arrival, I handed over my Tibet Permit and passport, which were returned later that evening. According to the advice and research I gathered regarding altitude sickness, although the O2 concentration here is the same as anywhere at 21%, if our bodies haven't adjusted to the altitude, they can't utilize the O2 effectively. This is why the breathing exercises help to encourage deeper breaths than I'm used to. I have a prescription for a pill to assist with acclimatization that I started taking two days before my arrival. Our first two days are scheduled in Lhasa primarily for acclimatization. We're advised to drink plenty of water, avoid exertion, not shower on the first day, and sleep with our heads elevated. On my first morning, I noticed a tingling sensation in both arms and resumed my breathing exercises. Everyone is experiencing some symptoms, but we're managing, and I feel I'm adjusting well. The tour company has O2 supplies available in case we need them once we leave Lhasa. The air here is also extremely dry. The rooms are equipped with humidifiers, which are essential because the air can dry out your head quickly. After arriving at the hotel, I did some laundry in the sink and relaxed. The hotel offered a nice buffet breakfast, and we met our guide in the lobby at the specified time of 09:37. I don't know why it was so specific. He was a local who spoke excellent English. I hadn't met any of the 11 members of my group yet, so we became acquainted as we boarded the bus for our first site. The first monastery, which served as the residence for the Dalai Lama, was about a 20-minute ride away. It featured many Buddha statues, carvings, and meeting spaces for monks. Photography was prohibited inside the buildings, so I'll need to rely on my memory. After that, we visited an area near our next tour, which was an assembly monastery. There was a small collection of coffee shops and cafes where we grabbed a quick bite since we were supposed to observe a monk debating session as part of their training. However, upon arrival, we found out that it was a holiday for them, so we ended up just walking around the monastery. These monastery complexes are massive; they once housed 10,000 monks. The kitchen had large cauldrons for food preparation, but no photographs were allowed there either. The monks had universities for their education, and the ancient buildings had steep stairs with no handrails and open troughs for water runoff, which seemed like a recipe for accidents. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed exploring them. We concluded the day with a buffet dinner

Today, we will explore the largest and most famous monastery in Lhasa. I can see it from my hotel room window, and I am quite excited about it. If you've ever come across a postcard of Tibet, it probably features this monastery. That being said, I can express similar sentiments about monasteries as I do about ancient cathedrals; I appreciate the art, the distinctive architecture, and witnessing the local devotion, but after visiting a few in a short span, you often crave something different. This afternoon will also include some time at the local market street, which could be the perfect opportunity to find my trip souvenir.