"Tibet!" Tibet by tiganeasca

Tibet Travel Guide: 1,591 reviews and 3,703 photos

Three weeks in Tibet! Well, not quite three weeks. We spent a few days at either end of the trip in Kathmandu--my second visit to Nepal. Fabulous weather, spectacular scenery, and truly wonderful people. Since the travelogue does not include enough pictures, I have posted some of my photographs in two separate "travelogues." Please take a look and write if you have any questions at all. I'd encourage you--if you have even the slightest interest--to visit Tibet.

Upon my return, I wrote a lengthy "memoir" of the trip. Unfortunately, the travelogue is a bit long (nearly sixty pages to be precise! If you'd like a copy, just write me). You may also want to check out the Crystal Mountain Treks homepage; I recommend them highly (wite me if you have questions.) I have taken highlights from that long essay and excerpted them here in several travelogues. I'd love to hear your comments, questions, suggestions....

Me? I can't wait to return.

The very difficult question of beggars

Two women at Yumbulagang

There is no good place for the thoughts that follow. But I think it is so important a subject that I place it here where I think it is most likely to be seen.

I am writing about begging, particularly about the children (but not only the children) who are everywhere and almost always begging. It is hard to spend more than a few moments outside a Landcruiser anywhere in Tibet without being "assaulted" by children. Occasionally, though not very often, they will be accompanied by older kids or even, in rare instances, by adults. Far more often than not, the children are dirty, runny-nosed kids who hang on your clothes begging for something...anything. It is hard to deal with them.

They are accustomed to tourists just like us passing through for a moment in their lives. Tourists who are rich beyond their wildest imaginings; just as their poverty is often nearly beyond our own imagining. And the tourists who spend a minute or two passing through these villages and these children's lives, are usually happy, if not downright eager, to share their wealth. In the form of candy or gum or toys or any of a thousand other odds and ends that might offer a moment's entertainment at best. Sure, some tourists are more thoughtful--they hand out pens or even small books.

Tourists are not bad people. But tourists far too often fail to see beyond the moment of their visit. And so it's hard to blame the children, who have learned that these Western intruders are walking, talking ATM machines dispensing candy and gum and goodies. We cannot blame the people, regardless of age, for the poverty they live in. It's hard, too, to blame the children for the begging that they have learned not from their parents but from tourists who spend a few minutes in their towns and then disappear forever.

Maybe our giving needs to be of a different kind.

By the way...

the real Tibet!

When I say Tibet, what image comes to mind? Virtually everyone thinks of Everest or the Potala Palace or perhaps even the Dalai Lama. Few realize that most of Tibet is a flat, dusty plateau (albeit at an average altitude over 12,000 feet high--that's over 3,600 meters!). There's mostly desert in the north and the Himalayas run along the southern border with Nepal.

So look at this picture. Impress it upon your mind. This is what Tibet will look like hour after hour as you travel from one town to the next--mostly flat, mostly brown, mostly dusty. But, for all that, the magical place on the earth.

Pros and Cons

Pros:The people
Cons:Overwhelming Chinese influence and control
In a nutshell:Ignore the Chinese presence and go, go go!

Last visit to Tibet: Sep 2002
Intro Updated Apr 22, 2006
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Reviews (24)

Beautiful, curious children... Favorites (3)

As with many other children I would see, she was a beautiful child, terribly curious about foreigners who would park... more travel advice

Sit down, get comfortable... Transportation (1)

Unless you are a world-class biker or have all the time in the world, the only practical way to get around Tibet is by... more travel advice

Yumbulagang Off The Beaten Path (3)

Yumbulagang is variously called a palace, a fortress, and a chapel. According to legend, holy texts fell from the... more travel advice

Yamdrok tso Things to Do (5)

Kamba-la (a high pass nearby) has a stupendous view of Yamdrok-tso, one of the most sacred lakes in Tibet (and also the... more travel advice

Local Customs (3)
See All Prayer flags
Tourist Traps (1)
Lhasa's Golden Yaks
Restaurants (3)
See All Tell me about Tibetan food
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Travelogues (5)

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Comments (51)

Mozumbus Sep 2, 2010 at 1:10 AM Report Abuse

went through your tips again, especially liked the EBC off the beaten path tip :) Is doing EBC from Tingri as a day trip makes sense or should one ought to stay at/near Rongbuk for better EBC? What is your opinion?
ace1010 May 20, 2008 at 1:24 PM Report Abuse

You should learn some history. Try talk to ppl but not learn that from the media. When enjoying the beauty of traveling, it's best not to involve any politics.
magdalena2007 Mar 31, 2008 at 2:24 PM Report Abuse

Beautiful photos! i'm hoping to go to Tibet/Nepal next year. hopefully things get better in Tibet. great tips..
apekovic Feb 12, 2008 at 1:32 PM Report Abuse

Nice page and photos of Tibet! Realy amazing, David! Greetings from Belgrade, Serbia.
Oana_bic Jul 30, 2007 at 2:54 PM Report Abuse

Great page David! Loved Tibet as well - such an experience!Greetings from London
mad4travel Jun 8, 2007 at 10:42 AM Report Abuse

Just back from Tibet- Agree with your views entirely. You write so well. You ought to be ranked higher.
starship Apr 15, 2007 at 6:53 AM Report Abuse

In my opinion, this is one of the most impressive pages on VT. Your style of writing and your photography are both outstanding.
Helga67 Feb 14, 2007 at 4:16 AM Report Abuse

Wonderful writing. I enjoyed reading your pages. I'm eager to visit Tibet myself soon.
alicegood Dec 21, 2006 at 8:47 AM Report Abuse

An exquisitely described and passionate memoir. You should write a book, David. Thanks for taking the time to pass on your knowledge and experiences
TheView Dec 4, 2006 at 2:44 PM Report Abuse

Hi David You have a totaly wonderful Tibet page I don´t know if I will ever go to Tibet meself. Should I should I not (You can see what I mean in my (Wish List) can you help me to make up my mind?)