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"A close call in Lhasa" a Lhasa Travel Page by mim95

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"A close call in Lhasa" a Lhasa Travel Page by mim95

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mim95   
Travelling is an addiction!


Real Name: Mimi
Lives In: Southern Thailand, TH
Member Since: Sep 13, 2003
VT Rank: 376

 

Page Views: 1,642            Last Visit to Lhasa: June, 2005      

A close call in Lhasa

by mim95 - last update: Dec 22, 2005

Potala Palace, Lhasa
I spent 10 days in Tibet, mainly in Lhasa, the capital city and the religious center of Tibet. Before leaving for Tibet, I had a sore throat the night before, and it had turned into a cough that wouldn't go away once I arrived Lhasa. My initial plan was to spend a few days in Lhasa, then head to the Everest Base Camp (EBC), and back to Lhasa. The later part had to be cancel because the doctor advised me not to go any higher or else I would be risking my life. I'm really glad that I visited a doctor before departure because if the altitude sickness hit me along the way, I would be in big trouble with the cough. The nearest hospital was many hours away. I was just reading an article in a travel magazine about the unfortunate experience of a 21-year old girl who died on the way to the hospital from EBC, a 5-6 hour drive apart. She had developed severe altitude sickness at EBC. It could have been me had I gone....

On a lighter note, I had a good time while I remained in Lhasa. Other travellers were supportive knowing that I was not well. I still enjoyed my time in Lhasa, and I managed to do an overnight trip to Samye Monastery, which is in a valley outside of Lhasa at about the same elevation (3,600m) as Lhasa. That was actually the best part of my Tibet trip!

> Add to your Custom Travel Guide [What's This?]

Pros:"learn about the Tibetan culture and religion"
Cons:"it is rapidly turning into a typical Chinese town"
In A Nutshell:"Visit before the Qinghai-Tibet railway is completed"
mim95's Lhasa Travel Tips

OverviewThings to Do
Tips: 6 - Photos: 14
 
Restaurants
Tips: 1 - Photos: 2
Hotels & Accommodations
Tips: 1 - Photos: 1
 
NightlifeOff The Beaten Path
Tips: 1 - Photos: 3
 
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Tips: 2
 
Transportation
Tips: 3 - Photos: 3
Local Customs
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Sports TravelGeneral Tips

Comments for mim95 about Lhasa
pchamlis Tue Apr 14, 2009 23:57 UTC
 Nice page, Mimi. Lhasa and Tibet is/are somewhere I've always wanted to visit. I will admit that I've always also worried about the altitude. We were at a similar altitude in Ecuador so maybe we'd be OK, who knows.
volopolo Sat Jul 12, 2008 13:42 UTC
 One of my favorite places in thw world!
nikoskaps Mon Jan 14, 2008 20:22 UTC
 great info Mimi, i'm excited to get there! i wish you many more happy travels!
SLLiew Thu May 31, 2007 20:27 UTC
 Amazing page on Tibet. Glad that you went and came back safely.
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