Despite the visa troubles, the various national and international flights and the not-so-clean cross-China train journeys, we all somehow managed to arrive healthy and safely in Tibet's capital city, Lhasa. We convened in the lobby for a team briefing and were introduced to our Chinese guide, Phil, who was uncanny in his likeness to Short Round from the Indiana Jones films. We had a couple of days in Lhasa for some cultural orientation which included the famous Dali Lama palace and an awe inspiring monastery with reams of pilgrims trudging round the circuit and polishing the stone floors with their prayer routines.
With the day time culture accounted for, it is fair to say that the team made the most of the Tibetan night life. On occasions it felt like we were on a stag do, with eight excitable blokes around the dinner table eating Yak steaks and drinking the local Lhasa beer. The doctors appeal to the local women had proved to be not just a one off, with scores of locals queuing up to have their photo taken with him and giggling in gaggles in the corner of the bar. Keith's modesty and hopes of keeping a low profile were dashed when we decided to tell everyone he was Don Henley, the lead singer of the Eagles. This ruse was particularly effective in the late bar which had live music. On hearing of the presence of a rock legend his bar, the owner supplied us with free alcohol and the bar turned into some sort of Music Awards after party. The game was nearly up when the Doc was pressed to get on stage and treat the audience to some authentic acoustic Eagles, but the old line about 'a sore throat' seemed to do the trick and he got away with tapping some bongos out of time to the house band. A smilier evening followed the next day, then it was all eyes down to focus on the start of the journey proper.
Blog by: Adam Mason
With the day time culture accounted for, it is fair to say that the team made the most of the Tibetan night life. On occasions it felt like we were on a stag do, with eight excitable blokes around the dinner table eating Yak steaks and drinking the local Lhasa beer. The doctors appeal to the local women had proved to be not just a one off, with scores of locals queuing up to have their photo taken with him and giggling in gaggles in the corner of the bar. Keith's modesty and hopes of keeping a low profile were dashed when we decided to tell everyone he was Don Henley, the lead singer of the Eagles. This ruse was particularly effective in the late bar which had live music. On hearing of the presence of a rock legend his bar, the owner supplied us with free alcohol and the bar turned into some sort of Music Awards after party. The game was nearly up when the Doc was pressed to get on stage and treat the audience to some authentic acoustic Eagles, but the old line about 'a sore throat' seemed to do the trick and he got away with tapping some bongos out of time to the house band. A smilier evening followed the next day, then it was all eyes down to focus on the start of the journey proper.
Blog by: Adam Mason