A wonderful final night of celebrations was had by all last night. We had dinner and many drinks until we got kicked out of the restaurant as they were closing. We were not ready to call it a night so headed around the streets looking for a bar that was open. Found this tiny Tibetan
bar in one of the back streets where the people made us feel very welcome and reignited our belief that the Tibetan people were warm and welcoming not liars and cheats!!

I think we all woke feeling a little worse for wear this morning and also sorry that our trip had come to an end. We are all leaving at different times today with me being the last to leave – heading to the airport at 1400 in time for my flight at 1650. I spent the morning having a last look at the sights of Lhasa including a walk through the Muslim Quarter which was close to our hotel
and then got myself organised for the airport.

Heading for the airport we go through a number of tunnels and I was amazed to learn that one of them is 2247m long – straight through the middle of a mountain. After all the twisting, windy roads we have been on over the last few days it was nice to drive straight on a sealed road.

As I reflect upon the last week and my time in Tibet I come away with far more good memories than bad. Experiencing such a diverse culture and out-of-this-world scenery will be lifetime memories and we are all determined to put the bad experiences with the Tour Company, guides and drivers behind us. I leave you with my reflections and some facts about Tibet.

Bye for now until my next blog which will be back in the "real world". xxx

Unforgettable sights and experiences

• Potala Palace - a vast white-and-ochre fortress soaring over one of the world's highest cities.

• Traditionally< br> dressed Tibetans engaged on a kora (a clockwise journey around the
  Jokhang, the major Buddhist shrine) with their spinning prayer
  wheels.

• Bargaining with the local Tibetan vendors for handicrafts which are rarely seen elsewhere in the world.

• Trying traditional Tibetan tea which is in fact black tea with yak butter (yuk!) and Yak meat – once tasted, never forgotten nor to be repeated!

• Yamdrotso Lake - one of the three largest sacred lakes in Tibet and regarded as the embodiment of goddess according to the mythology. Stunning colours and atmosphere.

• Monasterie s with their ingenious layout, unique appearance, fantastic sculptures and amazing murals inside.

• Successfully reaching the Everest Base Camp. Woo Hoo!!! What more can I say.
  

• Mt.Everest (Mt. Qomolangma). Known as the mother goddess of the world when the glaring sun shines on the mountain, the peak is just like a white pyramid miraculously transformed by the Goddess, leading us to imagine her semblance further.

• The clearest blue skies, crystal clear river water, refreshing air, and the beautiful unspoilt environment

• Chinese
  military forces throughout Tibet, where "autonomous" currently means "tightly controlled" by a government that is highly concerned with unrest among Tibetans. Always in formations of 5 with the "boss" in the middle!! Looked like many were young boys with guns! Snipers on the rooftops were a little disconcerting!

• A fantastic tour group. We were truly the UN all working together to enjoy our trip of a lifetime.

Unforgettable sights and experiences – the bad

• Missing the Lama debating at Sera Monastery

• The toilet stops – safer & cleaner to go by the side of the road!!
• The Chinese bus driver verbally abusing the guide and the paying passengers!
• Not seeing the Zhongshan ruins in Gyantse
• Having to constantly fight for what we had paid for
• Guides not speaking in clear English despite being told we would have “excellent English speaking guides”
• Due to communication inabilities we were not told about the places we visited, having to rely on guidebooks and each others knowledge
• The attitude demonstrated by drivers and guides – little did they realise that some people can actually understand Chinese even if they don’t speak it fluently!

TIBET FACTS
Official Name: Xizang Zizhiqu
Short form: Xizang
International long form: Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR)
International short form: Tibet
Etymological: the name Tibet is derived from the Sanskrit word Trivistapa which means "heaven." Tibetans called their homeland Bod.
Geography: Location: Asia, located on the Tibetan Plateau, the world's highest region.
Area: 1.2m sq km (471 700 sq miles), Bod: 2.5 million sq. km, approximately the size of Western Europe.
Terrain: 70% Grassland; from high plateau to tropical forest
Climate:
Average temperature 28 degrees Celsius (Summer) -15 degrees Celsius (in Winter), extremely dry except during rainy season (July-August).
History:
Humans inhabited the Tibetan Plateau at least 21,000 years ago. Tibet's history can be divided into four periods: The Tsanpo's Period, The period of Decentralization, The period of Sakya, Pagdu, and Karmapa's Rule, and The period of the Gandan Podrang's Administration. Recent
history has been and remains tumultuous - enough said.
People: Population: 2.62 million
Ethnic Groups: primarily ethnic Tibetans; Menba, Lhoba, Mongols, Hui and a growing number of Han Chinese.
Religions: Tibetan Buddhism, Animism.
Languages: Tibetan, Chinese.
Festivals: Tibetan New Year, Shoton Festival, Bathing Festival.
Natural resources: Forests, wildlife, mineral resources, uranium (world's largest uranium reserve), hydro-, geothermal energy.
Agriculture products: Livestock and livestock products.
Industries: Mining, wool spinning, carpets, forestry, food processing, printing, building materials and machinery, tourism.
Currency: Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY)
Government: Type: Communist party-led state (People's Republic of China)
The Tibet Autonomous Region was founded on 9 September 1965.