Laura Makes It To Tibet

Well after dreaming about it since I was about 12 I have finally done it. I've been to Tibet!! And it was absolutely amazing. It was everything I've ever dreamt of and more. For everybody who didn't know I've been away I will begin at the start...

First of all for my 5 week adventure it was Beijing where I met up with my good friend Vic, who's been living there since January.




I stayed in Beijing for about a week seeing the sights and hitting the town with Vic. I even managed to dance on the bar at one place and ended up stumbling home in the daylight hours much to the amusement of the locals in the hutong next door to Vic's apartment.







Next up was Shanghai where us gals explored the Bund, shopped up a storm and went for high tea.






And then I was on my own for a week down south. I flew down to Guilin then boarded a bus for Yangshuo - the cutest village set in the rice paddies. I met other backpackers down there and biked around little villages and went bamboo rafting.





Then I went back to Beijing where I met Alex at the airport and we headed off on our adventure to Tibet. And here it is -- the rooftop of the world...






Lhasa was so interesting with the blend of the modern Chinese influence and then the old customs. I was surprised at how much of the town seemed unaffected by the Chinese. The Barkhor was packed with pilgrims and monks and everybody had a prayer wheel in one hand, beads in the other. The Potala took my breath away -- I got quite teary when I first saw it as we arrived. We also did a four day 4WD trip to Everest Base Camp and stopped in the villages along the way. The scenery was stunning and it changed every hour -- from lakes to mountains to snow to desert. Crazy!!













It was the best holiday ever. And I've finally done it! I've seen my Tibet. :)