My Tibet Trip – Part 1

I had only one week off and I decided to go to Tibet. But they told me that I need a permit as a foreigner to enter Tibet. It was considered a sensitive area in China. I knew some friends in Tibet and I contacted them. The manager of the travel agency named ” explore Tibet ” was the only person who could provide me with the permit in a short time. In return, he asked me to write my memories of Tibet with some pictures and videos.

Since then, I started studying. He in fact motivated me to study much deeper before traveling there.

On Friday, finally I received the permit and I got all set for the trip.

Traveling to Tibet is a costly trip in comparison to many other journeys you could have because as a foreigner you need to have a tour guide with you every day in Tibet. You cannot go around alone. As a foreigner, you cannot use the local bus or train you should have a private car. I think in comparison to many trips, it was considered more challenging.

I woke up at 5 AM for praying in the hotel. I put my small prayer rug on the hotel bedroom floor and prayed. I was excited. My first-ever journey launched at 9 am from the hotel. The guide was waiting for me in the lobby. It was a great cloudy day. I love cloudy days.

Himalayan clouds with various mysterious shapes and images were spread all over the blue sky covering the highland of Tibet from the sunburnt. A big part of China was suffering from unbearable heat, it is very cool in Lhasa, though. I took the black coat with me to cope with the chilliness of the weather. Previous travelers warned me about altitude sickness and headache but I was experiencing none hopefully. Many thanks go to my Beloved God for his caring attention.

The winding mountain pass and turns were several steps away from the deep flat valley stretches. The view from the car windows commanded a marvelous scenery extending to mountains afar. Heaps of prayer flags were housed and lodged up the rails along the road to the sacred lake. Majestic eye-catching scenery came to welcome us. A turquoise sky was reflected in the aquamarine portion of the lake embedded around the mountains. I marveled at its elegance and exquisiteness. I couldn’t distinguish it from the amazing awe that was around me and took my breath away. I was fainting as if my whole faulty existence couldn’t bear the sight of such pure innocence of nature, Painted by the creator and designed and sketched so dexterously. Mists quietly carpeted the whole plateau painted with yellow Tibetan flowers. The scenery awakened every cell in me even those dormant or ill ones scattered within me. I could feel my soul and spirit experiencing unlimited ecstasy and joy at the high altitude. The road is upward and so high as if you could touch the sky.

When we stopped on our way to take pictures, Tibetans rushed to us asking us to take pictures with their pets.

vast highland pastures, herds of yaks and sheep, and flower-covered fields.

I can’t find descriptive words or adjectives from a dictionary or encyclopedia, to define neither my feelings nor the beauty I was witnessing. The words and phrases elude me and left me in bafflement and bewilderment. I couldn’t breathe not because of oxygen shortage but due to the joy of peace, harmony, and balance. It was left virgin and untouched. I loved the virginity of nature not being trodden and crushed by the ugliness and deceit of artificiality and fakeness. I tried to capture the beauty and moments with my phone camera. Words can hardly convey beauty.

My first moments

in the mysterious land of Tibet

where skies bend to kiss the Earth on her soft beating heart…

where conversations of silence

indulge those who witness …

I am still lost…

There is no sign of me…

Vanished in absolute awe …

Tibet tour with our tour guide

Am I not yet to breathe?

Invited I was

to Namgyal’s house…

To Tibetan tour Guides…

Scent of Peace

Was in the air

in the local Tibetan house

Full of wooden antiques

Namgyal inherited…

I tasted transcendence in the portion of Tibetan fresh vegetable food…

pretty wife and daughters

Hospitality in the

Language of their bodies

Smiling Flowers on the Tibetan balcony…

PEACE EVERYWHERE…

God bless you

Namgyal and the family

Helena  海伦娜博士

June 18th.