Tibet: Senior travellers scale greater heights

Katherine Kuan's group at the Potala Palace in Tibet
Photo: Bernard Au

CRUNCHY cucumber, yummy chocolates, crystalline rock sugar and diamox ... What do these have in common? They are incredible items that I took with me to Tibet, the highest plateau in the world. It is one place many people would love to visit, but the fear of altitude sickness discourages them.

 

My husband and I recently joined a group of seniors to this fascinating “roof of the world”. Surprisingly, none of us were affected by the dreaded terror.

There were 16 seniors in our group of 17 and seven of them are above 70 years old. We covered the provinces of Qinghai and Tibet.

We flew from Kuala Lumpur to Guangzhou, and then Xining, where we visited a mosque and an ethnic Tuzu village. The next day, we took a 24-hour train ride from Xining to Lhasa (3750m), a slow initiation to Tibet.

Xining Grand Mosque - Dongguan Masjid

Dance performance by Tuju ethnic group

Arriving in Lhasa in the afternoon, we had time to relax and acclimatise to the altitude and the environment. The temperature in this capital city can drop to as low as 10°C. After three days in Lhasa, we took a drive to Gyantse and Shigatse, to visit some monasteries. From there, we headed back to Lhasa for our flight to Guangzhou, where we had two free-and-easy days before heading home.

Map of our Itinerary: Choo Kok Wai

Our tour leader and organiser, Choo Kok Wai, had painstakingly planned our 12-day itinerary to ensure that we did not have to keep up with the hurried pace characteristic of commercial tours. Leaving the hotel at nine every morning for our tours was just my cup of tea.

All 17 of us came back healthy and with happy experiences to share, except for one member who had breathing difficulties on the train. But she recovered after using the oxygen mask in the cabin.

Forewarned by Choo about the thin air in the mountains, we faithfully followed the advice of taking a tablet (diamox) to prevent altitude sickness in Xining a day before the train ride, and a herbal drink in Lhasa, provided by our tour guide, Abdullah. We also consumed chocolates, rock sugar and had fresh cucumber on the train. Some of us did not shower on the first day in Lhasa in case we caught a chill.

Herbal drink

Tomato, cucumber and yoghurt - consumed on the train

I enjoyed the train journey from Xining to Lhasa – it was one of the highlights of the tour. Commissioned on July 1, 2006, this world’s highest railway runs at more than 4000m above sea level. When it passed the highest peak at Tanggula Mountain (5072m), I felt a slight headache but the pain soon subsided.

We were allotted four to a cabin, with comfortable soft sleepers (first class). Each cabin was equipped with oxygen supply and as our train climbed higher, oxygen was released into the cabin. Our luggage was loaded separately by our tour guide and that relieved us of hectic activity, which could have led to altitude sickness.

The ride was comfortable, with breakfast, lunch and dinner provided. Hot water was available round the clock and we could have tea or coffee whenever we wanted.

 

 

Dining Area

Light breakfast

Lunch

Dinner - chicken

Dinner plus birthday celebration ( Ho CY's birthday)

Many of us went cabin-hopping to get to know one another. We also chatted with fellow passengers, some of whom were Tibetans. The foreigners were from Germany, France, Australia and the United States, and many of them were backpackers.
  

Cabin-hopping: to chat and snack

Narrow passage-way outside our cabins

Nagqu Platform at one station 

The ever-changing landscape along the way kept me glued to the window. It was as if a painter was showing me his paintings, one at a time, at lightning speed. It was like a symphony of colours – the different hues of blue sky, meandering rivers and lakes, snow-capped mountains and glaciers, yellow contour terracing, and green grasslands, dotted intermittently with grazing animals. I tried to take some photos as our train sped by, but no picture could completely capture what I saw with my own eyes!

 

Blue sky

White snow-capped mountains

Green grassland with black yak 

Light -green vegetation dotted with white grazing-sheep

Lhasa is a peaceful place, with security under control. Everywhere we went, we met tourists from different parts of the globe. Its many attractions include the Potala Palace, Norbulingka, Barkhor Market, Jokhang Temple and Sera Monastery.

Our hotel in Lhasa -Kyichu Hotel

Potala Palace is a magnificent model of Tibetan architecture. At 3,700m above sea level, it has 13 storeys and is 117m high. Scaling its 500 steps was challenging. All of us made it to the top, but I was one of those who brought up the rear. I had to make many stops and my husband had to literally drag me up at various points.

Gruelling climb - 500 steps to the top

Our group at the White Palace of Potala Palace
Photo: Lai Hee Cheng

But the gruelling climb was worthwhile. Touring the interior of the palace, I felt as if I was transported back in time. It was surreal, standing amidst the statue of the Buddha and the stupas housing the remains of past Dalai Lamas.

View from Potala Palace  - Lake Longwang and Lhasa town

We had a field day with our cameras in the colourful gardens of the Norbulingka Palace (World Heritage Site), where religious and government-related activities used to be held. 

 

Colourful Garden of Norbulingka Palace

 At Barkhor, a pilgrim circuit as well as a shopper’s paradise, we shopped for souvenirs like prayer flags, mani wheels, holy scriptures and costume jewellery.

Barkhor Square

Souvenirs for sale

In the Sera Monastery, we saw scriptures written in gold powder, intricate statues, scented cloth and exceptional murals. 

 

Sera Monastery

 

Exceptional Murals in Sera Monastery

The Jokhang Temple is the sacred site of Tibetan pilgrims who prayed not only there, but also along the streets in an exceptional manner called prostration. Devout Buddhists gave offerings of money, ghee, butter or barley to the temple.

Jokhang Temple

On the way to Gyantse, we stopped at Yamdrok-Tso Lake (4,408m). The deep-blue hue of the lake was breath-taking. Gritting our teeth in the almost-freezing weather, we took many memorable pictures, some with decorated animals like the yak or dog.

Yamdrok-Tso Lake

 

A decorated yak

A decorated dog

 We were adventurous when it came to Tibetan food, trying the wine, barley, yak tea and yak yoghurt, as well as yak or mutton, cooked often in spicy stew. Some of the food we tasted at restaurants had Nepalese and Indian influence.

Abdullah made our trip more memorable by organising some local visits. We visited a hospital where the director enlightened us on traditional Tibetan medicine. 

Dr Wang (Tibetan Medical Director) giving a talk 

 Then we had a brief visit to a village where the houses were made of mud and straw. One evening, we attended a Tibetan buffet dinner, which featured songs and dance performances, with a finale where diners danced with performers. 

House made of mud and straw

Dancers at a Tibetan buffet dinner

The most interesting event was attending a local wedding where, as guests, we gave the bride and groom a “hada” scarf and we got to mingle with the guests. It was a privilege to be among the local people, learning and experiencing their way of life.

Some of the guests at a Tibetan wedding

Tibet is charming, with its scenic landscapes, rich culture and long history. Our trip has proved that with the right preparation and precautions, seniors can travel to any high-altitude country.

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This article was published in the Star (Malaysian newspaper) on November 2, 2011.  Additional photos are included here.