The Lhasa classifieds
Trip Start
Apr 04, 2004
1
15
34
Trip End
Jun 07, 2004
Lhasa,
China
Saturday, May 22, 2004
22nd May 2004
The embassy of the Kingdom of Nepal is closed. I ache from the walk and get a taxi back again. Past big statues of woolly yaks mounted as the centrepiece of a roundabout. You'll see them just before the Potala Palace. The former chief residence of his holiness the Dalai Lama. A hugely impressive palace in red ochre, white and gold. The shape a little schizophrenic if you ask me. But regardless of what is inside, I am not paying 100 Chinese Yuan to go in. It's a matter of principle.
At the Tashi 2, I meet with Den from Swansea and Max from the USA. We make some tentative plans to head up to Nam Tso lake as soon as possible. I feel like I've had enough of Lhasa already. It is shoddy. The Barkhor is a series of narrow streets around a public square containing the Jokhang temple. A centre of devout Buddhists. Through these streets traipse hundreds of pilgrims in a clockwise direction. Prostrating themselves on the ground as they do so. Others twirl hand-held prayer drums as they repeat Buddhist mantras. A continuum of beggars approach in rags having learned a global word which slips automatically from their rotting mouths "money money". Repeat. It's a bit like landing a part in a zombie movie. In another area there is a big market, and the sacks of brightly coloured spices look more inviting.
The most popular way out of here is by self-organised jeep trip to the lakes or along the friendship highway towards the frontier with Nepal. Each and every hotel / hostel has a notice-board and on it are advertisements made by travellers, for travellers. Not all of them are in English. If they were, they would read something like this '' 2 persons wanted for 4 day trip to Kathmandu, leaving on 25th May, 750 Yuan per person. Contact Doctor Scrotebag, room number 5, The Snowlands Hotel " Some have mobile phones.
I begin paying attention to the ads although there is no immediate visa-pressure upon me. I meet with a beautiful Indian / Australian girl, Nina, at the Pentoc hotel. We have breakfast together but sadly, her jeep trip must leave here tomorrow which doesn't suit my plans. I sit in my dorm room at the Kirey Hotel and using the sophisticated technology available to me ; a marker pen, a scrap of paper and a photocopier, to begin making my own ads to plaster up on Lhasa's notice-boards.
Next ; Creative thinking
