Yesterday I referred you to a recent news article about the repression and imprisonment of an Tibetan intellectual. Sarah honored us with her comments, which led us into another area or path not intended by me. Her thoughts are good and you would benefit from reading them and adding your thoughts, but it would be negligent of me not to write a bit about how it really is in Tibet…

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Over and over again folks ask me why i travel to such far away places and meet with peoples they never even knew existed?  I smile and slide by it and travel again, but it is time to begin sharing with you here some of what is going on around me now and has been working through me for years.

Why now?  Perhaps being given a clean bill of health by my doctor today and having a great discussion with him about my recent trip to Tibet has something to do with it, but that would be only the tip of the ice berg.

This is going to be wordy, so i will let most of you go back to work now and only those who want to venture into areas that i normally do not share will seek 'more' here. :)

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June 8  - Having flown from Delhi, India to Brussels, Belgium, and then onto JFK in New York, I will be dragging a bit as I go through immigration and customs and board my last flight home.  I arrive at Bonita Springs, Florida, late in the evening.

June 7 - Day 24   After an unhurried morning at leisure in Kathmandu, there is a noon transfer to the airport for our flight to Delhi, India (745 feet), arriving late this afternoon. There we are transferred to a Delhi hotel to enjoy use of a day room before our overnight flight from Delhi to the U.S.  We have time to relax in the hotel and enjoy a leisurely dinner on our own.

June 6 - Day 23   This morning we transfer to the airport for our flight to Kathmandu, Nepal, and arrive mid-afternoon. The balance of the day is ours to relax and continue our discoveries in this fascinating city. Hopefully I will be able to spend some time with a new friend from Facebook who works as a guide.

June 5 - Day 22  After breakfast, we drive overland on our return trip to Lhasa (12,000 feet) surrounded by mountains, glaciers, and the occasional yak herd. Once we reach Lhasa we are free to relax at the hotel or take one last look around this magnificent city.   (Has anyone Googled the places i mentioned along the way?)

June 4 - Day 21  Today we tour Shigatse (12,800 feet), the second largest city in Tibet. We visit Tashilhunpo Monastery, founded in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama, Gendun Drup. The monastery is the traditional seat of the Panchen Lamas, the second highest ranking Lama in the Gelukpa tradition.

Not sure if we will be here or near this spot by the time we get as far away from Lhasa as we can get, but thought you might enjoy getting a bit of perspective on The Himalayas and the area around them.

Mt Kailash inner Kora - Lake Manasarovar - Tibet  click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u19sR8YlVCQ&feature=related

June 2  - Day 19   Today we leave Lhasa and travel overland on the “Friendship Highway” to Yamtrok Lake.

Spectacular mountain views give way to the bluest water as we come upon the lake. Yamtrok is believed to be the physical transformation of a goddess. Its unique fan shape seen from above makes its mythology believable. The lake has dozens of islands, bays and inlets we will tour by boat. Then we will continue our drive to Gyantse (13,250 feet/12,957 feet – seeing both!).