Lighting out for the territory nce more in the Middle East. The more I travel the more I want to travel and the longer that I am out of England the happier I am. At present in Iraq and having a wonderful time. really fallen in love with the country and the people. Very glad I came and

Mon 17th Nov - Xigatse

CHINA | Monday, 17 Nov 2008 | Views [962]

Tibet is really, really cold and dry. We arrived at very posh but freezing hotel. Again I have a twin bed room to myself while the boys share. Bed is cold and damp so open it up to air through. Gandi is here and we have hot drinks in my room and she ... Read more >

Tags: cold, yak dinner

Sun 16th Nov - Lhatse

CHINA | Sunday, 16 Nov 2008 | Views [370]

We have done three passes - all festooned with prayer flags, the last one at 5,200 metres and I am not dead yet. Jon, who is a Tibetan Buddhist, has a headache; Devin is fine; I have a cough but then I had a cough before I got here. On the road we stop ... Read more >

Tags: card sharp, yak dung stove

Sat 15th Nov - KTM to Tibet!!!!

CHINA | Saturday, 15 Nov 2008 | Views [738]

Collected at 5.30 am by motorbike so got to ride thru streets of KTM with backpack and a tight grip. Landcruiser Toyota to the border with Devin (21, US) and Jon (33, Dutch) and guide and driver. Nepal is so endlessly fascinating. You can hardly blink ... Read more >

Tags: breathless, cold, tibet

Gallery: Off to Tibet!

CHINA | Saturday, 15 Nov 2008 | Photo Gallery

Fri 14th Nov - KTM

NEPAL | Friday, 14 Nov 2008 | Views [434]

Stayed up late and watched Denzel and Clive Owen in Inside Man while reclining in bed with coffee. Did me good. Health improved but harbouring chest infection which antibiotics are having to struggle with. What a condition in which to go to Tibet! Serious ... Read more >

Tags: kumari, north fake

Thurs 13th Nov - KTM

NEPAL | Thursday, 13 Nov 2008 | Views [344]

Pootle about clothes shopping. How many fake North Face jacket shops can there be in such a small area? 500 rickshaws, 800 travel agents, maybe 1,000 fake shops. Take cab to Monkey Temple and have a wonderful time with camera.

Wed 12th -KTM

NEPAL | Wednesday, 12 Nov 2008 | Views [386]

Bus back to KTM very good with enough stops. Scenery is wonderful. Feel camera may not be up to Tibet as it doesn't seem to do mountains very well. Make Nepali girls laugh like drains when I ask one if the penknife she is using to cut up an apple is a ... Read more >

Sun 8th - Tues 11th Nov - Pokhara

NEPAL | Tuesday, 11 Nov 2008 | Views [513]

I had a tickle and a couple of sneezes on the way here on the bus. Time I checked in it was a full on head cold with slight delirium and feeling deathly. So have spent the last couple of days asleep, either in bed or on one of the steamer chairs in the ... Read more >

Thurs 6th Nov - Fri 7th(?) - KTM

NEPAL | Thursday, 6 Nov 2008 | Views [598]

research, research, research. Narrowed trip agents down to three. Difficult to know who to trust as there are 500 bicycle rickshaws in KTM and 800 travel agents. The one that looks like ex-boyf is more expensive as 'taxes' added but I like him. Trekker's ... Read more >

Wed 5th Nov - KTM

NEPAL | Wednesday, 5 Nov 2008 | Views [491]

No more shopping! Moved into the Tashi Dhargey at $10 a night. It is right in Thamel. Have I mentioned Thamel? Camden Town on a Saturday night with added tiger balm sellers. Crammed with Western tourists, bars, rock music, t-shirt shops, prayerwheel ... Read more >

Tags: milk scam, tringham

Tues 4th Nov - KTM

NEPAL | Tuesday, 4 Nov 2008 | Views [424]

Lunch at the Roadside Cafe, cool and elegant with rattan blinds and Lavazza coffee. Humus and crudites. Just got back from Baluwater travel agency. No way to Tibet from Nepal as getting a visa is like getting one from iran, only worse. China to Nepal ... Read more >

Tags: fergus, stupa