Lhasa, Tibet

Land of snow, rooftop of the world or Tibet; whatever it is you choose to call it, it must be the most photogenic country on the planet. The scenery is fantastically beautiful and the people are endlessly fascinating.

We flew to Lhasa through mountain peaks and into what has to be the most remote airport ever built. Our 1 hour drive into the city was equally as impressive, through mountains and past turquoise rivers and lakes. The weather here is beautiful, but deceptive. I made it through 2.5 weeks in the tropical paradise called Boracay without any real sun burns, but one afternoon in Lhasa's 10C, high altitude sun and I torched all exposed skin. The high altitude not only turns you into a lobster, but also brings on altitude sickness: headaches, shortness of breath and throwing up. Needless to say our first 2 days consisted of lots of sleep, lots of unhappiness and lots of whining.

We began our exploration with some aimless wandering through Lhasa, a city full of the deepest religiosity I've ever witnessed. Random walks take you past thousands of prayer flags and hundreds of prayer wheels, both of which are said to release and recite prayers. The wheels release prayers when spun by passers-by and the flags when blown by the wind. Men, women, monks and pilgrims can be seen prostrating - a show of devotion that involves moving from an upright position to a face down position - in front of any religious entity. The spiritual core of Lhasa, the Jokhang Temple, was our first stop. We began by walking the Jokhang kora. A kora is a clockwise circuit around a temple followed by monks and pilgrims. It was a fascinating walk, which I've done several times since. I've watched followers show their devotion in a plethora of ways, from chanting and prayer beads, to prostration and prayer wheels. I went back on my own last night and was the only foreigner walking the kora, among hundreds of monks and pilgrims. Others walking the kora seemed confused by the solo white girl and decided to join me, much to my pleasant surprise. I was first accompanied by 2 women who showed me around by pointing and smiling. I walked it again and was joined by 2 monks, one of whom could speak limited English. We carried on a small conversation and he was able to tell me about his hometown, Chamdo, a small village with no schools or electricity. He ran prayer beads through his hands the entire time we spoke.

Walking some of the most sacred Buddhist lands, alongside monks, made for one of the most unique hours of my life. It's a walk I could time and time again, as I did once more today. I followed a chanting monk who lost concentration only once - to giggle at the white girl.

The (former) political core of Lhasa, the Potala Palace, was our second stop. Here it became very obvious we were at altitude. Under normal circumstances the climb up wouldn't be terribly challenging, but with our oxygen availability cut in half we had to rest every 20 or 30 stairs. The Potala is an incredible sight: bright white, set high up on a hill, and likely the largest building I've ever seen. It was the political centre and home of Dalai Lamas when Tibet was independent. Today it sits depressingly dormant. Once home to 4000 monks, the Potala now sees probably only a handful of tourists and pilgrims each day. Walking through, past the Dalai Lama's bedroom and tombs made from over 3000 kg of solid gold, it's hard not to be saddened at how lifeless this amazing place has become. Every square inch is hand-carved or hand-painted, taking what must have been hundreds of thousands of man hours to complete. It leaves you with a sense of amazement at its intricate beauty, as well as how such a peaceful, friendly people have been brutally forced away from what they value most.

Tomorrow we'll head to a monastery 40km out of Lhasa, where we may have to hitch back. Apparently they don't let foreigners on public transport, so I may have a good story to tell. After that we begin our 5 day to trek to Everest base camp and the Nepali border with another Canadian, an Aussie and a Brit. I expect it'll be unbelievable...and frigid.