Who: Karen Flowers, Chuck McGlothlin and LuAnn Eakins of Denver and Littleton
Where: Visit to Dickey Orphanage in Lhasa. The official name is De Ji Orphanage, named after the founder, who refers to herself as the “mother” of all her orphanage residents.
Best meal: This trip was in conjunction with China – where the food was all wonderful – each province providing its select style and spices. Just ask first sometimes what you are being served! Tibet was different food, as the main staple is yak meat. Our hotel wanted to give us a special treat, and it was yak burgers and french fries – actually very good. The yak butter, yak tea, yak beer and yak milk were all very different and very rich. The scrambled eggs at the Shangbala Hotel were wonderful, as they were cooked in the very rich yak butter.
Best deal: Turquoise and coral jewelry. Prayer wheels, prayer beads, prayer flags and artifacts. Buddhist-painted mandalas and exquisite paintings are available. The vendors expect to bargain, and everyone loves to try to get a bargain. They trade in Chinese yuan, or American dollars work well. Tibetan carpets are also a wonderful buy and fun to shop for; the vendors will even ship your purchase.
Best time to go: We made our trip in March, and it was great – before the busy tourist season (Tibet is experiencing more tourists in the past few years). Blue sky and bright sun all day. It is cool in the morning and evening, and very hot during the day. September is also a good time to visit after the rainy season, and the countryside is green.
Best travel tip: Always dress in layers. It is very reasonable to have laundry done at the hotels, so you don’t need to bring a lot of clothes. You will want to do laundry often – not because your clothes are dirty, but all the charming smells and incense will stay with you. You need to be ready to do a lot of climbing, lots of walking and be ready for the altitude. Check with your doctor for any medications you might need – altitude sickness medicine, etc. (this affects sea-level visitors more often than Colorado visitors). Drink plenty of water, get lots of rest and go slowly until you adjust. Bottled water always is available.
