My life as a Celebrity

Now that I have your attention… I can tell you a bit about how I have embraced having my photo taken by complete strangers!

I don’t know if Helen Mirren (I wish) is big in China and Tibet but it would appear that the lady with the white hair is sufficiently unusual to warrant a photo request.The first few times were very uncomfortable, with me asking ‘Why?’ And I probably looked very uncomfortable and a teensy bit paranoid.

I guess the tide turned a bit when a young man on the train to Lhasa told G ‘Your wife is very beautiful’ I.Kid.You.Not.

I have now embraced my position as Helen Mirren body double and pose happily for all and sundry. G gets invited into the shot also. There are many also who don’t ask for photos but say hello, always with a huge smile and often with the palm facing upward. When I respond with ‘Tak Shi De Lek’ I often get a chuckle. My pronunciation is pretty shite but they know I’m returning the greeting in Tibetan.

There is a bit of confusion between re understanding the difference between Austria and Australia, but a few RayGun kangaroo moves seems to do the trick. Kangaroo appears to be universally understood.

Today I ticked off a bucket list item with a visit to the Potala Palace. This magnificent building of 999 rooms was the centre of government for centuries and the winter palace home for many Dalai Lama’s.

Only 5000 tickets are released every day, many tourists try to sneak in either a tour group to get through the fairly rigid security. But each of us was diligently ticked off via passport number and the interlopers were found out and turned away. They took it on the chin. Don’t know what ‘Worth a try’ is in Tibetan, but they gave it a red hot go.

The Palace sits on red mountain and pilgrims and tourists must climb the 600 plus steps. This is important in the altitude stakes. Today, I carried a can (about the size of a large can of fly spray) of oxygen as insurance. I really didn’t want to topple over on the stone steps. Visiting the palace at times, sounded a bit like a scuba dive, either the sound of people inhaling frequently. Fortunately it wasn’t required but we may yet crack the can tomorrow as we travel via Karula Pass (5100m) to Shigatse.

We have also visited Tibetan temples and monasteries. The pilgrims undertake arduous  journeys of purification, travelling by foot over many days, or the more devout, taking three steps and prostrating in a ritualised, physically demanding motion.

We had some free time and wandered around the old city with the pilgrims. (Clockwise). No hard sell in the tourist shops here. It’s all for the pilgrims.

PS: Sorry can’t get pics to load today. Shall try to pop some in Insta.