Day 13 - Fly Away

Day 13 got an early start as we were forced back onto the airport bus at six in the morning. Unfortunately our rescheduled flight was not the first of the day, but we finally made it into the air shortly after lunch. It was interesting to fly out of Lhasa as it takes the plane a very long time to get off the ground since the air is so thin. A few hours later we arrived in Xian where we were welcomed by our guide who was eager to get our tour started in order to make up for the lost time, so we visited the Hanyang Tomb before being taken to our hotel. The evening we had to ourselves so we enjoyed a walk around the city where we saw a really interesting neighborhood (I suppose just a normal neighborhood for them). We ate dinner at a local place where we did all of our ordering by pointing and ended up eating dog before realizing what was going on, at which point we switched to something a bit more "normal" by Western standards.

Day 12 - Lhasa Airport

On Day 12 we were scheduled to fly from Lhasa to Xian but as with any vacation built around several flights things didn't go exactly as planned. Our driver and guide drove us the hour to the airport where we sat for 6+ hours until the information desk finally admitted to us what they had told the Chinese passengers hours before, that our flight would not be leaving until the next day because of a sandstorm. After fighting for our luggage and seats on a bus, we were transported the hour back to Lhasa where we were put up in a hotel for the night. This was the only day during our trip that I really hated Chinese people. A canceled flight because of a sandstorm is logical and a free hotel room is nice, but being lied to and then getting stuck on a bus with the rudest people I have met in my entire life was just about enough to put me over the edge. The only thing that kept me calm throughout the evening was the knowledge that we were going to require some Chinese help to get off the Tibetan plateau.

Day 11 - Long Drive

Day 11 was spent driving back to Lhasa which meant 12 hours in the Land Cruiser. Obviously it wasn't a very exciting day but I did take a few decent pictures through the window. I can also finally mention how difficult it was getting to Everest...
Besides the isolated location, we also had to get several permits. The first was required to enter Tibet which got us on the train and into hotel rooms. Permit #2 was picked up in Shigatse and it allowed us to basically get within 100km of Everest. When we entered the final base camp our passports were checked and held until we left and I better not forget to mention that there were at least 10 checkpoints along the way. Since we booked through a state sponsored Chinese travel agency this was very much simplified for us though as our guides did most of the work.
My final picture is of a Tibetan pickup truck (or maybe a Tibetan Gator?). Only the wealthy farmers can afford one and they will stack the things 10 feet high with goods and then let a group of people balance on top. It doesn't sound so bad though when you consider that the common farmers are still plowing their fields with a pair of yaks and everyone outside of the cities are forced to collect yak dung as there are no trees in the area and therefore no wood available for burning.

Day 10 - Mount Everest

Day 10 was much more exciting than Day 9 as we finally made it to Everest Base Camp. The final drive was only 100 km (60 miles) but it was on unpaved roads including a 5200 meter pass so it took several hours to complete.
As Kathi already mentioned, our Land Cruiser was a bit used at 300,000 km with no seat belts and two tires completely warn bald (one finally gave out not far from our destination). It was really exciting when we were heading back down to a valley and our driver decided to take a "shortcut" which meant off-roading down the side of a mountain. It was an interesting drive but I must say the man has skills.
North Base Camp was nothing more than a collection of tents advertised as hotels and restaurants. There was no running water in the area so our lunch was served with water from a nearby stream (very cloudy) but the food was prepared homemade by our nomadic hosts and it was excellent.
The afternoon was spent at 5200 meters (17,000 feet) which means half as much oxygen as sea level. Luckily we were well adapted by this time so we felt fine except for the fact that basic activities could wear you out in a hurry. I still have no clue how a few climbers have made it to the top of the mountain (29,000 feet) without the aid of extra oxygen.
Unfortunately all of the signs in the area use the Chinese name for the mountain (Qomolangma) so I have no pictures with the word "Everest". We made it to the top of the world and back though (or as close as I plan on ever getting) and you will just have to take my word for it.

Day 9 - Shigatse

Day 9 wasn't very exciting as it was really just another day on our trek to Everest. We woke up in the morning in Shigatse which is Tibet's second city and the old home of the Panchen Lama (yes there was more than one kind of Lama). While in the city we visited the Tashilhunpo Monastery and watched a child go to the bathroom right in the middle of a busy sidewalk (surprisingly not all that uncommon). The rest of the day was spent eating in dirty restaurants and getting bothered by beggars before arriving in Tingri which was our final stop on the way to base camp. Our hotel was nicer than expected but our only entertainment was a deck of playing cards and as soon as it got dark it was time for bed because electricity seemed to be scarce in our little village.