Video Dedication Of My Climb The world’s attention is on the Chinese government in light of the upcoming 2008 Summer Olympics.To find out more about the Tibetan cause and how you can help, see the International Campaign for Tibet’s website.

The flight from Chengdu to Lhasa was cool – crossing over the Tibetan Plateau – the snow-capped, glacier-ridden mountains slowly coming into view through the cloud cover. Getting to the airport early had paid off – I was able to secure a window seat (13A) for both legs. Next to me were two Kiwis living [...]

  On the afternoon of March 22, I decided to revisit the Tibetan neighborhood in Chengdu. I was overdue for a Tibetan meal with butter tea, and was wondering what the scene was like in that area given the escalation of violent protests which had occurred in Tibet and western China. I was immediately struck [...]

Through the travel desk at Sim’s Guest House, I received a 90% refund on my airfare from Lasa to Katmandu from Air China, though I later read the airline was offering 100% refunds given China closed Tibet to foreigners as a result of the violent protests. Seeking a refund on the train ticket meant heading [...]

    With my train arrangements in order, I joined a couple of British girls at the restaurant in Sim’s for lunch. They were in the first week of a 6-month trip. Meeting people at the start of their trip always reminds me of how I felt at that time, now almost 4 months ago! [...]

  “To repeat – ad infinitum – though train tickets are a lot easier to land these days, don’t expect next-day middle-berth hard sleeper miracles for the most popular routes. To wit: expect everyone and their dog to be trying to get on the Chengdu-Lhasa train.â€? —- Lonely Planet China   I hailed a taxi [...]

  By my fourth night in Chengdu I realized the days were flittering by and I had yet to begin arrangements for my Tibet Tourist Permit (necessary for all visitors) or my train ticket to Lhasa. The former was easy to obtain if you have the time (usually a week), while the latter could be [...]

In light of recent events, I am jumping ahead for a moment… Saturday, March 15, 2008 @ 3:15pm I’m sitting on a deck, watching the rain, the sound of electric saws buzzing below at Sim’s Cozy Guest House break the silence. Earlier in the afternoon, upon checking my e-mail, I read a disturbing message from [...]

A few weeks ago, I was merrily collecting entry and Visa requirements for the first few countries I intend to visit. All was going well, until I reached Nepal. Getting into Nepal will be simple, as Americans can get a 60-day Visa upon arrival, however it didn’t take long for me to find out that [...]