Tibet

I pray that you have a safe trip.
Do let me know if you see people selling various ox parts on the street.

Best of luck!

They don't have ox there. They have yaks.

Hope you won't have to fool Tibetan guards to wear alpinist sandals so that you can run away from them.
Have a fun time!

May as well give Everest a wee climb while you're there

I am back, and I found out how it feels to run uphill at 4,600 m (15,000 feet) altitude.

I say no thanks to Everest.

What was it like? Any good story to share?

We were told not to discuss politics during the trip, but all we did was talk about politics, with the Tibetan guide and other fellow travelers.

The Chinese government forces the Tibetans to display a portrait of the Chinese president in each household, and there were patriotic banners all over the country (both within Tibet and outside). Everywhere there were evidence of the Chinese propaganda machinery.

There were yaks everywhere, including in the middle of the street. Sometimes yaks would decide to take a nap in the middle of a busy street. There were yak dung everywhere too.

Tibetans are very friendly and gracious. We were invited to various household for meals by random strangers. We shared many meals with monks at monasteries.

The Tibetan houses are gigantic, because they usually house the entire extended family of about 20 people. Despite the size and exterior grandeur, many houses lack runny water.

The scenery was simply breathtaking. You can browse through hundreds of photos here.