At 12,500 ft. Hot days, cold nights. You take just three steps upward and you definitely feel the altitude. Everyone’s noses are messed up from the extreme dryness. Breathing more is very noticeable even at rest.

Today’s quick summary; spicy noodles for breakfast. Road trip to a huge Buddhist monestary complex built in 1679; then walking around old Zhongdian. Back in the old town near our hotel, eating yak Cleese with Tibetan red wine for lunch, then shopping for gifts. Later, for dinner a hot pot with yak and veggies in a very local place with the gang of five (Paul, Kathryn, Kathy, Andrea, me); dancing in the community round on the square on the way back after drinking a few shots of local rice liquor. At the big dancing square, started talking with Zhao, a university student who wishes to practice English in order to prepare for medical school for at least 30 minutes. Finally, heading back to hotel to call it a night around 10. A full day sure!

Day 7 – Shangri_la Rest Day We spend the day in Shangri_la, the capital of the Dechen Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. It is located in the southernmost part of Kham, or East Tibet, tradition-al land of the tall, turbaned Khampa horsemen. Today, Shangri_la is principally a Tibetan township but has Han Chinese people as well as a smattering of Bai, Hui, and Naxi minorities. Historically, the town was a trading center between Tibet, Burma, and India, where once mule caravans made journeys to conduct commerce between the regions. One of the major trade items was “brick tea” from Yunnan, in demand by Tibetan nomads and farmers. We visit the spectacu-lar Ganden Sumsanling Monastery, built at the instruction of the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century, where more than 800 monks now live and practice. It is pictur-esquely located on top of a hill and its style very much recalls that of the Potala Palace in Lhasa. You can also take a walk around the hill and enjoy beautiful views of the Shangri_la valley. Le Fu Hotel. B