First up, this is a unique and amazing place. We've seen Tibetan influence in Mongolia and Sikkim. But nothing approximates to the real thing.

Some practicalities before we start:

April is a great time to go, it seems to us. Yes, it's still pretty cold, especially when one of those cheeky Tibetan winds is out and about. But it's manageable, even for tropics-addicts like me. There's also little chance of rain; the skies are amazingly clear; the blossom is out; the tourist crowds are thinner; farming activities have started in the fields; and yet there are still plenty of local pilgrims on the monastery circuits.

To visit Tibet, as a foreigner, you need a permit, and therefore you need to be hooked up with a recognized travel agency on a pre-organized tour. You still have a reasonable degree of flexibility. But this requirement means a trip to Tibet will be much more expensive than a visit to other regions of China.

It's also recommendable to work with ethnic Tibetans. Not only are you contributing to employment in a sector that is still somewhat skewed, but you'll also get a much more personal account of faith, culture, daily life, and so on.

We chose Himalaya Journey, and were very impressed with the pre-trip advice (detailed); the itinerary (well designed, taking full account of the need for altitude acclimatization); the approach (personal and friendly); and the driver and guide (not only very professional but also fun to be with).

The altitude thing is not to be taken lightly. We were incredibly lucky, and suffered no more than one or two mild headaches and an occasional feeling of breathlessness. But we talked to people with travelling companions who'd had to retreat to Chengdu because they'd been badly affected. It's largely the luck of the draw (age and fitness are not factors), but pausing en route in a medium-altitude place like Xining is probably a good move, as is drinking lots of water, and following your guide's instructions (avoiding, for the first 24 hours, showers, spicy food, and alcohol -- which sounds wacky, but it worked for us...).

Once you've embarked on your chosen itinerary, you'll encounter numerous checkpoints, and the vehicle's route will be monitored. We also wondered whether our diminished connectivity as we went further west was due to more than just the isolated terrain...

Don't let any of that put you off, however. Tibet is a truly extraordinary part of the world, and offered us a wonderful experience.



Here are my highlights (with the exception of food, which is here).

1. Lhasa

A walk round Lhasa's old town (any of it, really, but particularly the Barkhor circuit, which centres on the ancient Jokhang Temple) will have your head constantly swivelling. So much to take in... Buildings with classic, brightly colored designs; prayer flags everywhere; pilgrims in a variety of Tibetan dress, rotating hand-held prayer wheels, or counting prayer beads, or moving along in a series of prostrations; women with intricately braided hair; sellers of sacred herbs to burn in the big furnaces, and of yak butter to offer at the various shrines; little shops selling traditional clothing or worship accoutrements or bread or dairy products. Despite the heavy security presence in the circuit itself, this is a great place to spend time (and the early morning is particularly atmospheric).

















2. The Potala Palace

Despite strict regulation, the highest palace in the world is definitely over-visited, so your trip to the key area will be rushed and a little hassled. What is more, that key area is at the top of what feels like thousands of steps (you're still acclimatizing, right...?). Nevertheless, you simply have to do it... Its maze of stairs and galleries and courtyards and corridors makes you feel you've entered a fairytale palace. Yet there's nothing unreal about the treasures of art and precious stones and metals that it contains, not to mention the layers of history. Don't miss out on the views from the parks back and front either.













And not far away are the Chagpo Ri rock paintings, which are also worth a look.







3. Monasteries

I will not claim to have understood more than a fraction of the intricacies of Tibetan Buddhism. Nevertheless, this is a living, breathing, and highly attractive religion, and the monasteries have a lot to do with that. They are wonderful places to visit. I loved watching the pilgrims, sniffing the yak butter lamps and the sweet incense, basking in the glow of gold and long-lasting, mineral-produced colour, and listening to the hum of the mantras and scriptures. There are so many memories, but standouts are:

-- the crowds in the Jokhang (yes, really -- there's something amazing about being in a place that is sought after with such intensity);





-- the huge Maitreya Buddha at calm, serene, scenic Drepung;

















-- the lively monks' debate at Sera;









-- the stupa next to the Pelkor Chode Monastery in Gyantse (itself very picturesque), which you ascend by way of a multitude of tiny, painted chapels;













-- the chanting at Tashilhunpo Monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lama in Shigatse (and the site of some wonderful stupas honouring Panchen Lamas gone by);









-- and the womb-like meditation cave and amazing situation of Rongpu Monastery, neighbour to the highest mountain in the world.





4. Mountains

There are mountains like the wrinkled hide of a vast animal. There are mountains like ruckled carpet. Or like knife edges. Or like sand dunes. Or like twisted plasticine. There are mountains on which flows of water have traced the kind of patterns the rain traces on a window pane. As you drive along the broad river valleys west of Lhasa, it's easy to forget how extraordinarily HIGH you already are. Yet these giants of the earth soar upwards even further.







5. Qomolangma (which is what Everest will always be for me now)

We were privileged with incredibly clear views, and I defy anyone not to be moved to the core by the sight of this beautiful giant among giants.













All of which adds up to...

6. The feeling of being small

It's not only the height of the land, or the age-old spiritual tradition. It's the vastness, the unforgiving climate, and the feeling that you could not survive long unaided here. There's nowhere better for emphasizing the puniness of human beings.







7. Aesthetics

Beauty is part of the everyday in Tibet. I loved the design and decoration of village houses in even the bleakest terrains. I found it amazing that something as simple as a frilled piece of cloth above a window can be so beautiful when teased by the wind. I appreciated the way that even the dung cakes (destined for burning) were set out neatly and prettily.















8. Road trips

If you combine all the above and add dramatic passes, sparkling lakes, and an abundance of pastoral scenes, as busy farmers exploit the spring temperatures, you get a really fantastic journey (not to mention time to listen to lots of awesome Tibetan music). Our 1,320 kms took us from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp and back, via Gyantse, Shigatse, and Shelkar. At one point we encountered the 5,000-km mark of the famous G318, from Shanghai to Zhangmu (on the border with Nepal). We adopted it as our own, as we too came overland from Shanghai, albeit by a different route.

















9. Yaks

These gentle giants are the symbol of Tibet. Strong and amiable, they pull ploughs, carry baggage, and provide meat for the table, milk to drink and to make into religious offerings, wool for garments and tents, and dung for fuel.







10. Tibetans

We heard many stories of courage, resilience, and hope. I'll leave it at that.

It will be difficult to forget Tibet. I found this extraordinarily lifted up land extraordinarily uplifting, and I'm very grateful.