Shriram's space: Day 14 :: FRIDAY 28 Aug 2015 ……. Exit from Tibet, China to Kathmandu

An early rise at the Lhasa airport, did my kriyas as usual, went for Guru Puja and a Chinese breakfast of stir fried veggies and congi, and got ready to board the 4 buses to the Lhasa airport just a stones throw from the hotel.

Reached the Lhasa airport, loaded trolleys with our duffel bags, stood in the predetermined queues of 41 and 21 as per the Visa approval and completed the check-in process. A lot of eyebrows were raised by the Sichuan airlines staff for the kailash water being in everyones checked in baggage. After a few inspections, they got fed up and issued all boarding passes and asked us to go ahead.

The Lhasa airport is far better than some of the Indian domestic airports. Neat and clean loos, good shopping stalls, comfortable seating. Waited at the boarding gate, flight was announced and we boarded the flight.

We flew the 90 minute Sichuan airlines flight 3U 8719 flight Dep Lhasa Gongga Airport @ 1125 and Arrival Kathmandu Tribhuvan Intnl airport @ 1040 (Kathmandu being 2 hrs and 15 mins behind Lhasa/China time).

Our travel operator had missed out on informing Sichuan airlines for vegetarian meals and so most of us avoided the meal of chicken fried rice. Sipped some Chinese red wine and ate some buns / cakes as we flow over the Himalayan range. Some of us peeped out from the RHS windows and claimed to see Mt Everest. I was not keen to see it and relaxed with images of Mt Kailash in my mind, sipping Chinese red wine !! A small misdemeanor / indulgence in this otherwise wholly sattvic trip.

Landed at Tribhuvan International Airport Kathmandu and switched our clocks back to Kathmandu time (15 mins ahead of IST).

Boarded the waiting buses to the Radisson and checked into the same rooms that we had occupied on our first arrival at Kathmandu from India. Our suitcases that we had left behind at Kathmandu, were neatly stacked up for us to collect at the lobby.

Checked in at the Radisson Kathmandu, and had a good lunch at the buffet service. Some of the yatris who were used to non veg food made a bee-line for the non veg items after having been deprived of it for two weeks.

After lunch a few of us (Sameer Kamboj & family , Nagesh and Shailaja and me) took a couple of cabs and went off to Boudha. This is under renovation after the quake damage, so we could just do a parikrama and do a bit of shopping for Thangka paintings. Nice quaint shopping areas all arpound the parikrama circle. Typical Indian style haggling / negotiations and some interactions with the lama masters and students who paint these thangka paintings, a few snaps taken and with our purchases in hand, we headed back to the Radisson just in time for the 1800 hrs closing satsangh.

At the closing Satsangh at 1800 hrs, a few of us shared our experiences and filled out a feedback form for the Isha Sacred Walks team. Deposited the down jackets back with the Ruchi Travels team and headed back to our rooms after a lovely dinner.

The next day we were to leave early at 0545 for a visit to the Pashupathinath temple and be back by 1000 hrs at the hotel for a quick breakfast and check out by 1100 for our 1400 Indigo Flight to New Delhi.