| China Trip 2015 - Tibet: Of Gods and Dragons |
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Friday 26th June
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Master Zhao Junhui, Dipen and Dipen's family set off for their journey to China from London Heathrow, flying to Kunming via Beijing. This year's trip was largely based on a long road trip in Tibet to visit holy sites such as Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash which are must-do destinations for pilgrims from Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and from an ancient Tibetan religion.
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Saturday 27th June
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Arrived in Kunming in the evening. After leaving the airport the group was taken to Dipen's favourite restaurant, Kunming Lao Fangzi, where they were met by friends for a late dinner...a good way to catch up with old friends.
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Sunday 28th June
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Today the group were taken to tour the Stone Forest, Master Huang Ping's sister Huang Ping acted as tour guide.
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Monday 29th June
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Today began with a visit to a Buddhist temple in the Western Hills on the outskirts of Kunming. The weather was extremely hot and in the afternoon the group me up with Chen Jun for some lunch at the Jade Lake – followed by plenty of shopping at the old town area.
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Tuesday 30th June
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An early start this morning as the group set off on a flight to the capital of Tibet called Lhasa. We were met at the airport by our Tibetan driver and tour guide. After checking in at the hotel we were met by an old Tibetan friends, Jiang Wei Guo and her son, Qi An Dui. They took us to a beautiful and fabulour Tibetan restaurant for delcious food. In the evening, we took a walk around main Lhasa square.
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Wednesday 1st July
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We were met for breakfast with Jiang Wei Guo who took us to a local cafe, after which her husband and family members took the group to visit a remote mountain monastery outside of Lhasa where we also had lunch. After our visit at the temple, we had dinner at Jiang Wei Guo’s home. Before we left her home she gave us gifts and with her mother she sang a Tibetan song to wish us safe journey for when we travelled to the Western Tibetan remote region of Ali.
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Thursday 2nd July
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Today we visited the Potala Palace after which we had lunch at beautiful Tibetan restaurant. In the afternoon we visited the city centre Jokhang Temple followed by a walk around Lhasa city.
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Friday 3rd July
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Today we visited the Ani Tsankhung Nunnery which is the only Buddhist nunnery in the old city of Lhasa. After a tour around the temple we had tea with locals, followed by shopping and lunch. In the afternoon we visited the Sera Monastery to watch monks debating the scriptures. In the evening we had dinner near hotel.
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Saturday 4th July
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An early start in the morning and we left Lhasa to begin the pilgrimage via a road trip. Along the way to Shigatse there were some amazing natural scenery including a Glacier. We arrived in Shigatse in the late afternoon and then had dinner with female Army Officers.
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Sunday 5th July
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A long road trip taking some wonderful scenery. Our journey took us from Shigatse to Saga with lunch in between at Lhatse.
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Monday 6th July
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Another long road trip going from Saga and arrving at Lake Mansoravar (Ngari area) in the night.
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Tuesday 7th July
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We began the day with a visit to a special local Monastery near Lake Mansoravar where the group hung prayer flags. This was followed by Prayers and a Hindu religious Bathing Ceremony in Lake Mansoravar. In the afternoon we head off to Dachen city which was set on the foothills of he holy mountain, MountKailash. The group headed closer to Mount Kailash to perform a religious ceremony in the memory of Dipen's late father, Ramesh Patel. A very moving moment for the whole of the Patel family, and a completion of a promise they made to their father.
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Wednesday 8th July
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Toady we began our return road journey home starting from Mount Kailash to Saga, where we had an overnight stay at a local Tibetan Inn.
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Thursday 9th July
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Another road journey from Saga to Shigatse. After dinner at Tibetan restaurant with wonderful live music, we had the privilege of visiting the private museum upstairs.
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Friday 10th July
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This morning we visited Panchen Lama’s monastery followed by shopping and walking around Shigatse. We had dinner at Tibetan restaurant where we had the opportunity to sit in the special decorated table area like an old Tibetan home.
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Saturday 11th July
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We began our journey back to Kunming today travelling from Shigatse, along the Bramaputra River route to Lhasa Airport. We then flew to Kunming where we arrived late in the night.
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Sunday 12th July
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Relaxing day today with a walk around Kunming followed by dinner with many friends.
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Monday 13th July
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After the strenous journeys in the high altitude of Tibet, the group had a much-needed relaxing day.
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Tuesday 14th July
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The group said their goodbyes to Master Zhao Junhui and left Kunming to fly back to London via Beijing.
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