Not for the first time, the UK and Australian governments disagree when it
comes to giving their citizens travel advice.
The UK says go, the Aussies say no. In its usual diplomatic and cautious
language, the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office states: "There are reports of widespread
unrest in the city of Lhasa.
"There is no indication that foreigners are being targeted, but there is
potential that you could be caught up in the violence. You are advised to
avoid areas where demonstrations are taking place and avoid unnecessary
movement within the city until the situation is under control."
But according to the Australian
Government's travel advice, you shouldn't take a chance. "The
situation on the streets of Lhasa remains tense. In these circumstances, you
should reconsider your need to travel to Lhasa."
Whether you should travel, morally, is a question that even the pressure group Free
Tibet says it cannot answer. "There is no simple answer regarding
the ethical issues involved in travelling to Tibet. Ultimately, it is up to
the individual traveller," says its website.
On one hand, it recognises that travelling lends legitimacy to China's
occupation and puts money into China's coffers: on the other, visitors are
encouraged by the Dalai Lama to engage with Tibetans and provide information
to support organisations outside the country.
A more prosaic response is given on the excellent Tibet travel website Himmies:
" At least in Tibet, you will get shaken and jangled around, and the
most life-threatening situation will be your driver. As for ethical
questions, the Dalai Lama actually encourages people to go to Tibet - and
then tell the world what they have seen."
The Himmies site also gives advice about what to take: "An open mind, a
good sense of humour. A shovel for the propaganda. A big bag of some kind of
hard currency."
A company that offers Tibet permits, www.tibettravel.info,
advises you not to mention your interest in Tibet travel when you obtain
your China visa, according to a report on the New
York Times website in a good 2007 round-up of travel to Tibet.
It's technically necessary to obtain a visa for travel in Tibet before you
arrive, in addition to a Chinese visa. Since July, 2007, foreigners are also
no longer allowed to apply for a permit to enter the region from the office
of the Tibetan travel bureau in the southwestern city of Chengdu, from where
there are direct flights to Lhasa. The
report in The Times adds that all travel must be approved by the head
office in Lhasa, which operates under police supervision.
But many websites say it is still possible to travel to Chengdu then catch a
flight to Llhasa. Such a move also gets around the official requirement to
travel in a group in Tibet.
Another way to get to Lhasa is on the high-altitude daily express train
running between Beijing and Lhasa which opened in July, 2006.. Read Jane
Macartney's account of taking the
high-altitude train to Lhasa, which crosses a 5,200m pass before
arriving in Lhasa. The journey takes 48 hours and full details and
timetables can be found on www.chinatibettrain.com
.
You will not be able to buy a train ticket from a tour operator unless it’s
part of a package, but if you are planning to travel around Tibet, you could
buy one as soon as you arrive. Visit Tibet Travel & Tours (00 86 891
6922114, www.visittibet.com) will
sell you a sleeper berth for £110 if you book 11 days in advance.
Although three years old, there is a very good overview about travel to Tibet
on the Travel
Library website.
It includes this aside: "In 1979, when the first western tourists were
permitted a peek at Lhasa by the Chinese only 1,200 Westerners had ever seen
the holy city (including some 600 invading members of the Younghusband
Expedition of 1903-4) - credited to be from Tibet a travel survival kit by
Lonely Planet.
Even older is a moral travel site edited by Dr
Matthew Ciolek which has some very pertinent historical and logistical
background on travel to Tibet. But you can read contemporary accounts from
travellers on the road on the Real
Travel website. Recommended.
