McLeod Ganj - A Piece of Tibet

The main street and the gompa (temple)

Ever since he fled Tibet back 1959, the Dalai Lama has called McLeod Ganj his place of residence (it is never referred to as his ‘home’). From here the government in exile campaigns for true autonomy – a struggle that seems to be increasingly and tragically futile. Although there is support coming from various world powers, the stubbornness and greed shown by the Chinese government prevents any fair resolution from being reached.

McLeod Ganj

Along with the tragic history of Tibet, the Tibet Museum has some amazing photos of the Dalai Lama riding a donkey through the Himalayas on his way to India; eventually a quarter of a million Tibetans would make a similar journey to escape persecution in their own country. It is a highly risky journey – twenty-two days of hiking over the highest mountain passes in the world, suffering frostbite (most of the refugees do), and reaching India or Nepal does not guarantee that they wont be sent back to Lhasa and severe, inhuman punishment.

Typical weather in McLeod Ganj

Rain became a big part of our lives in McLeod Ganj

Many of them came to McLeod Ganj, and there is a strong Tibetan culture here. Every shop and hotel display ‘Free Tibet’ posters and Tibetan flags (which the Chinese government has banned in ‘Tibet China’, as they call it officially. They have also ‘banned’ the Dalai Lama from being reincarnated in Tibet). There are Buddhist prayer flags flying from most of the buildings and Tibetan stallholders selling jewellery and Tibetan food.

Tibetan flag and prayer flags

Badminton time

The Tibetan refugees seem to be doing well here, but it is sad to think that they’d probably rather be at home in a free Tibet, without fear of persecution.

Prayer wheels in the Gompa

Monks protest for a free Tibet. If they did this in Tibet, they'd be in prison for years.

Inca Trail, Day Two. The Hard Day

Wakey wakey

We awoke to a cloud-speckled dawn and a cup of coffee served to us while still snugly cocooned in our sleeping bags.This was camping at it's most luxurious. In fact all the worst bits of roughing it had been removed, and we were left ot experience something more closely resembling a mobile hotel. Our tents were packed away for us while we breakfasted on porridge, toast, fruit salad and yogurt. The worrying overnight rain had stopped and amongst the opulence of the food tent Puma explained the days itinerary.



Day 2 has the reputation for being the hardest walk, encompassing around 12km of steep hills and steps. After a sweaty, knee-bursting few hours of incline we reached the first pass, the highest point on the journey. At 4215 metres above the normal human habitat (sea level), the thin air made the climb physically fatiguing, but the open terrain, which meant you could actually see how far away the top was, made this section a psychological uphill as well (and watching the overloaded porters power skywards made us feel plain embarrassed).

Resting on the first pass

Ceremonial coca leaves and rocks

When the last of our group dragged themselves to the peak, Puma led a small ceremony to thank Pachamama (Mother Earth) for our good fortune on the trip so far. We descended through he clouds on the other side of the hill where camp and lunch were waiting for us. The afternoon was spent recovering, relaxing and napping after the morning's excesses.

After the first pass

Death Road Photos

Lake at the top

A crashed bus

Memorial rest stop

A macaw at the bottom

Return to the Land of Fog

As we bus south, we are returning to the eternal fog of Peru's midsection. Here, in Huanchaco, it at least has the decency to disperse for a few hours each day at around lunchtime, but by mid-afternoon, it's back to life inside a cotton ball.

Lima- Smells Like Tinkle

Lima resides under a permanent blanket of fog for half the year. While we were there, it also emitted an almost permanent aroma of urine. Apart from the odd odour problem, the city does have some charming little pockets, along with a fantastic Hare Krishna restaurant and supermarkets thats sell peanut butter (Hooray!).

The Andes from a Moving Bus 2: Tucuman to Cafayate

The most amazing four hour bus trip I've ever been on. It took us through fogged out monochromatic valleys...





...into a dark yellow and white countryside where everything that should have been dark was white.




Into the clouds...


And out of them again.



And we ended up in a rocky, cactus infested desert.

Foggy Buneos Aires

The streets were swathed in a thick fog all day, and when night came, the sulfurous uplighting of buildings by the streetlamps weirded everyone out.