Tashi delay,

I am really sad. Not because we cannot travel so much but more because of what it means to live in a country that does not allow freedom for it's people. Our trip is minor, our dream to ride across this land is minor, people here have bigger dreams - as simple as a bird flying free in the sky. Last night we were looking at the stats for our website and we noticed that all connections to it from China go through Beijing. My thoughts are running wild, I also think about our own governments policies and how they effect us. I just got an e-mail from my bank today informing me that any transactions processed through the US from my bank account has to have a declaration that the personal details of the individuals involved may be disclosed.

Uurgh.

I am not sad for myself, I am just feeling some reality at the moment.

We were "somewhere" trying to find out about our permit situation and were waiting patiently for some attention (that is about all we want to say about the finer details...) when some other people arrived, said a few things about police and travel permits and upset the agent that had just greeted us. He (a Tibetan) was immediately, incredibly agitated and started shouting...

"My wife does not work, I have two children, I do not want to be thrown in jail"

It really brought it home to us the reality of the situation.

Later he unexpectedly came out to speak to us as we were leaving. Quietly and away from everyone else he informed us about how things are here.

Maybe the protesters have achieved something, maybe they have just caused problems, either way they have caused a reaction and have drawn attention to this region. I am not sure that the rest of the world understands though or even cares.

This has made me more determined to get as much as possible out of the time that we have here. The Tibetans are some of the kindest people that I have ever met. To stand on the street and have so many people give us (foreigners) such big smiles is an amazing feeling.

We are off to the Potala to climb the stairs and test our acclimatisation :-)