Dege Disguise

Dege, located 40km from the border with Tibet, is a town where you can’t use the playground equipment since it serves as a clothes line for the nearby residents.

This doesn’t stop me from finding out how much strength I’ve lost over the past few months; less than 10 pullups :(.

The local minibus drivers are always trying to get fares so I ask them how much to Lhasa. After they quote a price, I have Gregor translate for them that I have no permit. This normally scares them off and they stop pestering us about a lift. One driver however offers to take me for 600 Yuan (120AUD) in two days and takes Gregor’s number, saying he’ll call the day before he goes to confirm it.

I start planning my assault on Tibet and decide I need a disguise to look as Tibetan as possible, which is difficult since I’m taller, hairier and whiter than all of the Tibetans I’d seen prior.

The disguise consists of gloves, worn by every truck driver I’ve seen (2 Yuan a pair), a balaclava, popular with Tibetan motorbike riders (10 Yuan) and a cheap bag to disguise the fact that I’m a backpacker (15 Yuan – two bags).

We spend the day not doing much more and I decide to try my Tibetan disguise the following day at the Dege Lamasery (Bakong Scripture Printing Lamasery).