3 Degrees of Separation

For my birthday, my husband honored my request and purchased a photo book about Tibet for me titled, Tibet: A Culture on the Edge by Phil Borges, http://www.amazon.com/Tibet-Culture-Edge-Phil-Borges/dp/0847836916/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337546442&sr=8-1-fkmr1.  It was great to get a broader look at the place I was going.

What was equally amazing was that Phil's name had been given to me about 3 yrs prior as someone who did NGO/Non-profit photo work.  His name sat in my notebook but I had never contacted him.

Next step, secure my copy of Lonely Planet Tibet and began digging it.  Which part of Tibet did I want to go to.  Back to my buddy Jim Spillane who recommended the Region of Kham.

Before any trip I always study the photo on the professional Web Sites e.g. Getty Images.  I was most intrigued by the Horse Festival where the Nomads come together especially in the summer to show off their horse racing skills.  http://tibetexploretour.com/photo1_10_37.shtml.  

Equally visual are the women who are all decked out in amazing silk clothing with obscene amounts of large silver, turquoise and silver jewelry.  http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/three-tibetan-khampa-women-in-traditional-high-res-stock-photography/200149711-001 I cannot fathom where and how they secure such thing - I can only assume passed down from mother to daughter.  Yup, I thought this was for me.  I will use 2 Horse Festivals as the anchor point of my trip.

In parallel I scoured & contacted all of the travel agencies listed in the Lonely Planet.  I knew that I wanted to spent no less than 3 wks in Tibet.  The group trips were 1 or 2 wks apiece.  Not good.  Besides,  I don't like to travel with other tourists. To me shooting is all about my relationship with the subject, and is about being "present" and observing, not about running around on a pre-set time schedule.

 One caveat, you must have a guide  and lots of permits over & beyond the ordinary Chinese Visa to travel in any part of Tibet.

 One caveat, you must have a guide  and lots of permits over & beyond the ordinary Chinese Visa to travel in any part of Tibet. OK.  So now what do I do?  I hit the Lonely planet Blog, Thorn Tree Travel Forum & starting making enquiries. How, how much,  where.....  It was here that I found the single and most important piece of my trip.  A post by Phil Borges stating , "Not all Guides are Created Equal"..... Here is where my relationship with my beloved guide named Lumbum began.

Carpe Diem,
Lorrie
www.LorrieDallekPhotography.com