Why do I get headaches when I go to Tibet?

1. Tourism season

Most areas in Tibet have high altitudes and large temperature differences between day and night. The climate in winter and early spring is dry and cold, with strong winds and sand. The oxygen content in the air is significantly lower than in summer, and many areas and road sections are covered with ice and snow. Therefore, the ideal time to travel to Tibet is from April to October. July-August is the rainy season in Tibet, and mudslides, landslides, swamps, etc. may occur on some road sections, making it impossible for vehicles to pass. Among them, the routes along the Sichuan-Tibet Highway into Tibet, from Lhasa to the Nyingchi area in eastern Tibet, and from Lhasa along the north-south line to Ngari are more serious. Self-driving or hiking adventurers should try to avoid the rainy season and choose May, June, September and October. If you ride a bicycle, you can go to Qinghai in August and reach Tibet at the end of the month.

2. Procedures for entering Tibet

If you go to border counties in Tibet, which are counties bordering foreign countries, you must apply for a border pass, such as Zhangmu, Ali, Mount Everest, and Mexico. Tuo, Milin and other places. In principle, these documents must be obtained at the place of residence of the tourist, but when you arrive in Lhasa, you can also apply for them at the police station of the hotel where you live. It takes 3-4 days, and sometimes photos are required, so you should carry 4 one-inch bareheaded photos with you. If you are tight on travel time, After arriving in Lhasa, you can go to various travel agencies and hotels in Tibet to apply for border passes, which can provide a variety of services for tourists. You can also go to the "Reception for Individual Travelers to Tibet" opposite the Snowy Hotel, which takes half a day, but You have to travel in their car.

3. Equipment for entering Tibet

A. Bring a backpack, toiletries, sun hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, etc. The sunshine on the plateau is strong, so be sure to wear sunglasses when outdoors. and sun hats, and protective measures must be taken.

B. The temperature in Tibet is low in the morning and evening. Generally speaking, for every 1,000 meters of altitude increase, the temperature drops by 6°C, so you should dress warmly. Even in summer, people coming from the mainland must prepare woolen sweaters, thermal underwear, etc. In winter, the temperature is relatively low, and they must pay more attention to cold and frost resistance. But it doesn’t matter to strong people. When I was in Lhasa in October, I often wore a pair of shorts at night. Don't think of Tibet as too mysterious.

C. There is no ICBC in the entire Tibet Autonomous Region, so ICBC’s passbook and Peony Card will be meaningless here. It is best to bring a passbook from the Agricultural Bank of China when traveling. The Agricultural Bank of China has savings offices all over the country. The more remote the place, the more popular the Agricultural Bank of China is. Postal savings are also available nationwide for deposits and withdrawals here.

D. Prepare some small gifts, such as candies, mechanical pencils, etc., and give them to the children at the homes of ethnic minorities. You will be more popular.

E. Prepare some change of one dime or two. There are many children in Tibet begging for money.

F. If you go to Tibet during the rainy season, you should bring rainproof clothes and pants. They are generally sold in outdoor equipment stores, and they are also sold in Lhasa, but the price is much more expensive than in cities such as Beijing. I encountered some on the way. After the two backpacking girls arrived in Lhasa, they asked their families to send them raincoats and pants.

G. You should bring some medicines, mainly anti-pneumonia medicines and cold medicines. Rhodiola rosea is a medicine specially used to treat hypoxia at high altitudes. You can also bring two bottles. The best and most practical medicine for treating hypoxia is glucose solution, which comes in a box of five, and can be injected or taken orally. I drank the glucose when I was cycling on the Qinghai-Tibet Line and crossing the Tanggula Mountains, and it was very effective. You can bring an oxygen bag. Although it does not need to be inhaled and will be over within 10 minutes, it can give people a sense of spiritual security (but please note that once inhaled, there will be dependence).

“When traveling to Tibet, you should be especially careful not to drink a lot of alcohol.” Wang Hongbin said that in the hypoxic state of the plateau, the detoxification function of the liver decreases and the brain tissue is hypoxic. After drinking a lot of alcohol, alcohol can directly damage liver cells. Due to alcohol stimulation, the heart rate increases, and the heart's stroke volume per minute decreases accordingly, thereby aggravating the degree of hypoxia in brain tissue. In addition, alcohol can also aggravate cerebral arteriosclerosis, coronary arteriosclerosis and other diseases caused by hypoxia.

Wang Hongbin said that tourists should eliminate their fear of plateaus. Although everyone's ability to adapt to the plateau environment is different, as long as they are healthy, most people can quickly adapt to the plateau environment. Taking some medicines to alleviate and prevent altitude sickness, such as Gao Yuan Kang, Gao Yuan An, Rhodiola rosea, etc., can enhance the ability to adapt to the plateau environment. After entering Tibet, if acute mountain sickness occurs, you will not be in danger as long as you go to the hospital for treatment in time. At present, Tibetan hospitals have mature treatment plans for the treatment of acute mountain sickness, with a cure rate of over 99%. (End)

Qinghai-Tibet is open to traffic. Experts predict that a large number of tourists will travel to Tibet after the railway is opened. What should you pay attention to when traveling to Tibet?

Directions for visiting the Buddha during pilgrimage

Temple is the most important cultural tourist attraction in Tibet. In many temples, you should walk in a clockwise direction.

In contrast, in some Bon temples, a religion native to Tibet, the direction of prayer is exactly the opposite and should be walked counterclockwise.

Tourists should make dietary choices before preparing to visit the temple, and it is best not to eat garlic. "Even if the temple is on fire, do not let anyone who has eaten garlic enter the temple." Although this sentence is a proverb, it expresses a religious custom.

Tourists are advised to take off their hats before entering the Buddhist temple. You are not allowed to make loud noises, touch the Buddha statues at will, or litter the Buddha Hall. Video recording, photography, etc. are not allowed in the Buddha Hall without permission.

Dogs are kept in many temples in Tibet. Because pilgrims often feed these dogs, dogs in temples often follow strangers. In this case, even if there is no food to feed, do not drive them away loudly or hit them with objects. Tibetan people have a proverb: Don't beat the dogs in the temple, as this will hurt the lama's heart.

At the same time, Tibet is a place with a wide range of religious beliefs. Many details in people’s daily lives are inextricably linked to religion. For example, many Tibetan elders will be followed by some people when they turn their prayers. Sheep with red silk hangings are called "free sheep" and must not be harassed.

Respect the customs and habits of the Tibetan people

Tibet is an autonomous region inhabited by ethnic minorities, mainly Tibetans. The Tibetan people have their own unique customs and habits, which should be respected by people.

Tibetan people stick out their tongues as an act of humility and respect for each other, and put their hands together to express their blessings to the guests...

Hada offering is the most common and solemn form of Tibetan culture. Etiquette, when a hospitable Tibetan host offers a hada to a guest, the guest should bow down to accept it; when entering an ordinary Tibetan home, generally do not step on the threshold with your feet; when addressing a person by name, generally add "la" after the name to show respect. Respect each other. If the host invites you to sit down, you can sit cross-legged, do not straighten your legs, and put the soles of your feet toward others; when accepting gifts, you must use both hands to receive them.

Tibetans like to eat meat. However, Tibetans do not eat horse, donkey and dog meat, and some people do not even eat fish.

Another thing to note is that before you are sure of the meaning of a Tibetan phrase you have learned, it is best not to use it lightly.

Treat "Altitude Sickness" scientifically and prepare appropriate commonly used medicines

Many tourists entering Tibet are very worried about "Altitude Sickness" while yearning for the mysterious trip to Tibet. Regarding such concerns, Professor Cen Weijun, director of the Tibet Institute of Altitude Disease and Cardiovascular Disease, suggested that tourists entering Tibet must understand and treat "altitude sickness" scientifically.

Cen Weijun introduced that in areas above 3,000 meters above sea level, hypoxic diseases in the human body caused by the hypoxic environment of the plateau are collectively referred to as altitude sickness. Experts point out that colds, high fevers, and excessive fatigue are all predisposing factors for altitude sickness.

According to the length of time the human body enters the plateau, the clinical symptoms of altitude sickness can be divided into acute and chronic. Acute mountain sickness usually refers to diseases caused by the hypoxic environment of the plateau that occur at the time or within a few days when a person enters the plateau or enters a higher altitude area from the plateau. Patients often have hypoxic symptoms such as headache, dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea and vomiting. According to its clinical manifestations, it can be divided into three types: acute altitude sickness, acute pulmonary edema and acute mountain encephalopathy. The latter two can coexist.

How do tourists deal with altitude sickness? Cen Weijun suggested that tourists must have a good rest and refrain from strenuous exercise a few days before entering Tibet. After arriving on the plateau, it is best not to lift heavy objects or run. You must rest in the hotel where you are staying on the day you enter Tibet, and try to avoid outdoor activities such as meeting guests, banquets, and visits.

At the same time, tourists can take "Xintongding", "Nuodikan Capsules" or "Rhodiola Capsules" 3 days before entering Tibet. He said that these drugs have been confirmed by several aviation experiments from Chengdu to Lhasa to have a certain effect in preventing altitude sickness.

He also suggested that people with severe colds, high fevers, acute and chronic lung diseases, severe cardiovascular diseases, late-term pregnant women, and children under 3 years old should not travel to high-altitude areas.

What should tourists do if they feel unwell after entering Tibet? Experts believe that the first step is to rest and take oxygen; secondly, if the patient's condition does not improve within 3 to 4 hours, he must go to the nearest large hospital for treatment immediately. Do not "carry it on", as this will aggravate the condition.

In addition, experts recommend that tourists prepare some commonly used medicines according to their own conditions before entering Tibet, such as anti-altitude sickness medicines, anti-motion sickness medicines, moisturizing creams to prevent skin chapped, etc., as well as regular cooling oils, red oils, etc. Potions, thermometers, alcohol cotton, band-aids, norfloxacin, etc. You should also prepare some vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin B1. Take them appropriately to supplement nutrition in time to prevent vitamin deficiency. Once a cold occurs in plateau areas, it is easy to cause emphysema, so the medicine package should also include some cold medicine. Once symptoms such as nasal congestion, cough, fever, etc. appear, take medicine immediately.

Choose appropriate equipment

What equipment should tourists prepare when entering Tibet? Professionals from the Tibet Tourism Bureau suggest that when choosing travel equipment for Tibet, tourists must consider the travel route, the climate and environment of the tourist destination, etc., and never blindly purchase travel equipment to avoid unnecessary trouble and loss.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with an average altitude of about 4,500 meters, is known as the "Roof of the World". The air pressure here is low, the oxygen is less than 50% of that in the plains, the temperature difference between day and night is large, it is windy and dry, and the solar radiation and ultraviolet rays are strong. Therefore, traveling to Tibet is different from traveling to other places, and you need to prepare more things.

Tourists visiting Tibet should note that they need to bring enough cash when traveling to Tibet, because in addition to Lhasa, tourists can use passbooks or savings cards from Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, China Construction Bank, and China Postal Savings. Except for withdrawals, credit cards are generally not allowed in most other counties and townships.

Visitors who like video and photography can prepare their own cameras, telescopes and other supplies, but tourists must pay attention to keeping these equipment warm and moisture-proof, otherwise, "crash" will occur at critical moments.

When traveling in summer, in addition to carrying necessary daily necessities, individuals should also bring rainproof, UV-proof, and mosquito-proof products, and prepare a thick coat. There is a big temperature difference between day and night in Tibet in summer. The temperature is high at noon, so you need to prevent heatstroke. However, the temperature is low in the morning and evening, so you need to keep warm. Generally, clothing with different thermal insulation properties should be worn at different altitudes, and clothing and quilts should be added or removed in time in different temperature ranges. The basic principle is "it should be warm, not cool." When traveling in winter, you should prepare cold-proof clothes, cold-proof hats, earmuffs, leather cotton shoes, leather leggings, leather gloves, scarves, etc., as well as skin care products that protect against ultraviolet rays and frostbite.