Leaving Tibet - Thursday, 18th July 2013

I'm afraid I spent my last morning in Tibet in the hotel getting ready for my flight to Shanghai. My guide, Tse Dol Kar, came to pick me up at 11.00 a.m. but with the different car and driver. We drove through the city and to the dual carriageway highway we'd used both when we left on our trip to the west and on our return from Gyangtse the previous day. At the end of the highway, the road divides, the northern route leading directly to Shigatse, the southern to Gyangtse and, via a spur, to the airport.

When the driver moved into the lane for the northern route, I was a bit worried. At the last moment, he realised his mistake and moved across to the correct lane, earning loud horn blowing from other vehicles. I thought it strange that I knew the route better than the local driver. Tse Dol Kar managed to snooze through the excitement. I watched very carefully when we came to the junction for the spur to the airport, but he managed to get that right. A few kilometres took us through a small town and I knew there must be a left turn somewhere for the airport. The driver seemed as uncertain as I was but, travelling very slowly, he found the correct turn and we approached the usual sort of modern terminal building with a car park at the front. Gongga Airport was all on a reasonably small scale, befitting a regional airport which, in political terms, is what it is. My guide checked me in for my domestic flight to Shanghai on MU2260 operated by China Eastern and we said goodbye.

The escalator to departure took me to the usual slow-moving queues for security. When I finally got to the front of the queue, my luggage and I received quite a thorough going-over, including shoe X-ray, but it was all done with lots of smiling so it wasn't unpleasant (British airports please note). When I reached Gate 5 (of 9) they were already boarding and the airbridge led me to seat 6L, which turned out to be the front row in a small business class cabin with four rows of 2+2 and only three passengers.

The aircraft was a smart-looking A330-200 and the pretty Chinese cabin attendants, who all spoke good English, were very attentive. The four hour flight passed quite pleasantly. We approached Pudong airport over the centre of the city, which gave a good idea of just how large Shanghai is. I think the population is 23 million. There was a little wait in the baggage hall – three flights were discharging bags on carousel 3 and we were the third. I quickly found my guide, Michelle, and we went to the car. Because of traffic, it was well over an hour before we reached my hotel but I was expected so I had an evening working on the computer before sleeping soundly in the large bed.