Tibet: A Woman's Lone Trek Across a Mysterious Land

by Sorrel Wilby

This is the incredible story of a solo journey across the rooftop of the world - a trek into an exotic land long hidden from Western eyes.

Sorrel Wilby began a successful career in photo-journalism when she travelled around Asia on her bicycle. Local magazines loved her stories and phototgraphs, and spread the epxloits of this engaging young Australian with the broad smile and the enterprising spirit.

Surprising and unexpected co-operation by the Chinese authorities led her to the fabled city of Lhasa, and there she planned her expedition to cross Tibet on foot - Tibet, the country of lowering snow-capped peaks, deep valleys and barren, deserted plains.

Sorrels's meetings with Tibet's nomadic herdsmen and the close friendships she formed with their families and with the Tibetan farmers and townspeople, and her enounters with the Han Chinese occupiers of Tibet, make a fascinating story. She also tells of the inreasing self-awareness she gained through the hardships, loneliness and the many joys of her journey.

Source: Back cover of the book

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction

232 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow no stopping this woman she never gives up. Well worth the read.

[Tanya Shliahov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Jackson moonwalking, Princess Diana marrying, the Berlin Wall falling. All these things I remember from the 1980s, but recently, I read a book written by a lady who rode her push-bike the length of Tibet, as a solo woman. I don’t recall this at all, but she states she did it because a fed-up publisher told her the only way she would have anything published, is if she did something dangerous and lived to tell the story.

In her subsequent book, she writes that she saw Tibetans carrying copper cylinders on sticks. The cylinders were prayer wheels with coils of paper inside them. The paper had the words Om Mani Padme Hum written on them, which in English means bless the jewel in the lotus. The copper cylinders spun constantly. When they were spinning, it was considered the person was praying. The Tibetan carrying the spinning cylinder could then continue their day-to-day activities without having to pray with words.

She also states seeing colourful flags flying from rooftops and on hillsides. It was explained to her that these were also for prayer. Om Mani Padme Hum were also written on them, along with other mantras. When the wind flapped the flags, it was believed that the prayers printed on them, blew up to Heaven.

I don’t live in Tibet. I live in the west, but, recently, I too have noticed white, yellow, red, green and blue flags strung along houses. I have also seen cars with silver, spinning canisters on their dashboards. Are these for prayer? I find it hard to start spiritual conversations, but, if so, what an easy way to bring one up with the owner of that house or the driver of that car.
Give them an opportunity to explain their reasons for having the flags and spinning canisters. Then, inform them that the Bible says: And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Teach them that they are right! We should be praying to God, but God wants us to pray to Him from our hearts, in a thinking and personal manner.

Explain that lazy, repetitious prayer is not their only sin. They’ve also told lies, stolen things, looked with lust which the Bible says is the same as adultery, hated people which the Bible says is the same as murder, used God’s name in vain and countless other things. Show them how to be forgiven, and that although the Bible says to pray without ceasing, that’s easy to do when you have a personal relationship with Him. Instead of prayer being burdensome, it becomes natural to pray to Him about the things you see, the news you hear and the people you meet, all throughout the day.

Matthew 6:7 NKJV

[Chris Wilby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really got in-tuned into the culture of Tibet