Karen out in the world

This photo popped up in my Facebook memories today, it's a lovely moment to be reminded of.

It’s not me, but it is my chuba.

I was in Mahlo which is up in the grasslands in Amdo, Tibet. The rest of my group had gone off on a small trip but I had stayed behind to take the Lum or bath therapy. You have two very hot baths with prescribed herbs every day for a week.

Normally you stay at the facility to keep the warmth in your body. But as I was there alone I didn’t have help to get food and firewood for the small stove etc, so I returned to my hotel every night. To stay warm while sleeping between baths (it makes you feel like you have run a marathon!) and on the walk back to the hotel each night I bought a new chuba.

Which meant that all the ladies - there were two in the room next to me, and their daughters there with them, tried it on. It was such a beautiful and funny feminine experience.

This gorgeous woman was so sweet and would come and make sure I was covered when sleeping, and bought me a banana for a bath snack every day.