Originally Posted by
Taiwaned
Just curious. My friends who lived in Qinghai told me that many people who fly into Lhasa get altitude sickness and they are pretty miserable for a couple of days until the body gets used to things.
He suggested taking it easy for at least a couple of days then start the tours. His wife skin turned blue and he was scared for a couple of days.
Thus the problem with a "short" visit to Lhasa.
This is very true. Most people I know who have flown to Lhasa are essentially physically shut down (lots of rest, little sightseeing) for 1-2 days upon arrival, particularly flying in. The worst case I'm aware of was a colleague who took 4 days to acclimate, and needed serious amounts of oxygen. Nobody can predict how mildly or badly they will be affected--fitness, age, etc. are not reliable indicators. And this is a major reason why if one is planning a trip to Tibet along with associated hassle and expense, it's best to not go for less than 10 days.