A girl's eight-year travel in Tibet

"For those who haven't been to Tibet, Tibet is a dream; for those who have already been there, Tibet is a remembrance. To local Tibetans, Tibet is a way of life and to me, living there is my life-time goal."

Li Wan, a graduate from south Guangdong's Zhongshan University, was suddenly crazy about Tibet after having spent less than three months working as an office clerk. Since 1998, Li devoted most of her time in a war that tests her life extreme. Eight years have past and her foot has covered almost every corner of Tibet.

Li's first trip to Tibet was solely prompted by her inspiration for individual freedom. She entered Tibet along the Yunnan-Tibet Highway. Although she couldn't speak a word of Tibetan language, this did not become a barrier when she communicated with local residents and appreciated them.

"To me, they are free, primitive, simple and happy. It appears to me that people should live in this way, singing while working, dancing while living," Li said.

Li keeps her memory of Tibet by documentary, scripts and photos. It is her destined dream that she will become a part of Tibet someday. She spends ten months in a year traveling somewhere in Tibet and for the rest of the two months, she stays in her rented room arranging her diaries and tape recordings. She has learned to make good use of every penny and keep her cost of living within 300 yuan a month.

So far, Li's written notes about Tibet total up to one million words. Besides, she has made 100 rolls of projections, 3,600 photos and 8 well-made documentaries about Tibet.

"My goal in the next decade is to make a good documentary," Li said, who focuses much of her attention on women and children, "starting from next year, my money will allow me to stay in Tibet for ten months every year. I will keep on traveling and comprehend the place bit by bit," said Li.

( From: China Tibet Online)