I flew into Lhasa mid-afternoon on March 11 and was so delighted to actually be able to see blue sky and breath fresh air again! Except for the 
scratches on the outside of the plane windows, I could actually see the ground properly without a t
hick cloud of smog to obscure it.
I was greeted at the airport by an English speaking tour guide and a driver, who were also picking up other people, one who was Tibetan and the other from England.
We were greeted with a white scarf, the symbol of welcome in Tibet, similar to a western custom of bringing flowers to the airport for someone special.
The airport was actually an hour's drive out of Lhasa, so we got to see some of the countryside, which was very impressive.
There were colourful flags along the river's edge at very places. Each colour signifies something special and is a Buddhist tradition.
