Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Public Security Bureau (PSB)
The PSB is the name given to China's police, both uniformed and plain clothed. The foreign
affairs branch of the PSB deals with foreigners. This branch (also known as the 'entry-exit
branch') is responsible for issuing visa extensions and Alien Travel Permits.
In Tibet it is fairly unusual for foreigners to have problems with the PSB, though making
an obvious display of pro-Tibetan political sympathies is guaranteed to lead to problems.
Photographing Tibetan protests or military sites will lead to the confiscation of your camera
or memory card and possibly a brief detention.
Attempting to travel into, through or out of Tibet without a travel permit is likely to end in
an encounter somewhere en route, most likely when checking into a hotel in a closed area,
or trying to board public transport at the bus station. If you are caught in a closed area
without a permit, you face a fine. Make sure you are friendly and repentant: the only times
things get nasty is if you (or the police) lose your cool. Get a receipt to make sure you don't
get fined a second time during your return to where you came from.
If you do have a serious run-in with the PSB, you may have to write a confession of guilt.
In the most serious cases, you can be expelled from China (at your own expense).
Maps
Good mapping for Tibet is not easy to come by, especially inside China, so stock up on
maps before you leave. Good online map shops include Stanfords ( www.stanfords.co.uk ) ,
Map Shop ( www.themapshop.co.uk ) and Map Link ( www.maplink.com ). For information on
trekking-specific maps, see ( Click here ).
Maps of Tibet
Chinese provincial atlases to Tibet are available in bookshops throughout China. They
show the most detail, but are of little use if you or the person you are asking doesn't read
Chinese characters. Most locals know place names in Tibetan only, not Chinese.
Road maps available in Kathmandu include Tibet - South-Central by Nepa Maps, Latest
Map of Kathmandu to Tibet by Mandala Maps, the Namaste Trekking Map and Lhasa to
Kathmandu, which is a mountain-biking map, by Himalayan Map House. They are margin-
ally better than Chinese-produced maps, but still aren't up to scratch.
Amnye Machen Institute in Dharamsala
( www.amnyemachen.org )
MAPS
 
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