Up in one of the high plateau villages this woman is probably much younger than she looks. She was showing me the beads, but I was looking at her hands, the skin was so thick and dry and tough. There was still a little sparkle in her eyes but sadly I could not understand what she wanted. Did she want me to buy the beads or simply to admire them?

My contact with the Tibetans is so very direct, often the women take my hands or bang their forehead on mine. I sometimes feel they know I share their suffering. How wished I could understand Tibetan.