Did you wash on Saturday? and how much more will Andy grow?

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Saturday was "Blessed Rainy Day". This is the day when you wash everything! Hence - it wasn't unusual when Mel and I sat down for our chilli porridge breakfast with Sanga in the morning, for him, and his family members to ask "Have you had a good wash".

We learnt that a failure for us British types is how we picnic - the picnic we enjoyed on this day was a feast (and was also our third lunch of the day)!

Another aspect which occured to us is that perhaps Andy has grown a few inches recently.... have a look at the photos!

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Photos

Cheri monastery
Having had 3 bowls of chilli porridge for breakfast, mid morning, we felt that we had already had Lunch #1. However, Sanga took us on the 1 hour walk up to Cheri monastery, where we met the delightful Lama, who gave us Lunch #2.
We enjoyed this lunch, despite being well-fed, but were slightly apprehensive, since we were aware that Lunch #3 was just round the corner.
Cheri monastery is a beautiful place, high up the valley. It is in huts above the monastery here that many monks come and undertake their 3 years, 3 months and 3 days of solitary meditation.

Picnic!
So this would be Lunch #3 for us.
Until you have been on a Bhutanese picnic, you will never appreciate how many chillis and bags of rice could be consumed in an afternoon.
Many dishes appeared out of nowhere - the food was sublime!
For drinks, there was the option of eggs cooked in Ara (imagine scrambled egg stirred into bowl of vodka, and then drizzle some vegetable oil over the top) or very strong beer, we started slightly feebly with the X-strong beer (It was only lunch-time, afterall).

The picnic gathering
All of Sanga's family who we had a picnic with.
Sanga's daughter Jitsen ran off as the timer on the camera started, and Andy had to chase after her to get her in the photo, just in time!

The bridge to Cheri
If you are an engineer, admire the cantilever design of this ancient bridge.
If you are not so interested in bridge design, look carefully and you can see Mel guiding Sanga over it.
What a fine bridge. Really exquisite.

Reference photo 1: Andy's growth
Many of our friends who came to our wedding will have noticed that Andy has grown considerably recently - notice how much taller than (the very tall) Phil and Ed he was at our wedding in June.
Well.... this growth might have continued if you look at reference photo2

Reference photo 2: Andy's growth
So, having seen Andy's immense height in Reference photo 1 (alongside the 6'4 Phil Redman, and 6'3 Ed Sowerby), it appears that this growth might have continued. (The ladies in this photo are all pushing 6'2")

Comments

[Glenna]

Andy - you were so right. You do look so tall. I bet it did make Mel look like a giant x

[Mart]

Awesome photos dudes! Andy, all the women that your are dwarfing in that photo look slightly nervous. Like when someone is stroking a horse but is secretly petrified...!