http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Asia , Bhutan , Thimphu en-us Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:47:23 +0000 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:47:23 +0000 Today we planned to trek to the monasteries of Thangu and Cherry. A taxi costs you around Rs. 700 for a return trip. A bus leaves at 7.00 am from the city bus stand to Begana ticket Rs 20 3 km from Dodeyna the base for the trek. No prizes for what option we took. We reached Begana at about 7.30 and walked to Dodeyna. We had our breakfast Maggi and tea at the shop right at the trail head. Tha http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-459352.html The ceiling fan blowing air at full speed and the sun rays being blocked by the surrouding buildings I slept till 8.30 am what seemed a luxury a couple of days ago at HMI. Welcome to the plains I hurriedly freshened up to keep the appointment at 9.00 am. In the last month bath showed up just a couple of times on my morning schedule. No chance here. We crossed the border to Phuntsholing and hea http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-459317.html After 28 days in mountains it was time to head for plains to Jaigaon the border town in India where one can enter Bhutan the land of the Thunder dragon. I boarded the only direct state transport bus to Jaigaon from Darjeeling at 7.30 am ticket Rs.135. A less time consumping option would be to take a shared jeep to Siliguri and then another one to Jaigaon. The bus seats were quite comfortab http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-459316.html Photos Here Duration 9 days Cost Rs. 4200 per head for a group of 3 from Siliguri India Itinerary Day 1 Siliguri to Jaigaon WB 4 hour journey and halt Day 2 Obtained permits at Phuntsholing and head to Thimpu 56 hour journey. Day 3 Local sight seeing in Thimpu and obtain permits for Punakha ThanguCherry and Takstang monastry Day 4 Day visit to Punakha monastery http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-459138.html While we were changing money currency at the bank we noticed that one of the tellers had rather dramatic eyes with ultra thick eyeliner.Mmm.... we were pretty curious on the standard of beauty in Bhutan.Then in Thimphu we saw Sonam reading a copy of Yeewong. We kaypoh lor borrowed his copy to browse. The magazine contained pictures of Miss Bhutan 2008 contestants and writeup about them. B http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-449208.html It is a beautiful trek passing through an aweinspiring mountains and vales. You willcome across several lakes filled with trouts. This is a short five days trek which leads from paro to Thimphu or vice versacrossing the chain of mountains that separates the two valleys.Although the route is sparsely inhabited there are wonderful lakes teeming with fishand the area is famous for its spectacular http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-440058.html Except for the tinkle of harness bells and the occasional grunt of yaks the valley is silent. Early morning mists shrouds the lone hut in Merathang a pasture bordering Merak and Sakten villages in the extreme north of Trashigang Bhutan.Inside 38 year old Sumba is woken by the sound of droplets of rain dripping through a hole in the roof and splattering in to an aluminium pot on the floor. A http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-438705.html Hi everyoneWe are now in Thimphu the capital of Bhutan and yes I have access to the internet. However I think this may be the last time as we head East tomorrow and things will be a little less civilised.We drove from Paro to Thimphu on Sunday through a series of magnificient valleys. The scenery was spectacular as the road winds it's way along the side of the mountains and everything was ve http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-438491.html QuickieI was cool now I am hotNext I figure to give Mumbai a shotHad a great time in the Thunder DragonAs I am now surrounded by many a rickshaw wagonLonger versionAs I write today I am in the city of Jaipur India which with Delhi and Agra composes the popular Golden Triangle tourist route. Set on the edge of India's desert state Rajastan Jaipur in May feels a bit like standing next to a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-401712.html We have just one week left of work before traveling east a little into Bhutan for about a week. The quotation marks are necessary for several reasons. Similar to previous locations work days are typically from 9 to 3. This is not unexpected and now not a novelty. I'm at the point where if we finish at 315 I feel entitled to reward myself for all my hard work. I'm sure this newly emb http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-347147.html Here are a few links to article about the coronation of Bhutan's King.httpnews.bbc.co.uk2hisouthasia7700907.stmhttpnews.bbc.co.uk2hisouthasia7712301.stmhttpwww.repubblica.it200605gallerieesteribhutanre1.htmland here's an article about my trip.httpwesternfrontonline.net2008102810412newsstudentsgettheadventureofalifetimeEnjoy http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-342334.html It seems reasonable to keep this as an apolitical assessment of my experiences. Sometimes however events are too large for reason. Noor and I spent the morning watching the election results come in trying to share in the excitement evident all over the country. I have never seen anything like this. Of course the real work is yet to begin but this is truly an amazing day. The one insight http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-341844.html This is a journal about my 2week vacation in Bhutan with John and my overwhelming fear of death while we were there. To be clear I donrsquot consider myself an especially fearful person. I mean I have my hypochondriac moments what young woman of childbearing age doesnrsquot and I do get a thrill from researching my symptoms on WebMd and assuming the worst chest pain heart attack o http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-327181.html Travelling to Bhutan can be the experience of a lifetime. This tiny country tucked away in the Himalayas offers a culture that is relatively unchanged by the outside world a rare occurence indeed. Although tourism to Bhutan steadily increases your guides will ensure that you an authentic experience. You'll meet locals taste their food enjoy their scenery and above all experience the warmth a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-314295.html By the way I left Ladakh about two weeks ago. Ever since I arrived in Ladakh I had a nagging feeling that I wanted to return to Bhutan. Throughout my visit there I often thought about ways to return. So once I got permission to return and volunteer with Tarayana I moved quickly and left sort of suddenly.When I arrived in Bhutan I looked out my window and absorbed the peacefulness and had that http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-292724.html Bhutan has now transitioned from an absolute monarchy to a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchyhellip at least in theory and by all intents and purposes. HoweverhellipSince ascending the throne in 1972 the 4th King Jigme Singye Wangchuck has moved Bhutan ever closer to open elections and a full implementation of democracy with a constitution. Though the institution of the K http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-266601.html In my off time Irsquove continued to participate in a meditation group called Deer Park which has led to most of my social activities. Irsquove been on three hikes in the Thimphu valley. Twice to Cheri Goempa and once to Pajoding. Also during my last weekend in Bhutan I took a trip to Taksang the Tigerrsquos Nest attended the Paro Tsechu and met with HM Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck.Che http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-261246.html Kora means circular journey which is what they call it when guests go to each of the lodges. As a new employee and his wife Shane and I also got to visit each lodge. There are five open now. We were to have a guide and driver who we met at the Thimphu lodge. Our guide was named Tsencho and our driver named Tomgay. They were both very nice. They had worked together in the past so they had a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-253402.html 392639213906385139233954385139044017390638513904401739643906385139103962385139263936395438513928395639233851390540183964392138513923394238513936396439213851394240033908385139363930396439393851392639343954392338513924393639543851 http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-245534.html You may or may not have been wondering what Irsquove been up to lately. Am I settling into my routine in Bhutan What kind of magical things are happening in the Land of the Peaceful DragonAt the end of 2007 I was at the Tarayana Winter workshop in Samtse. The workshop was a training for the Tarayana school clubs from every region of Bhutan. Each participating school sent one teacher and one st http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Thimphu/blog-234886.html