http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Asia , Bhutan en-us Thu, 12 Nov 09 21:12:01 +0000 Thu, 12 Nov 09 21:12:01 +0000 This year has travelled more than I have and faster.Only two months left for the Raffle Quiz.Here's are new RQs 11.1 What is the national bird of Bhutan11.2 What year were USA advisors first sent to Vietnam11.3 Lo Muthang where http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Trashigang/blog-450519.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 Learnt about the Wheel of Life at Punakha Dzong today. In summary the Wheel of Life is driven by the hub of 3 poisons snake depicting jealousy and hatred cock depicting greed and pig depicting Ignorance. These corrupt us from within which determines the cause and effect of lives. The 3 poisons are surrounded by the six world which sentient beings take rebirth. They comprises of god demig http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Punakha/blog-447805.html Atypical tour. It's not about tourist attractions shopping souvenir shops etc... It's all about the simplicity of life the warmth of the people the unspoilt nature and the colourful culture. We were lucky to have a wonderful guide who included little side programmes to enhance our overall experience. It was like visiting friends' friends feeling very relaxed and safe. We visited the wee http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Paro/blog-447785.html Planned for a 3 days nottoodifficult trek starting from Phobjika Valley to Wangdue.My 2 travel mates were most worried about what to wear and how to go toilet... I was extremely shocked to hear that Mich wore her pyjamas pants beneath her Columbia pants to keep warm So hilarious... glad she finally decided to take it off before we embark on the journey.Our entourage was impressive For jus http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Phobjika-Valley/blog-447768.html Hello EveryoneWell here we are in Trashigang Eastern Bhutan. Since I last blogged in Thimphu we have travelled approx 600km across the country on what must be the windiest narrowest but most beautiful road in the world.....The No 1 highway basically runs through the middle of the country from Thimphu the capital to Trashigang where we are now. As I think I may have already mentioned Bh http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Trashigang/blog-440447.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 Christmas is a spectacular time to travel in the Himalaya Bright blue skies give way to spectacular views of the snowcapped mountains. Although the weather is cool it is very comfortable for being out and about. Just in time for the holiday season Village Tours and Treks has created a tour that offers classic sightseeing homestays and a festival on Christmas Day. It's a great way to experi http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/blog-439648.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 kulturschock im positiven sinn... ich wollte es siegfried nicht glauben als er mir das vor dem abflug nach bhutan prophezeite aber er hatte recht behalten.bhutan ist ein echtes kontrastprogramm zu nepal und insbesondere kathmandu es ist so friedlich so schoen das klima so angenehm so sauber die luft so klar die menschen total nett die wohl einzige aehnlichkeit mit nepal das essen reichh http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/blog-421974.html Bhutan adventure and Travel with Tashi Gongphel Tours based in Thimphu the capital city of Bhutan. It is registered with the Tourism Council of Bhutan licensed by Royal Government of Bhutan and a member of ABTO Association of Bhutanese Tour Operators. About BhutanKingdom of BhutanName of the country Bhutan ldquoThe land of Thunder DragonrdquoLanguageDzongkhanational languageArea http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/blog-407559.html I entered Bhutan by land from the Indian border. I was a bit nervous going in as to whether it would work because everyone in India from the tour agency employees to government immigration folks insisted that I needed to meet either a travel agent or my host at the border who would bring a copy of the visa. This sounded bogus to me but it did make me wary. To cross between the countries yo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/blog-404847.html Our last installment comes after our return to the States but it is of a land well worth sharing about. Many people donrsquot even know where Bhutan is or that it even exists. It is a small country about the size of Switzerland surrounded by eastern India on three sides and China on the northern border. It is a newly democratic society who given the opportunity to elect anybody to gover http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/blog-402783.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 Bhutan Adventure with Tashi Gongphel Tours which provides various bhutan tour packages for more details visit us at www.bhutanvisitors.com http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/blog-400858.html Now finally the last instalment of my travel accounts ldquoOne Year Offldquo. Of course itrsquos not the end of the year yet I have just a little more than two months before I need to go back to work and Irsquoll be going on another short trip at the end of this week but thatrsquos only within Europe the Pyrenees to be exact and that doesnrsquot really seem to count. Why http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Paro/blog-399212.html ...just a few more that I couldn't resist uploading too... http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/blog-381828.html The second night of the trek we camped on a school playground. This was the school in the village of Adha the first sign of human habitation wersquod seen in twentyfour hours six hoursrsquo walk away from the nearest doctor and where electricity is at best generatordriven thatrsquos if someone has managed to get enough fuel for the generator here by mule. The schoolrsquos catchm http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/blog-381812.html Imagine a Switzerland cut off from the rest of the world until very recently where internet and television have been permitted only in the last ten years where 19 languages are spoken by a population smaller than that of Glasgow where more than 600 species of orchid and more than 50 species of rhododendron grow where the monarchrsquos crown features a bird not jewels and where Buddhism suff http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/blog-380114.html