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Published: November 4th 2015
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Our flight from hectic Kathmandu to Bhutan was probably one of our most spectacular flights ever. It was a crystal clear day and we had amazing views of Mt Everest and The Himalayas - sadly it only lasted 1 hour. After the polluted streets of Kathmandu it was a perfect antidote.
The landing into Paro airport was as equally impressive as the plane had to deftly manoeuvre between the steep-sided mountains onto the valley floor. Certainly not a landing for the faint-hearted, but a great experience nevertheless.
Bhutan is such an interesting destination, it is difficult to know where to start: Until the 1960’s it had no roads, automobiles, telephone, postal system or electricity, and the first foreign tourists were not allowed in until 1974. It is regarded as one of the most isolated nations in the world and rather than using GDP as an economic index, Bhutan measures its overall “health” through Gross National Happiness or GNH.
The government is very keen to preserve local customs & traditions. Consequently one of the most distinctive features of the Bhutanese is their traditional dress. Men wear the Gho, a knee-length robe somewhat resembling a kimono tied at the waist
and women wear the Kira, a long, ankle-length dress accompanied by a light outer jacket.
Although our first day included visiting various fortresses and monasteries, it was the sheer natural beauty of the surrounding forested Himalayan foothills that was breathtaking. Due to the lack of modern development the whole area is simply beautiful. One of the day's highlights was being blessed by a monk with holy water at Rinpung Dzong (one of Bhutan's most well-known Buddhist monasteries).
After a couple of days acclimatising we set off for the Chelela Pass, which at 3,998 metres above sea level was to be the highest point of our trip. It was quite a challenging hike due to the high altitude, but we were rewarded by magnificent views and on our way we visited the Kila Gompa – a nunnery perched on a steep cliff face at 3,500 metres. At the top of the pass we were greeted with the sight of thousands & thousands of prayer flags. Afterwards we had a fantastic al fresco lunch on the side of the mountain – our hotel had sent a van with rice & various curries, and we were served by our wonderful waiters
while we admired the scenery.
During our stay in the Haa Valley we had a 10km walk along the banks of the Haa river and witnessed everyday village life. It was a fascinating insight into Bhutanese society. We happened to stumble upon a group of lads playing darts (Bhutanese style) in a field, and they asked us if we would like to have a go. It was so different to what we expected: the actual darts are about 3 or 4 times as large as normal, the throwing distance was 33 metres, and the target area was about 12''x6''. Needless to say we were all rubbish!
After 3 days in the idyllic countryside it was quite a culture shock to arrive at the capital, Thimpu. With a population of over 100,000 it was a complete contrast to the small towns & villages we had visited – we were very happy we only had two days there. However, whilst there we did manage to have a commemorative set of Bhutanese stamps produced with our picture on it – how crazy is that?
A hike up to Chagri Monastery (near to the quirkily named Tango Monastery) at 2,800m was
quite challenging and left us short of breath. We decided to reward ourselves with a boiled sweet, but were immediately surrounded by a herd of goats who heard the rustle of the sweet wrappers – needless to say, we beat a hasty retreat. The monastery is now a meditation centre where 40 monks take 3 years & 3 months out of their lives to remain in silence. Obviously, we didn't ask for permission to stay!
Another day, another dzong! Next stop was Punakha Dzong, constructed in 1637 it is the second oldest and second largest dzong (monastery) in Bhutan. The meaning of it's full title is "the palace of great happiness" and it was positioned in a majestic setting, located at the confluence of two rivers and surrounded by lush countryside. The monks were chanting and playing musical instruments. The overall sound was very hypnotic & trance like – so much so that a couple of young monks had fallen asleep.
The mid-way point of our trip was most memorable for all the wrong reasons. The day started promisingly, but due to a rock slide on the only road going our way, the journey of 129km took 13
hours to complete. Because of Bhutan's mountainous terrain, all of the roads are very windy & narrow. In fact the longest stretch of straight road anywhere in the country is said to be the airport runway at Paro.
At Trongsa Dzong (yes, another dzong!) we were lucky enough to arrive during an archery competition. Archery is the national sport of Bhutan, and like darts it is played just a little bit differently: the length of the shooting distance is a whopping 145m. We watched in awe as time after time the archers hit the minuscule target from all that distance away.
Whilst staying in the Bumthang Valley we were lucky enough to witness part of the four- day Jambay Lhakhang 'Fire Dance' festival. After the fire blessing dance rituals we were stunned to watch hundreds of mad locals (and a few crazy foreigners) running through a raging, burning arch of fir trees (liberally doused with kerosene) – how anybody was not burned or scarred for life will remain a mystery.
During a lull between tribal dances we sat chatting to a small group of monks who also wanted us to join in with them playing football (we
kindly declined). Buddhist Monks in Bhutan are very different to elsewhere: they play football, drive cars, do manual labour and they all seem to have smart-phones.
After the festival we had lunch at a local farmhouse, where we sampled yak-butter tea (yuk), local spirit 'ara' (too strong) and locally made strawberry wine (very nice). We then all had a go at Bhutanese darts and archery – not a very good idea after all that booze. The only 'almost' accident was a very near miss with an arrow and the farmhouse cat!
Can you believe it? On our way back across the country back to Paro we were held up again with another rock slide! Not quite so bad this time as dynamite wasn't required to shift the rocks (just a couple of JCB's). This time it only took 12½ hours to cover a distance of 197km - so at least the drives are getting quicker!
On our last day, we climbed up to the Tigers Nest Monastery in Paro. Situated in a (literally) breathtaking location on a vertical cliff edge. At 3,100m it was a tough hike, but a great challenge and a fitting end to our
2 weeks in Bhutan.
All in all, Bhutan has been an amazing experience. Where the road conditions have been taxing, but the scenery and friendliness of the local people has been truly memorable. Well worth a visit!
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Gilly Grundy
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Sounds marvellous!!
You've totally made me want to go there! Though DG and I are still paying for our 3 months off in the summer! Hope you boys are well, sounds like you're still having a marvellous life, fair play to you both. Lots of love. Gilly xxx