Bhutan

1. I pulled a “Gerry” travelling here and I’m glad I did. My flight aboard Bhutan Airlines was scheduled to depart from Kathmandu at 10:20 AM. It should take about 30 minutes to get to the airport. Given the chaotic traffic situation, I decided to leave the hotel early - 7:00 AM! The driver made good time, and we actually arrived before 7:30 AM. I checked in, went through immigration and security and arrived at the gate around 8:00 AM. I settled down for an almost 2-hour wait till boarding time. Yep - typical me.

3. Wow - that was close! And I wouldn’t have been on this flight if I hadn’t arrived at the airport early. So there!! #1

Many years ago, I flew into the old Hong Kong Airport, and that was a pretty hair-raising experience. Flying into Paro Airport in Bhutan is genuinely exceptional. Pilots must be primarily licensed to fly into Paro because the plane must come in over mountain tops and then swerve sharply to the left to enter a narrow valley where the airport is situated.

Whew - made it!
Take a close look at picture #3!

5. Disembarked in 10 °C clear weather and no pollution. The airport was very clean, and my baggage arrived promptly. I exited the arrivals lobby #5 and met Thinley, my Bhutanese travel agent. We drove for about 10 minutes to the home she and her husband own on a hillside not far from the airport - and where I will be staying during my time in Bhutan. #6 Her husband, Pasang, #9 greeted me and showed me my room. I looked out and thoroughly enjoyed the surroundings. #7 I knew I would like my visit to Bhutan!

6. Pasang and Thinley live in a very nice house situated on 5 acres. There is also a guest house with three bedrooms. My room is next to the kitchen, where most of the cooking is done on a wooden stove. #8 To say that I am being well taken care of would be a colossal understatement.

7. Subsequently, we drove to “town” - in this instance, Paro, which is about an hour from Thimphu, the capital. Walked around, had lunch at a small bistro, visited the local museum #10 and entered my first monastery #s11-17 - very clean, well-maintained and a pleasant ambience. By late afternoon, we were back in Pasang and Thinley's house. Great start to my Bhutan visit!

8. My first impression of Bhutan was very positive - everybody speaks English, people are polite and seem happy with their lot, and driving is actually a very civilized activity. By the way, polygamy is legal here - the previous king married four sisters in one ceremony and had 10 children by them. However, as equality is often a matter of perspective, women are also allowed to have more than one husband, and this situation actually exists!

9. The next morning, Pasang and I got up early and went on a hike for about an hour to a nearby small monastery. Nice views! Throughout our discussion, we addressed a range of issues currently affecting Bhutan.

10. After breakfast, it was off to Thimphu - significantly bigger than Paro but just as clean, and the drivers are considerate of pedestrians. I was shown the Government Centre and the adjoining royal palace, a small two-storey building located next to the Government Centre #18, which was extremely unpretentious.

11. A visit to a nunnery was most interesting, with a couple of nuns playing a sort of badminton game, #s 19 & 20 a handicraft centre (one man was creating exquisite wood carvings with his feet!) #s 21 & 22 and a nice little restaurant where Thinley and I had lunch. #23

14. The next morning, Thinley and I set out for the monastery Nye chen Dongkarla, which was significantly damaged in a recent earthquake and for which Thinley is funding the restoration. It stands on the hilltop between the Paro and Thimphu valleys in a sacred meadow on the mountain, situated at an elevation of about 3655 meters above sea level and approximately 18 kilometres from the nearest main road. The road from the highway to the monastery is 16 km long and ALL of it is tortuous, full of potholes (big ones!) and protruding rocks. There are many hairpin turns - often with a precipitous drop on one side and no protective barrier! #s 32-40

12. We then visited the main dzong (residence of monks, which also houses offices of the local governance) - very impressive! #s 24-26

We finished our visit to Thimphu by going to the top of a nearby hill to see “The World’s Largest Sitting Buddha”. Singaporeans are funding this endeavour. It's truly impressive, and the view of the valley from the plaza is very pleasing. #27-30

13. Dinner was most welcome - prepared in the kitchen with Pasang and Thinley playing a role in the process. #31 There was a lot of conversation and nice camaraderie, making for a wonderful evening.

15. Whew! Somehow, we made it. Seeing the monastery for the first time from the road at a considerable distance revealed that it had a singular perch with a 360-degree view of its surroundings. The name “Dongkola” roughly means “Face‑to‑Face Pass,” reflecting the visual alignment. On clear days, the site offers breathtaking views of various mountain ranges, including Mount Kanchenjunga. Trekking there used to require a 4-hour uphill hike, but now it's accessible via a rough feeder road - as in "very rough!"

16. Apart from visiting the monastery while having a memorable evening and sleepover, the hope had been to see a gorgeous sunset and sunrise. Alas, such was not to be - the fog rolled in as we arrived, and by the time we left the next morning, it was pea soup in its thickness.

20. The road between Thimphu and the Indian border is being significantly widened and improved. However, at this point, there are many sections where the road is only one lane wide, which creates hazardous driving conditions, especially when a large truck is approaching from the other direction. Nevertheless, the views are spectacular - that is, when there is no fog. We hit a patch of very dense fog on one stretch, and it was nerve-racking to be perched so high on the side of a mountain while being able to see barely a few meters ahead. Hope you enjoy the pictures numbered #s 55 - 57

2. However, the fellow who had checked me in came running into the waiting area, found me and exclaimed that the flight had been cancelled! CANCELLED - YIKES!!! However, there was a Druk Air flight leaving at 9:15 AM, and I could be transferred to that - baggage and all. (Only two airlines are flying into Bhutan: Bhutan Airlines (privately owned) and Royal Bhutan Air or Druk Air (government-owned)). Ran back to the check-in counter, did all the paperwork, re-ticketed the suitcase and went through immigration and security again. Arrived at the designated gate (#5) only to find out that they were already boarding the flight at #2!! Ran again, got onto the last bus leaving for the airplane and sat down at my seat. Almost immediately, the plane began to move, and soon we were airborne.

17. Nevertheless, visiting the monastery and its adjoining buildings, watching a monk prepare dinner over a wood stove, eating a “monk meal”, and sleeping in an unheated room (temperature = 0 °C) all made for a most interesting and enjoyable stay at the monastery. #s 41-46

22. I found it fascinating that Phuentsholing is a peaceful city with minimal pollution, courteous drivers, and an overall ambiance of serenity. As soon as one crosses into Jaygaon, India, the activity is frenetic, the number of people milling about increases dramatically, and the air is polluted. Amazing what a few metres can do!

21. The next morning, I was driven to Bagdogra Airport by an Indian driver — approximately 4 hours from the Bhutan-Indian gateway. From there, I will catch my flight to Kolkata, where I will attend Calcutta Rescue meetings.

18. The next morning, we drove down that wonderful(?) road again and headed to Eagles' Nest (http://www.travelingsolemates.com/bhutan-the-hike-to-the-tigers-nest-monastery/). It's also referred to as "Tiger's Nest monastery".The walk up to it is extremely taxing #47 - all the more so since it begins at an elevation of 2,450 metres and ends at 3,000 metres. For those of us who live in an area with an elevation almost at sea level, this becomes very demanding.

19. Finally, on my last day in Bhutan, we set out for the south and the gateway to India. Actually, this is only one of 4 gateways Bhutan has with the outside world - all 4 with India. The border with China is completely closed. Stayed in Phuentsholing, the economic capital of the country - ALL goods entering Bhutan by road come through this checkpoint.

23. After spending the better part of a week in Bhutan, I highly recommend visiting here for anyone in the area. It is a little expensive but not overly so. The reason it is expensive is that the government charges $65 USD per day to anyone visiting here. That money goes to the healthcare system, which is entirely free to all citizens. However, a traveller might also want to consider this money as a health insurance policy, since if they fall ill or have an accident while here, their medical needs will be taken care of at no cost.

24. One final point: Bhutan is squeezed in between two giants - China and India, and these two countries don’t get along. Either one of these countries could militarily “conquer” Bhutan in an hour, if that long. Therefore, how does Bhutan manage its independence? It keeps India happy by having a closed border with China, and it keeps China happy by not allowing the Dalai Lama to come here. Now, that’s diplomacy at its best! President Trump - please take note!!

Au revoir from the land of happiness.

4. As we approached Bhutan, I spotted the Himalayas. #2

As we continued toward the airport, I began to take in the Bhutanese landscape. It looked peaceful and civilized #4

After 1-½ hours, Thinley and I arrived at a cafeteria - slightly more than halfway to the Nest. I decided to call it a day - especially since the next part was not only equally strenuous but also dangerous. Additionally, by the time we would arrive (1:00 PM), the temple would be closed for the next two hours. So, it was "no go". Nevertheless, I could see the location and appreciate the attractiveness of the Eagle's Nest. #s 48 - 54