Back from Bhutan

Tired, but a great trip – although I wouldn’t rate it as highly as the Hindu Kush Adventure or Iran trips – Bhutan doesn’t quite have the same edge. Plus there was a lot of driving in India at the end, and the Tolly Gunge Club didn’t really provide the ‘high note’ finale. It felt altogether too worldly and self important after a fortnight up in the mountains and high pastures.

Days 4 and 5 were the highlights for me, featuring the Paro festival and the hike up to the Tiger’s Nest. We were there during the country’s first democratic elections, which was fascinating, and I returned with a commemorative calendar, prepared in advance of the Fifth King’s coronation (due to happen this year – no one knows when!) and lots of woven baskets. Oh, and a taste for cheese and chilli dishes, plus a developing daily G+T habit…..!

Returning home to BJH via the ‘new’ St Pancras International has added somewhat to the out of body experience resulting from our 90 minute nap prior to driving across Kolkata to check in (early) for our 4.45am flight, which kept ahead of the dawn all the way back west to London Heathrow. I was a bit of disgruntled ‘customer’ even before we got to the airport. Still, the glamour of St Pancras and a mezze lunch Au Pain Quotidien with Phil, Paul and Jahraj sorted me out!

Work tomorrow. I’m taking my Kings of Bhutan commemorative calendar in for moral support.

(06 July 2008: photos fully Flickred: Bhutan – Land of the Thunder Dragon)

One thought on “Back from Bhutan”

  1. Greetings from Bhutan !
    This kingdom, in the midst of the Eastern Himalayas is in many ways the world’s most exclusive travel destination. BHUTAN, known to the world ,as the Last Shangri-La is tiny kingdom about the size of Switzerland, perched high up on the snow-capped mountains of the Himalayan range. Its 700,000 people with colorful culture, tradition, unique architecture. Peace and tranquility live in this unpolluted habitat. This makes the kingdom a unique Travel destination.

    BHUTAN, is also the Last bastion of Mahayana Buddhism. It is not merely the religion but the way the people live their daily lives. Its rich and diverse flora and fauna earned the world’s recognition as one of the Top 10 Global Hot Spots. Bhutan opened to the outside world only in the 1960s. Planned development was initiated with Gross National Happiness as its development vision. Television and Internet found their way to the country only in 1999. For information on Bhutan visit us at http://www.go2bhutan.com

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