February 2008 Archives

A long weekend visit from Catriona (with Hazel popping up from Clapham) allowing for a girly gossip catch up on Friday evening over Waitrose deli treats, a day out seeing the sights on Saturday, a night out in trendy Smithfield/Farringdon and a spot of Bond Street shopping on Sunday.

Saturday's highlight was a visit to the Natural History Museum to see the Shell Wildlife Photographer of the year exhibition. Luckily all the families queuing to get into the NHM were intent on seeing the dinosaurs. The photos were stunning - almost unbelievably so in the case of the 10 to 14 and 15 to 17 age groups. It was interesting to read how the shots had been captured; some of them seemed rather too staged given the wildlife/nature theme.

Hazel nipped back to Clapham on flat business, and Cat and I walked back through Hyde Park, Green Park and St James's Park to Pall Mall. Beautiful blue skies but a cruel wind... After a late lunch we headed into the National Portrait Gallery to see the Photographic Portrait Prize exhibition - lovely. A very photographic themed day!

Reunited with Hazel, we caught the tube back to base and after a bit of a sit we got glammed up, slurped a chilled glass of wine each and headed out to Smiths of Smithfield. Sadly not a busy as we'd hoped with few opportunities for talent spotting!

After a Hazel-cooked brunch on Sunday morning, we headed over to South Molton Street for some shop shop shopping. Sadly I waved Cat off at Kings Cross without any new purchases. Home on the tube to the Barbican, where the Estate glowed under a brilliant blue sky, with a daytime moon. A prefect opportunity to photograph the towers, the moon, and reflections of both in the Bryer Court pond. Gorgeous.

Feeling in need of a travel-related highlight for the near horizon, I spotted Wild Frontiers' Easter trip to Bhutan.

Hazel proved keen too, and after a recce of the alternatives at the Adventure Travel show, we've booked on the Land of the Thunder Dragon Spring Festival Tour, which is timed to include the Paro Teschu.

Very excited now it's definite!

Destination: Bhutan (and India)

Why: Holiday with Hazel, timed to catch the Paro festival

When: March 2008

How: Land of the Thunder Dragon Spring Festival Tour, with Wild Frontiers:

• Day 1: Depart UK
• Day 2: arr Indira Gandhi International Airport Delhi, onward flight to Baghdogra/Guwahati (dep from IGIA Terminal 1b). Onward travel to India/Bhutan land border crossing at Phuntsholing
  
• Day 3: Phuntsholing - Paro
• Day 4: Paro Festival
• Day 5: Paro Festival - Thimpu
• Day 6: Thimpu: Dechen Prodrung
• Day 7: Thimpu - Wangdue: Huntsho Community Primary School
• Day 8: Wangdue - Punakha - Wangdue
• Day 9: Wangdue - Trongsa - Bumthang
• Day 10: Bumthang
• Day 11: Bumthang - Mongar
• Day 12: Mongar - Trashigang
• Day 13: Trashigang
• Day 14: Trashigang - Guwahati
• Day 15: Guwahati - Calcutta / Kolkata
• Day 16: Calcutta/Kolkata - UK

Information

• Wikipedia: Bhutan
• Wikitravel: Bhutan
• FCO travel advice: Bhutan
• BBC country profile: Bhutan
• Lonely Planet: Bhutan
• Local English language newspaper: Kuensel
• Other websites:
  • www.bootan.com: roadmap, news, travel tips, travelinfo
  • Bhutan travel

Language

• Dzongkha (official language of Bhutan)
• Sharchopkha (major regional language spoken in eastern Bhutan)
• Bumthangkha (regional language of Bumthang area)

Weather

Average temperatures
Source: http://www.bootan.com/bhutan/weather.shtml

Forecasts

• Delhi


• Baghdogra


• Paro


• Thimphu


• Kolkata