The road from west to east- the long road home to T/gang

Stage 1- Thimphu to Trongsa: 80kms as the crow flies, 200kms on the road and 7½ hours.

Driver #1 was a young speed demon, who didn’t really start off on the right foot with us. After confirming that we were leaving at 7am twice with him before the day of departure he still managed to arrive almost an hour late in the true tradition of BST. (Bhutanese Stretchable Time) Then having loaded the luggage into his small Suzuki Alto, he proceeded to request more money for the journey and we were about to start searching for another driver when he begrudgingly took to the wheel.

At the immigration checkpoint just outside the capital my spirits were lifted by recognizing the officer checking our paperwork. He was a key goal-scoring player in the Sherubste College soccer team that won the Royal Wedding Cup in 2011at Rangjung and I recognized him immediately. He also recognized us and was charming. Not only did he efficiently stamp our road permit but he also walked us back to the car wishing us a safe journey.

Not long after that we made a brief stop at Dochu La. No matter how many times we see those chortens we cannot fail to be impressed. However this time the clouds completely obstructed the view across the valley to the mountains beyond. Though we knew they were there, the sheer drop at the cliff face was a sea of clouds and the mountains were completely obscured.

Our next stop was unexpected and the reason behind it was something of a surprise. It is unusual to see huge trees felled and lying by the side of the road here in nature loving Bhutan but when we joined the line up of waiting vehicles that was exactly our visual. The sounds of even more gigantic trees crashing to the ground confirmed for us that this was definitely a scheduled event. We assumed that widening the road was the reason behind the felling. By the time the line of vehicles got mobile again our driver was obsessed with making up for lost time and went into racing car mode and from that point on we didn’t dare request any other stops for fear of the consequences.

He suggested a stop for lunch at Nobding and we were more than happy to take a break from the treacherous roads and his reckless driving. I also took the opportunity to photograph the local artwork on the walls of general stores and houses in the town while we waited for lunch to be prepared. In record time we were back in the vehicle and off once again. Just outside the town we stopped to present a local farmer with a paper cone of doma (betel nut) and were told that he was the father of a friend of the driver. Another 10 minutes down the road that very friend joined us in the vehicle so that the driver would not return to Thimphu alone in the dark.

Although we had planned to stop en route to deliver some groceries to one of the teachers in Tshangkha, we were unable to spot her on the roadside and for fear of inducing our driver greater feats of daring, we simply handed them over to a uniform wearing student in the proximity of her school. He claimed to know Miss Sarah and that was good enough for us. She later confirmed that she did indeed receive them so all’s well that ends well.

It was late afternoon when we were deposited at the front door of the Tashi Ninjay Guesthouse and we were delighted to be in Trongsa alive and well and gladly paid Driver #1 his pre-negotiated fee!

Trongsa is a really lovely town with spectacular scenery and in a great location as it is so accessible to many other regions and towns as well as being a significant capital of a district with a spectacular Dzong. From the roadside above town and facing that magnificent Dzong, we flew some prayer flags calling for peace as they flap in the wind and release their blessings, with our thoughts focused on one of my former colleagues in Australia, Marie Shane. 

Monkeys prowl the town and are clever thieves in Trongsa. We spent an evening with the BCF teacher placed there and delivered a few treats from the capital to him but by far the highlight of that stop along the way was going out to see some of my former students from Rangjung.

Stage #1b Trongsa to Taktse to Trongsa: 20kms and one hour each way each way.

It involved another driver and journey to reach Taktse Higher Secondary School. This time we selected our driver carefully and he drove sedately over the worst roads we have seen thus far in Bhutan without incident. We even saw a front end loader lifting the back of an articulated truck around the bends to align the cabin and trailer as the wheel base was longer than the stretches of road it was negotiating! We patiently waited for this maneuvering before we too negotiated those narrow, slippery, muddy bends. 

It was a delight to see and chat with several former RHSS students at THSS. I got a big kick out of hearing about their future plans and what has transpired since I left. They are all students who didn't qualify for class XI but as I understand it and I may be wrong- since their grades were good in the arts subjects and it was science subjects that were the stumbling block and their scores only slightly below the standard needed they have been given the chance to study class XI in a special program which is only Dzongkha (the national language) and English and will lead them to careers in translation, language teaching or cultural positions in Bhutan. It is the only such program in the country and a rare opportunity. Many are first time boarders and were delighted to see the sweets and chocolates I had for them. It was a lovely afternoon and we were so glad we braved the roads to get out to them.

Stage 2 Trongsa to Chumey: 20kms as the crow flies, about 60kms on the road and 2 hours.

Driver # 2 was an informative chatterbox, who had no intention of arriving in less then the 2 hours he had predicted that the journey would take and despite the car’s almost complete lack of suspension; we enjoyed the ride and the non stop conversation. Those 2 most dangerous of topics: politics and religion, were his mainstays. He was thrilled to tell us that the newly elected Prime Minister was exactly what Bhutan needed and outlined in detail all his wonderful plans and the excellent qualities, which made him ideal for the job. Our confession that we had no particular religious convictions puzzled him and despite many attempts to distract him, he returned to that topic again and again throughout the journey.  We admired the views and arrived with perfect timing at the Chisholm family’s residence in Chumey central Bhutan.

The next 3 days evaporated in no time chatting in rapid fire Aussie English and comparing experiences and impressions of Bhutan. It was gratifying to realize that many of our opinions and concerns were identical despite the very big differences in locations, schools and grades. 

We divided our time almost exactly equally between attending class 2 lessons with Andrea and assisting wherever possible and hanging out with Bob and the boys playing, reading and exploring.

Without the assistance of Pema Dawa from the River Lodge in Bumthang, we would certainly still be in Chumey. After several failed attempts at finding a taxi driver willing to drive the long haul to Trashigang in one day, Pema came to the rescue and arranged the deal for us.

Stage 3 Chumey to Tashigang: Chumey to Trashigang 85kms as the crow flies, about 300kms on the road and 10 hours.

Driver # 3 was a careful driver and a true gentleman, who arrived promptly, and focused all his attention on the road and kept up a steady safe pace for the entire journey. He had good reason be so attentive because as the day progressed he drove through glaring sun just after dawn, thick blinding fog and the clouds as we climbed higher and higher, torrential rain, washed out roads, mud, landslides blocking the road and then clear blue skies and burning heat in Mongar and T/gang.

I had forgotten how dramatically the landscape changes as you venture farther east but this trip was perfect, slowly revealing the changes.

There is something about the east of Bhutan. As you drive out of Bumthang and cross the river you begin a real adventure. The regiments of old, tall, ramrod straight trees draped with Old Man's Beard stand guard over the east's treasures. To pass there is to enter another world where views give way to vistas. The landscape speaks of time immemorial, of nature undisturbed where people are tolerated only as long as we take enough care as any false step could end in disaster. Gravity is unconcerned with what or whom it attracts. The sentinel like spruce trees finally give way to broad leaf forests and lush undergrowth. It seems that if you stood still too long the forest tendrils would seek you out, wind around you and draw you in to their verdant mass. In the east the mountains seem higher, the valleys deeper, the sides steeper, the peaks sharper. The view seems endless with interlocking spurs, shaped by the power of the rivers over millennia, disappearing into the misty distance.

The roads in the east cling more precariously to the mountainsides than those in the west. After passing through Ura and Sengor you descend towards Mongar. As you travel you see enormous Rhododendron bushes as big as trees and eventually neem and guava alongside citrus and other fruit trees.

We stopped briefly for tea just before Thrumsing La and once we reached the pass we strung up some prayer flags before continuing on our way. I was thinking of a former student of mine now studying in university and hoping that these flags flying high in the Himalayas would help her achieve high scores and excel in her chosen field. These  were for you Shirley Curtis.

A brief lunch stop in Mongar started with a flurry of messages from BCFers congregating in Trashigang for a reunion and that heightened our excitement and anticipation. 

Along the way we collected the new Yadi teacher who wanted to join us all in T/gang. But I cannot pass through or even think about Yadi without remembering Scott our dear friend and a member of the 2011 intake just like us. Just as passing through Mongar will always bring 2 other fellow BCfers and nomadic wanderers, Julia and Charly to mind, even though they are now beginning their new adventure in Japan.

The sight of the golden roof of the Trashigang Dzong marked our arrival back to where our Bhutan adventure really began over two years ago.

I must say it does feel nice to be home.

reflections on returning

After several months of anticipation, we returned to Bhutan three days ago. Someone told, me it would feel like coming home and I didn’t quite believe but it I do now.

It is funny how your perspective changes. When we arrived in Thimphu for the first time in January 2011, I thought it was charming and so nice that there was a traditional feel about the city itself. Circled by mountains, often with fog and mist hovering in the background and open and friendly in every respect. Cars stop for pedestrians and people smile and assist not just tourists but each other. It was not just that so many people, old and young alike were wearing traditional clothes and that it was evident they were proud of their culture. There was something intangible that made it feel warts and all a place that had got its values in the right place.  Yes the litter, the howling packs of dogs and the make a buck quick mentality were there too but the capital seemed to be moving forward with a sense of place and civic pride.

At the time I returned from a year of living in the “far east” my impression was completely different. I was wowed by the prospect of the choices available at dinner: pizza, burgers, chips, real coffee and other such little luxuries unavailable for so long but I was also disappointed. Those concrete copies of traditional structures with all their beautiful art work just can’t compare to the 100-year old wood, stone and rammed earth or mud brick authentic versions in the country side, villages and towns. Those arrogant youth with their low slung jeans and loud aggression on the streets at night were a shock after the more respectful, albeit fashion conscious youth of the east. The rampant development of the suburbs and the many more cars, taxis and public buses adding to the noise and chaos of a city growing too fast were unwelcome. We had been told it would feel like New York after so long in the ‘bush’ but no this was not the big apple.

Those impressions basically repeated themselves in 2012.  We had left for the winter break and the high-rise, glass and bright lights of Bangkok and other Asian adventures brought home that Thimphu had got a lot of it right. It was still small, accessible, friendly and had a unique Bhutanese flavor. But by the time we were bidding goodbye to the Land of the Thunder Dragon at the end of that year, we had come full circle again. Love the pizza, but who under 18 and not at school, wears traditional dress anymore? Development was rearing its ugly head in all kinds of unlikely places. Don’t get me wrong a convenient modern lifestyle is definitely worth having. Road access, running water, sewerage, electricity who doesn’t deserve them? But was this really considered progress or run away development at any cost?

When we arrived this time I felt immediately at home. Eyes wide at the vistas we remember so well, smiling broadly at those ubiquitous prayer flags flapping, and hearts warmed by the fields of rural splendor on the drive from the airport to the capital. We couldn’t stop grinning while walking around familiar old haunts on our first afternoon here and yet again millions of smiles and instant assistance even when you hadn’t realized that was what you needed, greeted us. In a city this size it is still possible to be walking along and someone to stop their car in the middle of the road to say hi and not only not cause a traffic jam, a chorus of honking horns or even a shout from the other road users but to have to be reminded that they should possibly keep driving and we will catch up again later. This is exactly what happened to us not 2 hours after hitting the streets for the first exploration.

I am in love with this country and have no right to comment on Thimphu’s progress or anything else for that matter. I have lost count of the number of times an observation in America, Australia, Thailand, Tanzania, Myanmar or Laos has begun with, “But in Bhutan…” in the months since we left. So go right head Bhutan teach me a few more lessons on how to get life into perspective and retain what’s worth having and reject what you don’t consider suitable. I’ve still got a lot to learn and hopefully a lot to give too. 

Druk Dreaming

Day minus 1 (and counting...)

I am already dreading the morning.

The alarm is set for 0315 and the taxi booked for 4 am.  Druk Air changed our flight from a lovely non stopper, albeit leaving BKK at 4 something, to a one stopper leaving at 6.50am. This has necessitated a further night in Bangkok. originally as check in is at least two hours before departure, we thought that we could have had a late check out and hung about at Suvanabhumi Airport until we could actually board with the first flight.

We are booked into the R Penjor Lodge in Thimphu for four nights and from there the world, in the form of Bhutan, is our oyster.

Now its is morning, Day 2. Day 1 was excellent aside from the very early rise and absolute maniacal taxi driver from the Aspen Hotel in Bangkok to the airport at around 4 in the morning. He drove at expressway speeds on the suburban streets. We were hanging on for dear life I can tell you.

Once at the airport we headed straight to the Druk Air check in counter which is at Row W, way down the far end of the Departures Hall, it would be at Row Z if there were one! Our hearts dropped as we realised the knot of eager checker inners were in fact at our check in counter.

Talk about baggage, I was convinced our plane would be needing a trailer!!! People had boxes labelled,'Genuine Toyota Spare Parts.' I kid you not, one man had a full windscreen for a Toyota Prado along with many, many other boxes of bits and pieces.  Then there were the professional shoppers who had at least 3 trolleys a piece and who had to keep leaving the queue for that one more little thing so as the queue moved their co-shoppers had to shuffle up and down their road trains of stuff pushing each trolley just a little bit closer to check in!!! Rice cookers, curry cookers, flat screen TVs, laptop computers and sundry other electrical and household items. It must be a pretty pricey way to source these things as the Druk Air person told us that excess baggage was THB 175, or 5 or 6 dollars per kilo. I guess it must make good economic sense as our flight, KB 141, certainly had hundreds of kilos of excess stuff.

The flight was fortunately uneventful enough and we landed at Paro after the carnival ride like approach to the landing strip there. Glad to be back onTerra Firma we completed our arrival procedures and contracted a taxi to take us to Thimphu. I am glad Karma had told us the regular price as we knew our man was trying to overcharge us by a couple of hundred but he was happy enough to accept our offer of 1,000 ngultrums, or about 15 dollars for the 45 km trip.

The Bhutanese currency is pegged to the Indian Rupee and is currently languishing in the doldrums of foreign exchange. For us the silver lining is that we are getting around Nu 60 to the Aussie dollar whereas a year ago it was less that 50.

The sweet smell of the pine trees was my first real physical impression of being back in Bhutan. As we motored toward Thimphu the waft of pine needles cleared our heads and allowed us to see the surrounding countryside more sharply. It felt GREAT to be back. The houses, the temples the impossibly placed prayer flags, the Tata trucks, the dogs, the people, the roadside fruit and veggie sellers, the man and boy walking two cows along the side of the road and on and on.

 Suddenly, or so it seemed, we were in the capital, Thimphu. We had seen some pretty major housing development just before getting to the main urban area so Thimphu is growing and developing apace along with most other major Asian cities. We felt it an extremely good omen when a parking space opened up directly in front of our hotel and we parted company with our by now, new friend, Gopal, and promised we would call if we needed his taxi services again.

We were warmly greeted by the owner of the hotel who had reserved us the best room in the house with a great view over the main street of town. The traffic is consistent but quite slow moving so manoeuvring across the street is not too daunting, the cars sometimes even stop at pedestrian crossings unlike in many other places where drivers seem to have no idea just what those funny white lines on the road are for. 

After checking in and catching up we headed out into the fray to start on our list of things to do. New Kira for Vicky, check, find tailor for new blouse and jacket, check, new sim card for the phone, check, new data stick for mobile internet connection, check, lunch and a breather, check, new Gho for me, check! OMG we are doing so much and accomplishing tasks left right and centre!

After the floor attendant of the hotel finished 'making water' in our room (not quite as biological as it sounds, more a plumbing solution really...) we were able to wash off the dust of travel, refresh and once more head out in the now cool Thimphu evening for a spot of dinner and bottle of their finest Druk 11. 

We have now survived night 1 'in country' and aside from the barking of the hoards of hounds have awoken no worse for wear, come on day 2.

oNe PhOtO a DaY fOr AuGuSt

THE PROMPTS FOR THE MONTH

1.SOMETHING BEGINNING WITH N: novice in Sukhothai

2. INCOMPLETE: only after reading the final page of this book, yesterday did I discover that the story is incomplete as it is the first volume of a quartet!

3. SKYLINE: This skyline could only be in Thailand

4. FRESH: straight from one of the markets in Khon Kaen. I love that all the basics for a delicious Thai meal can be bought as a single item at the markets all over Thailand; Fresh lemongrass, ginger, chillis and kaffir lime leaves!

 5. EARLY: usual hive of activity at the bus station when we were an hour early for our departure this morning

6. THIS MEANS A LOT TO ME: remembering the anniversary (today August 6th) of the bombing of Hiroshima  and where I lived for 8 years. Only by remembering will we prevent this kind of tragedy ever happening again 
“May Peace Prevail on Earth” 
Photo taken by me in 2005- the A-bomb Dome - a world Heritage Site. 

7. A SIGN: taken a few days ago in Sukhothai but this sign just made us giggle and we did actually eat there!

8. PEEK-A-BOO: this vendor was peeking out from behind her hat and mask today in the New Pakse Morning Market

9. 2 O’CLOCK: was noodle o’clock for us

10. BEVERAGE: after a sweaty 5-hour ride on the local bus, and wandering the streets in the blazing sun in Savannakhet there is nothing quite like a cold beer as the torrential monsoon rain thunders down on the roof- even if I am usually a wine girl

11. I LOVE DOING THIS: wandering in unknown territory camera in hand and seeing what presents itself – credit to Ian for taking the photo today

12. MACRO: 2,000 kip note and the bell from my money purse. I have bells on all my bags and purses. They are the best insurance ever because they ring if anyone touches them. It once saved me from losing my entire rucksack on an Italian train when the bell rang while I was sleeping and I have done it ever since. Now have a collection of bells from many of the places we have travelled to as well.

13. FAST: This was about the maximum speed our VIP bus to Vientiane managed today. Given the road conditions and other transport we were glad it never got any faster. Thanks to Ian’s speedbox app on his iPhone and the screenshot we were able to monitor just how fast we were going.

14. TRASH: It was there in a back alley in Vientiane when we arrived and it is still there now! I guess we should feel glad that it is actually in a bin considering how much we have seen strewn about the countryside and city streets recently!

15. THE BEST: example of restored colonial architecture we have spotted in Vientiane. Of course, it’s owned by a bank. Who else could afford it?

16. COOKING:  street side cooking in Vientiane

17. EXERCISE: public aerobics on the Mekong riverside is a daily event here in Vientiane

18. SOMEONE YOU SPOKE TO TODAY: I had the same “conversation” I’ve had with 5 or 6 such drivers everyday since we’ve been here.

He says, “Tuk Tuk.”

I say, “ No thanks.”

Nonetheless he is still smiling.

19. LOST: I’ve always loved a map and I rarely get lost but this freebie amused me with the biggest writing labeling things you were pretty unlikely to be trying to get to in the city- Sandbar? well yes we can see that and Thailand?

20. STAIRS: stylish stairs leading to a flash hotel and spa in Vang Vieng

21. SLOW: with monsoon rain it was a slow day sitting around and playing ziltch for us

22. A ROOM: our room in a heritage restored old wooden guesthouse with a view of the Nam Kham River in Luang Prabang- yes the Laos have caught the Thai disease of folding towels into elephants in the name of hospitality!!

23. YELLOW: gorgeous mushrooms in the morning market in Luang Prabang – inspired me to order a Laotian dish containing them at dinner too. Delicious!

24. IN THE BACKGROUND: the sweeping roof of the Vat Xieng Thong in focus in the background

25. CULTURE: the monks’ morning alms collection is an intrinsic part of the Buddhist culture of Lao

26. ENTRANCE: side entrance to Vat Aham in Luang Prabang

27. 10 MINUTES FROM HOME: I struggled with this, as home is actually over 7,000 kilometers from Luang Prabang where I am now! So for the purpose of this the Saynamkham Hotel is home for the moment and the Royal Palace Museum where this interior was shot is just 10 minutes from there.

28. CORRIDOR: This is the corridor of the beautifully restored colonial style hotel on the Nam Kham River where we are currently staying

29. LUCKY: Throughout Asia elephants are symbols of luck, especially if their trunks are in the air, so I guess that Erawan is three times as lucky!

(Actually the three headed elephant is known as Erawan in both Thailand and Laos and is often associated with the royal flag of Laos from the ancient Laos Kingdom of Lan Xang)

30. CLUTTERED: this is a favourite very cluttered shop in the Talad Sao in Vientiane, where I was in my element a couple of weeks ago when Ian snapped this shot. There is a similar shop here in Luang Prabang where I was hoping to get a shot myself but the proprietor refused to allow photos!!! 

31. DANGEROUS: in Public Park at Kuang Si waterfall near Luang Prabang I'm not sure that we needed the sign -I would have thought  it was obvious 

So that is it for the month of August and Laos travels too for us.
 I have to say my favourite is  8. PEEK-A-BOO especially because the hat was a natural straw colour and mask was white. The red colour is from the intense sun pouring down through the red umbrella above her.