Rose at 4 am to catch early flight to Kathmandu. Bid a fond farewell to Pema.
Arrived in Kathmandu to discover that there was a general strike going on. After a false start (being sent back to the airport by the police) we had a police escort through the streets to the Yak and Yeti.
On arrival, we were handed our “Tiger Mountain” itinerary for our five night stay in Nepal. Fortunately, there was nothing on our itinerary for the arrival day anyway.
Warned that nothing was open, we settled down to our fate within the Yak and Yeti [hoping to relax by the pool], only for it to start pouring down. Anyway, we got our bearings, snacked on momos and tuna melt, relaxed in our room, [then] ate at the Naachghar [within the Yak & Yeti]. Thali in my case and duck tandoori for Daisy.
We tucked in…The musicians were playing it largeNaachgar was doing good business that night!
Went to the [in house] casino which I found truly foul – I was delighted part with my £9.50 and get out quick!
I had never visited a casino before. 25 years later, I can report that I have never visited one since. Not for me. The light-suited gentleman did not want to be photographed, we were loudly and repeatedly informed by the supervisor, but the request came after Janie had taken the above photograph of me.
All the photographs from the Kathmandu leg of our trip are in the following Flickr album. All the pictures from this day are shown in the article above:
Janie and I spent a most memorable week in Bhutan as part of our trip to Delhi, Bhutan, Nepal and Dubai in the spring of 2000, looked after by a wonderful guide, Pema Gyalpo.
This page links to all of the Bhutan pages, the photographs and a music sample.
Actually, let’s start with the music sample. I bought just one album on that trip: Endless Songs From Bhutan by Jigme Drukpa. Here’s one of the tracks.
Here are links to the pages I have written about our visit.
The best of the pictures are included in the articles, but if you would like to see the albums in full, all of them (more than 180 pictures) are included in two Flickr albums, links in the list and also with embedded links below.
and then go off on hike to Taktsang (aka Tiger’s Nest) monastery.
It’s a long uphill hike – Daisy even considered giving up a couple of times…
…I think the altitude got to Janie on this occasion – the only time I remember her suffering from it on any of our altitude trips – possibly caused by the rapid ascent from high altitude to even higher altitude c2,200 m to over 3000m.
…but we make it, taking tea and biscuits at the cafeteria…
Villagers near the tea house“Volunteer labour” (aka a photo opportunity) inside the tea house
…and then descent, followed almost all the way by two dogs. Janie [also] befriended a couple of forced labour girls from the high valley.
The encounter with those girls was an interesting coincidence, given the letter I had spent a large chunk of the night writing.
Those friendly young women taking a break, while one of our “guard dogs” sniffs aroundOne of the girls helps “have a go hero” Janie briefly to bear the load…very briefly!Seen it all before? No, she looks impressed. We made it, back to the bridge at the foot of the Tiger’s Nest trail
Took lunch at Sonam Trophel [restaurant in Paro] – best meal we’ve had in Bhutan, with Momo’s, spring rolls, chicken (plain) pork (spicy for Pema).
Writing 25 years after the event, I suspect that the food available in Bhutan now is much better, on the whole, than it was in 2000. But that place proved what was possible even then in a remote hill kingdom!
Next stop the National Museum which was better than we expected and finally Paro Dzong which was a tiring walk after Taktsang.
Home exhausted for tea and snacks in the room tonight and hopefully an early night.
We did indeed get an early night after taking snacks in our room, but I have one strong memory, undocumented in my journal, about that last evening in Bhutan.
We were staying, unexpectedly, in the Olathang Hotel, as we chose to avoid the forest fires that were too close to the Druk Paro for our comfort. We had a large cottage suite at the Olathang, which had been built originally, as we understood it, for visiting dignitaries who came to Bhutan for the coronation of the King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, in 1972. I don’t think the Olthang had seen too many western tourists in the months and years leading up to our visit.
Our room attendant was a very young fellow, I’d guess a teenager. We ordered our room service snacks and I decided to take a shower while we were waiting for the food and drinks. We had been tipping our attendant regularly, and/but I left a more substantial sum out, with Janie, as I suspected we wouldn’t see him again ahead of our early morning departure.
While I was drying myself after my shower, Janie called out to me, asking me to come out to say goodbye to our friend, as he didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye to me personally.
I hurriedly made myself decent and entered the room, to find the young fellow crying, saying that we had been so kind to him and that he would miss us so much. It took quite some time to calm him down and let him go, so we might enjoy our snacks and drinks. Janie told me afterwards that the boy had been in that emotional state since she told him that we’d be departing at the crack of dawn the next day. Not our everyday experience of room service.
Photographs from this day are pictures 086 to 106 in the album you can click through below:
Incredible luck at Dochu La – we could see the Bhutanese Himalayas clearly.
Rose early (5:45) for early set off. Left at 7:10 (more or less on time for once) for Thimpu.
We snapped one or two street scenes – we’d done a lot of snapping on the outbound journey along this route.
Collected air tickets and did email to Fiona…
I have no idea why Pema hid behind a tree at this juncture. Perhaps he thought I was going to complain about him to our Steppes East agent, Fiona. Perish the thought. I think it was just a query about one of our onward flight documents that I wanted checked/confirmed ahead of potential problems at the airport.
Then on to Thimpu weekend market which did a lot more for us: – trinkets, vegetables, spices, etc…
…and newspapers – my letter has been published in full! On to see the archers, followed by lunch at Plums
Not every day I see my letter in the press. Pema looks underwhelmed, or at least unsurprised.
After lunch set off for Paro. We actually saw and snapped Himalayas at Dochu La! [See headline picture]…
Liked the look of the vistas a lot. Did not like the look of that forest fire.
Checked into hotel somewhat tentatively as a big forest fire seemed mighty close and there was no electricity. Went off touring anyway – took pictures of Paro Dzong, museum etc…
…then up to ruins of Drukgyel Dzong for stunning photos
…on to start of trial – then back to see round stunning Kykhu Lhakhang (really old monastery).
Then back feeling very nervous via Olathang Hotel, which has room. (By this time I have concluded the Druk Hotel is not a good idea).
We get leave to leave from the manager who is in a conference with a three star general) and flee to an Olathang Cottage (which I like but at first Daisy doesn’t), as our sense of humour fades as fast as the day!
We learnt afterwards that the Druk Paro did not burn down, but it did smell smoky and was without power for quite some time.
Photographs from this day are pictures 053 to 085 in the album you can click through below:
