Around August of 2014, on a once a month phone call with Elkay, I suggested a trip to Bhutan. It gained surprising momentum from her, she was proactive in online ticketing during that time and we planned the trip with inputs from previous travelers for October. Yet, the tickets weren't confirmed until the last minute.
On the 3rd at Hasimara Stn, we were greeted by long-haired Deepak and his white Wagon R, which was to be ours for the rest of the trip. As we drove to Jaigaon, we checked into the horrible Hotel Kasturi. Devastated, we fought with our travel agent, and to get away from the crowd we made the 5 minute walk into Phuentsoling in Bhutan. As D helped us with the permit, among other things, we dined there with the famous local beer, Druk.
4th as early in the morning as D would agree with, we started from Phuentsoling to Paro. He gauged the kind of travelers he was carrying as we stopped at waterfalls with no name. We then walked endlessly on the highway, and spent a lot of time grazing alongside Chuzom-Chu. For lunch we stopped again at a roadside shack for ema dasi, with a wonderful dam view. Next we put up at Mandela Resort, and went to hit the town. Here, we had experienced the amazing Paro airport view, with road, river, runway - an image which stays on.
Just as we were being happy with our resort, we got to know that our agent lied about complimentary services. We tried to curb our temper, but found that the Monastery was closed. We went to TOger's Nest, but didn't trek, went to National Museum and were bored. Didn't even make it to Dzong with our sour moods. Post lunch we stopped by Paro-Chu, and spent a lot of time on the riverbed. I believe we soaked in the beauty in silence, and were determined not to stay pissed anymore. With Elkay developing her migraine, and an approaching thunder, we were desperately looking for coffee. Having found none, we made D stop at GREFF, of Indian Army, where after exchanging gestures on finding a closed canteen, we ended up making our own coffee and dosa, For this we were charged no money, and I remember Elkay leaving the person some murukkus. As it started drizzling, I took the front seat and the road was now a friendly companion of the mighty rocky mountains and now Thimpu-Chu bathed in moonlight. We reached Thimpu and checked in a hotel which said our booking was not for the night (Chophel Norkey resembled Hotel Decent of Jab We Met). Our travel agent now realizing the already scores of errors, set us off to Peaceful Resort. Beautiful and true to its name, we walked through the last night of Chuzu festival, an overcrowded flea market.
We spent the 6th in Thimpu, where we began late with the National Zoo and completed our trip just seeing the national animal, Takin. We had more adventure outside, as we ventured into tasting a fallen fruit, which turned out to be a peach. (I did this in Prague and Kodaikonal too, guess I have a thing for fallen fruits!) After mandatory visits to National Library, King's House, Ladies Monastery, Heritage Museum, we were asked to shift to Hotel Taktsang. By this time we had genuinely gievn up on our fate with hotels, and resolved to waste no further energy creating hatred in the trip. The next day, we were greeted by a monstrous sized Buddha statue at the Buddha-point, overseeing the entire city. Thus completed, we were on our way to Punakha.
On the 8th we started from Wangdue for Bumthang and basically spent the whole day in car, stopping at almost all waterfalls. The stretch to Pellela, of insanely unbound mountains - do not ask me to explain the drive (post 4 pm after making Maggi at someone else's restaurant again in Thromsa). Once night fell and the mist/fog/cloud touched us, it was the most terrifying drive I have ever undertaken. I kept speaking shit with sleepy D and were paid a surprise visit by a Takin. With only the sound of the river for company, we got off at the first sight of a plain, switched off the car headlights and were illuminated by the amazing, almost magical moon. Traveled another 20 kms or so to finally arrive at this woodhouse called Tashi Yangkhel. I can still hear the river, in extreme motion. Arrested in the extreme emotions of the front seat, of "terrifying beauty" it is a memory I will cherish for my lifetime.
We woke up on the 9th with the most beautiful window to the world! Warm within the mountains' embrace all through the night, I say out of purposeless joy. The turquoise river sings along, the pebbles glittering it up and emanating an immense delight of tranquility. We went to the Burning Lake and trekked down to a place they say is protected by mermaids. As we got back from town, I wished the world the peace of the mountains, and the mountain range. I could have died of the beauty in that world of no-wifi, no-tv, no phone. It was overwhelming.
On the 10th we traveled back the length of Bumthang to Thimpu. At enticing landscapes, we halted and lay on the green grass under the blue sky. Elkay put stones on my back for relief from backaches. Our spirits were surprisingly rejuvenated even as we predicted another miserable property waiting for us at Thimpu. But we were miraculously transferred to Bhutan Centennial, the room size of a mini baddy court. We were excited at the damage control, yet, we were sad. Our trip was nearing its end, as the next day we went to the Station. As we witnessed the Jimjo slide, the fog-mist mountains bid us the perfect farewell. It was such a world of difference to take one step back to India, the air heavier, the people unhappier, the roads dirty.
It was Ashtami in Calcutta, Elkay had landed in the morning, and though our train was from Sealdah, we opted to avail the Kanchankanya from Bidhan Nagar, where it halts exactly for 1 minute. Considering Elkay's suitcase size, I was slightly pessimistic, but her logical reasoning (something about converting a minute into sixty seconds and how many students can board a train in that time etc.) won over. My friend Abhijit, magically, helped us with the confirmation of the tickets, once the chart was prepared, and we now planned whether to take an auto, or cab to BN Station. I faintly remember it was an auto and me telling Elkay, that way she could pay a fleeting visit to Goddess Durga as well! Needless to mention the mysur pas she had got were almost all consumed by Ritoban and others. After my socializing with common platform vendors (I used to go to Barasat via Bidhan Nagar station), we stood at the point where we expected our coach to be. The rest is a blurry until we sat. We had made it, and were on our way! The joy erased all my pessimism.
On the 3rd at Hasimara Stn, we were greeted by long-haired Deepak and his white Wagon R, which was to be ours for the rest of the trip. As we drove to Jaigaon, we checked into the horrible Hotel Kasturi. Devastated, we fought with our travel agent, and to get away from the crowd we made the 5 minute walk into Phuentsoling in Bhutan. As D helped us with the permit, among other things, we dined there with the famous local beer, Druk.
4th as early in the morning as D would agree with, we started from Phuentsoling to Paro. He gauged the kind of travelers he was carrying as we stopped at waterfalls with no name. We then walked endlessly on the highway, and spent a lot of time grazing alongside Chuzom-Chu. For lunch we stopped again at a roadside shack for ema dasi, with a wonderful dam view. Next we put up at Mandela Resort, and went to hit the town. Here, we had experienced the amazing Paro airport view, with road, river, runway - an image which stays on.
Just as we were being happy with our resort, we got to know that our agent lied about complimentary services. We tried to curb our temper, but found that the Monastery was closed. We went to TOger's Nest, but didn't trek, went to National Museum and were bored. Didn't even make it to Dzong with our sour moods. Post lunch we stopped by Paro-Chu, and spent a lot of time on the riverbed. I believe we soaked in the beauty in silence, and were determined not to stay pissed anymore. With Elkay developing her migraine, and an approaching thunder, we were desperately looking for coffee. Having found none, we made D stop at GREFF, of Indian Army, where after exchanging gestures on finding a closed canteen, we ended up making our own coffee and dosa, For this we were charged no money, and I remember Elkay leaving the person some murukkus. As it started drizzling, I took the front seat and the road was now a friendly companion of the mighty rocky mountains and now Thimpu-Chu bathed in moonlight. We reached Thimpu and checked in a hotel which said our booking was not for the night (Chophel Norkey resembled Hotel Decent of Jab We Met). Our travel agent now realizing the already scores of errors, set us off to Peaceful Resort. Beautiful and true to its name, we walked through the last night of Chuzu festival, an overcrowded flea market.
We spent the 6th in Thimpu, where we began late with the National Zoo and completed our trip just seeing the national animal, Takin. We had more adventure outside, as we ventured into tasting a fallen fruit, which turned out to be a peach. (I did this in Prague and Kodaikonal too, guess I have a thing for fallen fruits!) After mandatory visits to National Library, King's House, Ladies Monastery, Heritage Museum, we were asked to shift to Hotel Taktsang. By this time we had genuinely gievn up on our fate with hotels, and resolved to waste no further energy creating hatred in the trip. The next day, we were greeted by a monstrous sized Buddha statue at the Buddha-point, overseeing the entire city. Thus completed, we were on our way to Punakha.
How often does one sit on road blocks and create stories revolving around a mother (Elkay)-daughter (me) and a father who left the mother? As peddlers screamed "mechhoo-mechhoo", we started enjoying life in Bhutan. I have never been more in love with the Himalayan range than when we glimpsed the Dochula Pass, where the never-ending terrain against the pristine blue was quite intoxicating. The Kochu-Mochu rivers meet by the Dzong at Punakha, and the melody of the river is as enchanting even in my memory today. Here, D's niece took us on a dirty-trek to the deep river from which I was anxious to get back. On our way back we saw the moon-mountain :)
The lesser spoken of, the better. Seeing a moon-rise from the intersection of two huge mountains on lakhi purnima is rare, a perfect painting. Her restaurant felt like running one of one's own. Soon, Elkay and I were chopping-cooking-cleaning there too. At Wangdue's exclusive Dekiling Hotel, we resided next to a bedside of mountain.
On the 8th we started from Wangdue for Bumthang and basically spent the whole day in car, stopping at almost all waterfalls. The stretch to Pellela, of insanely unbound mountains - do not ask me to explain the drive (post 4 pm after making Maggi at someone else's restaurant again in Thromsa). Once night fell and the mist/fog/cloud touched us, it was the most terrifying drive I have ever undertaken. I kept speaking shit with sleepy D and were paid a surprise visit by a Takin. With only the sound of the river for company, we got off at the first sight of a plain, switched off the car headlights and were illuminated by the amazing, almost magical moon. Traveled another 20 kms or so to finally arrive at this woodhouse called Tashi Yangkhel. I can still hear the river, in extreme motion. Arrested in the extreme emotions of the front seat, of "terrifying beauty" it is a memory I will cherish for my lifetime.
We woke up on the 9th with the most beautiful window to the world! Warm within the mountains' embrace all through the night, I say out of purposeless joy. The turquoise river sings along, the pebbles glittering it up and emanating an immense delight of tranquility. We went to the Burning Lake and trekked down to a place they say is protected by mermaids. As we got back from town, I wished the world the peace of the mountains, and the mountain range. I could have died of the beauty in that world of no-wifi, no-tv, no phone. It was overwhelming.
On the 10th we traveled back the length of Bumthang to Thimpu. At enticing landscapes, we halted and lay on the green grass under the blue sky. Elkay put stones on my back for relief from backaches. Our spirits were surprisingly rejuvenated even as we predicted another miserable property waiting for us at Thimpu. But we were miraculously transferred to Bhutan Centennial, the room size of a mini baddy court. We were excited at the damage control, yet, we were sad. Our trip was nearing its end, as the next day we went to the Station. As we witnessed the Jimjo slide, the fog-mist mountains bid us the perfect farewell. It was such a world of difference to take one step back to India, the air heavier, the people unhappier, the roads dirty.
To say the least, never again trust a travel agent blindly. And, I am still there Bhutan, I love you...
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