Flinging the frizbee with the monks in Bhutan
Trip Start
Apr 15, 2010
1
8
30
Trip End
May 06, 2010
Khuruthang - Bhutan, Bhutan
Monday, April 19, 2010
Khuruthang - Bhutan
the others have gone off to pack and gary and i have the task of writing the blog on the 1992 model ACER computer. We are operating on Windows 93. Last night we spent the evening wandering in the capital Thimpu looking for alcoho. We ended up in an out of the way - back alley - bar listening to Karaoke sung Dongzhu (sp) style. It had a nice but strange 1950 soda bar feeling - with Tiger beer!
Yesterday we had a really cool moment with the monks. We got them playing frizbee - until Jane lost the frizbee in a tree. Fortunately, our driver had an eagle eye and a throwing arm that would make John Elway jealous.
Today we ventured east and north through some of the most spectacular Himalayan scenery anyone can imagine. We visited the national library where we found the largest book in the world. We also got to look at the entire Buddhist religious texts in translation.
The food continues to be spicy enough to keep everyone cautious with every fork full, but no one is able to say no - regardless of how hot it is. We are hiking enough to be ravenous at every stop.
We went to 11,000 feet to see a 16th C fortress monastery and ventured down through this valley that there are no words to describe. We took about 500 pictures today and some of them are stunners.
We will post some as soon as the internet is reliable and operating at more than 28kp per hour. Tomorrow and the next day we are off to trek and camp further up (11,000ft)
We see the tiger's nest on Wednesday.
Bought some fantastic art work today. We'll post pics of it as well. (sarah...wait till you see it)
cheers all
gary and gerry
Comments
Bhutan, Chillis & beer..how much better can it get ? !!!
Hi guys sounds like you are having a great time without us. enjoy and will wait for all the photos..
I am not jealous of the hot food (yes, Gerry, I famously max out at cinnamon hearts)...if you think it's hot it would quite honestly be the end of me. I am already insanely jealous of the views and art work -- and I haven't seen them yet.
33C in Esperance today! Hope you're not too cold at 11 000 feet!
Already have the first song picked out for your slide show (doesn't trust Jane to choose it -- I don't think rap music would go well with images of Bhutan!)
Those cinnamon hearts are pretty darn spicy if you ask me; used to have to pant with my mouth open after eating a handful of those just to cool off the tongue. I'll try just about anything once though...love foods of other culture.
Hmm...no updates from the group since the 19th. Do we need to send out a search and rescue team? That's the problem with ponies, doesn't come with GPS feature.
Hope everyone is well and I'm sure you are just too much in awe of your surroundings and at peace, tranquility, serenity and higher spiritual realm to deal with 'blogging' - modern technology can disturb the beautiful balance.
take care everyone...k
Kathryn -- you raise a good point about the lack of updates. I (mistakenly) assumed that the purpose of a travel blog was to, well, blog about one's travel. Now, this is not a case of the pot calling the kettle black -- I just haven't updated my blog because my life has been boring recently!
I think ponies could be microchipped with GPS devices (they do that with wolves etc). Maybe the team has purposely gone "off line" as they participate in a covert mission. Could they be freeing the enslaved ponies of Bhutan? Scaling a cliff to save a suicidal monk? The possibilities are endless!
hey you two! we are just back from the mountains. we were in tents, at crazy heights with no electricity and sleeping in yak pastures. Not a lot of blogging opportunity in them thar parts. Jane has wrecked a knee (and will need a doctor and a massage therapist (know anyone?) and will be resting today and she will provide a comment and some pics for all.
The hiking was unbelievable. We'll post later today. Right now , it's off to Tiger's Nest.
g
Jane needs a pony, STAT! I am always willing to help with a script for anti-inflammatories and time off work (so she can hang with me until I leave...not that I'm unethical or selfish). Jane, you poor thing...ice that bad boy down. I hope the journey and the destination were worth the pain. Next time you'll just have to pack me (or an orthopedic surgeon) in your bag...
Hey Guys/Gals, sorry to here about your knee Jane.When you get back you have GOT to investigate scenar therapy.It will help. I know there's an ED nurse in Joondalup Hospitalthat is using it with remarkable results.......yeah yeah I know - scratched record, but if you're going to have on-going probs. it's worth investigating, ( shame I didn't think of it before - you could have taken our spare device with you ) Take it easy. Mark
I don't know...'them thar parts' sound pretty good to me, and I understand slathering yak manure is therapeutic - that is really how the locals (even the 90+ lady) can whip your butts up that mountain.
Sarah, you beat me to it, but perhaps Jane et al can find luggage large enough for the 2 of us. Ger, I would love to help Jane out with the knees and any other weary, achy victim in the bunch. Jane, so sorry to hear your knees are giving you grief - take it easy on them for sure! I may have been able to be of dual purpose too...RMT under my belt and studying holistic nutrition right now...just completed the herbal med course, so I would be out there scavenging the natural herbs to find an anti-inflammatory, a demulcent and if all else fails, there's always good old cannabis to ease any pain and discomfort? I can't attest to that personally though, but my friends tell me it works wonders.
So excited for you guys...can't wait to read more and see pics - Tiger's Nest!
keep well,
k