To the East

Korea, Mongolia, Thailand and Bhutan Leggi altro

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To the East Rita Yee
From Dunes to Cliffs
27 maggio 2023, Mongolia ⋅ 🌬 23 °C
We departed this morning taking yet another rocky road in the desert. This has certainly been the most rugged tour in terms of roads I’ve been on. As we were driving through, we finally met up with another vehicle headed in the same direction. These drivers were a little lost so asked us to wait as they got in touch with their second car so they could follow us. We readily agreed after all, it’s not only in our nature to be helpful but if we were in their shoes we’d hope for the same.

Karma truly does play a role and though we should always be kind, today proved itself how a good deed gives one in return. One of the girls accidentally left her bag in the restaurant we had lunch and it happened to be the one where the group we had helped was so we were able to go back and retrieve it. It’s a most wonderful thing when the world is in harmony and helping each other out.

Our camp for tonight is located right next to the Flaming Cliffs or Bayanzag as the Mongolians call it. This is a world renowned place where dinosaur vines and eggs were found. The cliffs are an easy walk to take in the scenery. We would go back again at sunset to view them in another light.Leggi altro
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A Resort in the Desert
28 maggio 2023, Mongolia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
A relatively quiet day today as we left the rocky barely there rounds to a smoother rocky road. Almost as good as asphalt. We did a picnic lunch near a flock of sheep today. Our fried rice was still warm!

We arrived at our ger camp for tonight early around 1pm. It is certainly the biggest one we’ve been to, like a desert resort minus the pool. A few of us got massages and then just relaxed before exploring the nearby Onji Monastery ruins.

This was the religious capital back in the day but many of the temples were destroyed by the communists and high rank monks killed. Today the ruins stand along with a small museum showing some salvaged artifacts.

The river Onji flows right next to the complex, the only one that flows through the Gobi and bringing a belt of green. Unfortunately it’s now very shallow and disappeared in width due to gold mining in the area. A harsh truth speaking to when we don’t take care of the environment.Leggi altro
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Nomad stay - day 1
29 maggio 2023, Mongolia ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Today we left the Gobi behind completely and entered the Mongolian Steppes. Hills of green carpet greeted as as we journeyed deeper into the land. Horses, sheep and cow grazed on the hillsides and valleys.

We finally hit an asphalt road as we made our lunch stop, a restaurant set into former shipping containers which was quite cool. The nomad family we’d be staying with is close by and we went off road again to find them.

Nomads typically move their flock where the grass grows so it took some time to locate them. They were still in the winter home but will eventually move to their summer home. The humble abode consists of a ger, two basic stables and a wooden storage shed, so we set up tents nearby for our group. We ended up getting our own tents since we were a small group.

In the afternoon, our drivers slayed a sheep for our Mongolian barbecue tomorrow. There’s a specific way it’s done so that the process is clean and what we hoped was quick and relatively painless. They hold each pair of legs together than make a cut, through the abdomen I believe (I had to look away for this part), then they reach in arm deep to locate a spot on the artery along the spine that would kill the sheep. Not a single drop of blood spilled (instead the blood collects the bottom of the now upside down body.

Next they skin the sheep before cutting open it’s chest to remove the internal organs. Our host lady would clean these parts out and boil them later to make a ‘sheep salad’. As there weren’t many of us, we were concerned about food wastage but were told the leftover meat and parts would be shared with nearby families.

Later in the afternoon, we gathered in the family’s ger for the sheep salad. Essentially it is the organs that have been boiled and put on a platter. A hunting of knife of sorts was on the tray so we could cut and sample what we wanted. It all the group was super keen but my favourite was the tongue and the tail. The tail was a little like crispy pork belly. I also had some of the liver (they they say it’s the lung, I’m pretty sure it tasted like liver) as well as the kidney. Perhaps it’s because of what we grew up on, it was not as foreign and strange to me.Leggi altro
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Nomad stay - day 2
30 maggio 2023, Mongolia ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
Quite the eventful night last night, I sum it up to 3 naps. The first before a windstorm, the next u til the rain and finally the deep sleep after the rain. I actually had it pretty easy. One of the girls ended up pitching a new tent by herself in the middle of the night while two other people’s tents were whacking them in the face from the force of the wind.

It was a beautiful morning though after all was said and done. We watched our host milk cows after breakfast. They separate the mothers and their calves, only reuniting each pair when it was that mom’s turn to be milked. The calf would start, I think to get the flow going before the lady milked most the cow before releasing the cow to continue feeding the calf.

Next we went on a hike around the valley, climbing various peaks. The scenery is just gorgeous and really photos didn’t do it justice. It was like slight mountains covered in green carpet all around.

After the hike, we returned to help milk the goats. It’s not quite as easy as it looks but we got good instruction so did seem to help a little. The process with mothers and lambs are similar to the cows and calves this morning.

Lunch was quite the affair as our drivers prepared a Mongolian barbecue for us using the sheep from last night. Yesterday was a more auspicious day and I think it worked out perfectly since it would be a lot of work if done on the same day. This is a special occasion meal and definitely different from what we had imagined. For one, I thought the entire sheep would be hung by it’s legs over a fire. Very wrong.

As we waited for the meal to be ready, we also ended up playing some 3 on 3 soccer. One of the drivers even put on some Mongolian music. It feels like an event all together and lots of fun. But back to lunch preparations :)

First they built a fire and heated some stones. On top of the stove they boiled a little water. Once the stones are ready, the meat is placed in a large pot and layered with potatoes, carrots and cabbage. Salt is sprinkled throughout and the stones are also added into the mix as well. The whole process probably took nearly 3 hours.

The meal was delicious though some of the meat was a bit tough. Vegetarians and vegans beware.

The weather here is as temperamental as a woman’s behaviour apparently. Bright blue skies alternate with grey storm clouds in the distance. A few drops began to fall after lunch and we made haste to the family ger to wait it out.

The rain would stop and start again. In fact, as I’m writing this in my tent, raindrops patter steadily on my tent. I hope this is as waterproof as I’m led to believe. We did say if it got really bad, we’d all take shelter in the second ger which normally holds all the camping gear and camping chairs. So we shall see. I’m hoping this will be it for the rain but it’s only 6pm.Leggi altro
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Karakorum and vicinity
31 maggio 2023, Mongolia ⋅ 🌧 7 °C
It was cold when we woke this morning. Luckily it hasn’t rained as badly as we thought be it was relatively dry, but the nearby peaks had a light blanket of snow. Everyone ended up staying in their tents last night.

The take down of the tents was quicker than we thought once we got the hang of it. After breakfast, we presented a small gift to our hosts and took a group photo before heading to the next camp and hit showers to get clean and warm.

We made you good time and arrived at 10am. The weather is still cold with the dampness and wind. Our gers this time would have the stoves to keep us warm. The fuel used is dried cow poop.

It turns out it’s colder than locals were expecting as I feel bad how much we were burning as the fire would be relit after we returned from visiting the Erdene Zuu Monastery and Karakorum museum. The fire would be lit again after dinner and the again in the next morning.

The Erdene Zuu Monastery grounds is marked by a surrounding wall of stupas. Like other monasteries we’ve visited, many temples were destroyed and restoration now in process. The ancient capital of Karakorum lies behind it but it’s practically just a grass field now. A model in the museum shows what locals believe it once looked like.

Overall a pretty easy day with plenty of downtime at the camp, though one might feel a little too much downtime. We’re happy to be out of the cold though he and sitting by our stoves.Leggi altro
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Hustai National Park
1 giugno 2023, Mongolia ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C
Another night of rain but luckily our ger was fairly waterproof. The clouds hung low nearly covering the surrounding hills. We were off to Hustai National Park to look for wild horses and I was hopeful that the weather would turn for the better since we had to drive 260km. Enough distance to escape localized rain :)

We arrived at camp around 130pm. This is definitely the busiest place we’ve been outside of Ulaanbaatar. Today is also children’s day so there were lots of families around. The wild horses of Mongolia now were actually bred in the zoos from the original wild horses sent to zoos in Ukraine. After they became extinct in the wild, efforts were made to replenish their population and then set them back free.

The best time currently to spot them is in the evening before or after dinner. We were fortunate to spot not only a singular wild horse but also two separate herds along with deer and marmots. It’s quite remarkable to just stand and watch them, observing them in their natural habitat.

With the tour coming to end, it’s a little bittersweet as we begin to recount our favourite memories of the trip. It’s also our last night in the ger as we’re back to a hotel tomorrow for our final night. It truly has been a great group of people travelling on one road. We were so lucky as well with the weather as well even with the rain. The rain necessary and at the most opportune times.Leggi altro
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Back To The City
2 giugno 2023, Mongolia ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Our last full day starts up sunny with blue skies. It’s a short 2 hour drive from the park to Ulaanbaatar or UB as we’ve come to refer to it. The city has changed a lot in the two weeks since we’ve been here. Part of it has to do with the weather as there’s been lots of rain. The river near our hotel is now flowing compared to the barely there stream before. More people are also out and about as well and hotels that previously had empty parking lots are now filled. Summer looks like it may have finally arrived.

There are no scheduled activities today just an included lunch - strangely Korean - and then free time. The girls went shopping while I took the time to do laundry. Luckily one of my tour mates ended up having a washing machine in their room so I only had to go out to get mine dried. Laundry Zone is the closest place I found and after searching & asking around, I located it on the 3rd floor of a nearby eMart.

As for shopping, the local store Mary and Martha was the winner with its unique and handmade products with items you won’t find in any regular store that sells the usual items.

In the evening, we went to a Mongolian cultural show which turned out to be really cool. A mix of traditional and modern, the favourite parts were definitely the orchestra of traditional instruments, the 8 member dance group’s pieces and we were amazed by the 2 contortionists who were incredibly strong and athletic.

Dinner was in probably the best final dinner restaurant I’ve ever been to. Veranda is a Mediterranean restaurant that may be a well kept secret among locals The decor is en pointe, I wondered if we were still in UB. Outside it’s a funny contrast to see ancient buildings just on the other side of the wall. No more mutton for us as most partook in pasta while others had tagines.

It’s a bittersweet night as we say our goodbyes and head our separate ways tomorrow.Leggi altro
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Mongolia to Thailand
3 giugno 2023, Tailandia ⋅ ☀️ 35 °C
Leaving one country for another, today’s a travel day from Ulanbaatar to Bangkok. Once again a reminder of the difference 2 weeks make. The drive back to Chinggis Khaan airport is pretty much all green compared to the brown when I arrived. It seems summer is truly starting to set in.

The flight to Seoul is short. I spend the layover exploring the airport to see where things are when I come back for one more transit home. The 7 Eleven is quite tucked away but I managed to find it with google maps lol.

Flying time to Bangkok was 6 hours. I forget how much farther south it is. Though I was somewhat dressed for the weather, the humidity still got the upper hand. I arrived late at the hotel but thankfully the shuttle was exactly where it was supposed to be. Couple of hours of sleep before getting back in transit.Leggi altro
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Into the Jungle
4 giugno 2023, Tailandia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C
Off this morning to Surat Thani airport for a short stay in Khao Sok. My coworker had recommend this treehouse place there and it feels like a great place to hang out and relax for a couple of days.

The drive is beautiful though my lack of sleep means I slept through part of it. The national park is beautiful though and I look forward to seeing more of it. The occasional thunderstorm releases some rain to relieve the humidity and it feels better than in Bangkok.

I love the treehouse I’m staying in. It really feels like you’re in the middle of nature, which you are. No activities today but went for a short walk and then a massage. The mozzies and bugs are out so that’ll take a little getting used to. I doused myself in bug spray but ended up changing into long pants after a few bites.

The massage was wonderful and the masseuse even used lemon grass oil, perfect for warding off the bugs. Debating getting another one tomorrow, feeling relaxed and a great way of fully wearing repellent.

Would love to stay here longer if not for the mozzies but alas. Going bamboo rafting tomorrow and will see what the rest of the day brings. Because I’m on my own, a little limited to activities without having to pay the single supplement but I know it’ll be nice even to sit with a drink and read.Leggi altro
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In The Jungle
5 giugno 2023, Tailandia ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
The rain is definitely louder in the jungle, more surfaces to bounce off of. It rained pretty much all night and morning. I’d decided to go bamboo rafting this morning and wondered if it would cancelled. It wasn’t. While I’d rather have gone when it wasn’t rainy, it was still something to do. Solo travelling challenge comes back as activities have a 2 person min. Luckily another party had booked the rafting as well so I didn’t have to pay extra.

The bamboo rafts are basic with no cover but the gentleman steering provided a dry seat cover. Each raft takes 2 people so I ended up with my own. The ride is idyllic as we float down the river, admiring the scenery.

When we pulled to a stop, I thought it was over too soon, fortunately it was just our coffee break. The going up was a bit slippery but we made it to a cave which had a covered area that ensured we stayed dry. Our steering men proceeded to make a fire and heat water in a bamboo tube. Tea (or coffee if you so choose) was served in a bamboo cup and came with a bamboo spoon as well which we were to take home as a souvenir.

On the second half of the ride we saw some monkeys in the trees as we floated along. All in all, a nice morning. I had a nap after before grabbing lunch and walking to and through the nearby town.

Town is probably not the right word but a section of town with restaurants, accommodations and a couple of mini marts along with massage places. Im curious what the nearby accommodations are like. Yesterday I was chatting with the GM at Our Jungle House where Im staying. She’s a lovely woman and we were talking about the rustic-ness of the place as some guests had just left as it was too much for them. I suppose people forget we are in the jungle so certain luxuries aren’t to be had.

One of the places that peaked my interest was a dome camp, Smiley Dome. It’s on the main road of ‘town’ and I would’ve paid half of what I did at the treehouse. A bit of a hard pill to swallow but then it is a different experience all together and I’d really wanted to stay in a treehouse. I’m curious what their overnight lake options are as I know ours is basic and in a remote corner of the lake.

There’s also a number of river huts and lodges that look appealing as well. I think at the end of the day, it really depends on what you’re looking for. While I can’t imagine a full week here, I think the two nights are great in addition to the lake. Guess I’m a city girl at heart. You can take the girls l out of the city but you can’t take the city of the girl no matter how much she likes nature.Leggi altro
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Waterlogged
6 giugno 2023, Tailandia ⋅ 🌧 27 °C
Finally a unique title! But at the expense of copious amount of rain today. The morning started out promising for our overnight excursion to Cheow Lan Lake but the rain started to come, and stayed more than the previous two days. Our long tail boat didn’t use a cover and when I later asked if they could put it up, they said no because of the wind, which I’m doubtful about since we saw other boats that had theirs on.

The nature here is without a doubt stunning and would be even more so in the dry season with blue skies, but the misty clouds adds an allure if you can deal with the rain. Bring a poncho. Bring water shoes.

After lunch, we checked into our raft houses for the night. They’re cute, basic though you can upgrade to as comfortable as you want, but keep in mind because it’s an experience the prices are higher than expected.

Our after lunch activity included 3 stops. Unfortunately we were hammered with rain for much of it (and the boat had no cover in place). First up was a short jungle hike when the rains came down and the paths started to muddy. It was a brisk walk. 2nd stop was Pra Kai Perth Caves, a one way system underground. It was unlit so we used head torches. In addition to the seeing the formations inside, there were also a couple of spiders and baby bats.

When we returned to the boat, we were told to remove our shoes, for reasons we’re still trying to understand the next day as our shoes were already wet and getting wetter being on the open boat. One thought was the boat driver didn’t want any mud on the boat, perhaps he’d just cleaned it but that seems odd considering the weather. The last stop was a viewpoint of the 3 rocks which is the symbol of the lake.

Once back the raft houses, we tried to dry our clothes and shoes as best we could but I’d resigned to the fact that they would be (and were) still wet in the morning.

The evening wasn’t as peaceful as we thought as there was a big group staying here as well. I have a funny feeling it was a yolo group from Contiki given the size of the group and the flowing alcohol.Leggi altro
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Back to the City
7 giugno 2023, Tailandia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
It was pouring rain this morning so I opted out of the morning safari excursion. I think I’ve had just about enough rain. Normally I’m a roll with punches but it seemed like the thing to do especially when the boat pulled up again without cover. It’s quite funny though as one of the girls in the group knew the Spanish wouldn’t go but she thought I would. In the end, it was the Dutch who braved the rain. The rain which only ended minutes before they returned.

Our join in tour was 9 ppl (I had to be the single supplement). A group mix I’ve never been in, 4 Spanish, 4 Dutch and me. Although one of the Dutch is actually Spanish. All couples of course but a fun group that included everyone.

The ride back to the pier was plagued with rain even though we tried to wait it out some. Another reason to have the cover up. We got the same replies about wind and that it’s more difficult to drive the boat the it up, but it wasn’t convincing since we’d seen other groups leave with a cover on their boats.

Anyhows, a welcome return to the city. My hotel was close to Terminal 21 and it was perfect to head there for dinner, including of course mango sticky rice. It’s still as inexpensive as I remember and the portions were perfect for me :)Leggi altro
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Day as a Bangkok local
8 giugno 2023, Tailandia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C
I met up with my old tour leader Sita today to hang out in Bangkok. She happened to be in between tours so perfect timing. Having been before, it was nice to not do anything touristy and just chill out.

First thing we headed to an island in the Chao Phraya River to do some biking. I haven’t ridden a bike in years so thankfully Sita was very patient with me and coached as well so the return trip was quicker. I managed to do ok but should probably keep practicing. I was nervous about balance and then she noticed I needed to use my arms more to keep the steering straight.

For lunch, we decided to go on an adventure to the west side of the city to Bubble In The Forest. It’s quite an Instagrammable place with very blue water and chill out huts. We sat at the top of a two story treehouse like structure which also had nets you could lie in.

Food was great and there were great mocktail options as well! Transport options not great as you’ll need either a taxi or grab to get here.

What else to do to relax like a local? Taking in a movie! On screen, Transformers! Really enjoyed it and a great way to end the day 😄Leggi altro
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Day Trip: Kanchanaburi & Erawan
9 giugno 2023, Tailandia ⋅ 🌧 25 °C
Day trip to Kanchaburi & Erawan National Park today. Only 7 in the group and I was the only girl. Super weird as that’s never happened before.

A two hour drive takes us to Kanchanaburi where we visit the Jeath War Museum and a reconstruction of the bridge over River Kaui. The history lesson today was about a time during World War 2 where POW’s captured by Japan were forced to build a railway between Myanmar and Thailand. Over 6000 died in the process.

An hour away is Erawan National Park, home of 7 waterfalls. It takes about an hour to get the the 7th one but you’re free to walk as far as you want. I did make it all the way but somehow the view wasn’t as impressive as the photos online.

The weather is humid and we are dripping even before we get to the 3rd waterfall. You can swim in some of the waterfalls but I opted out and just walked around the pool of the 7th.

The drive back to Bangkok is long but after a quick dinner, I popped up to the hotel rooftop pool & jacuzzi. No one was there so I ended up having the place to myself and sipping a caramel milkshake.Leggi altro
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The Sanctuary of Truth
10 giugno 2023, Tailandia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C
Sometimes there are places we go for one reason and today has one of those. After stumbling upon the Sanctuary of Truth online, I knew I had to visit. One option was to take the bus from Bangkok or take a tour and see a bit more of Pattaya City.

In hindsight the bus probably would suit me better even if it would be more of a pain to get to the sight after arriving in the city.

Let’s start the day in review as we spend the morning visiting a lookout viewpoint in Pattaya City before taking a speed boat to Koh Larn Coral Island. We spent 3 hours on the beach which unfortunately was quite crowded and nobody really wanted to do water sports. As the tour seemed more of a take us somewhere and give us free time, I feel it would’ve been better if it was more structured or if the guide helped with the optional activities.

I was itching to go to The Sanctuary of Truth and it did not disappoint. It’s an unfinished museum entirely built from wooden carvings where beams interlock. The carvings reflect Thai architecture along with Buddhism, Hindu and other eastern religion influences. It reminds of a wooden version of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Of course this one won’t take quite as long to finish as it should be complete by 2025z

The inside is even beautiful than the outside and honestly I could’ve spent hours there just wandering and reading about the philosophy of life. Unfortunately we only had about an hour :(

At night, I headed to Jodd Fairs Night Market as recommended by my cousin. It was super fun with a great atmosphere of shopping stalls and food stalls. This is what I miss about the market at home as the prices here are super reasonable and you really can try as much variety as you want. I indulged in a Thai iced tea, watermelon smoothie, skewers, seafood pancakes and Thai Style popsicles.Leggi altro
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Markets
11 giugno 2023, Tailandia ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C
One last day trip, today to the Maeklong Railway Train Market and Amphawa Floating Market. The train market isn’t very large, but the draw is how the vendors have their stalls extended right to the railway track and have to pull everything in and the put them back out every time the train comes through - which thankfully for them isn’t as too often, just a few times daily. There’s not much to buy, a little bit of souvenirs or produce really. A couple of cafe like stalls are spread out so you can have a drink while waiting for the train.

The videos online where things are sped up makes the whole process look really cool but the reality is a lot slower and the train is slow as well to avoid anyone lingering between the red lines.

Our second stop was to visit the Buddha Statue and Wat Bang Kung. The statue is over 300 years old but really came to fame when a local man praying at the shrine won big in the lottery. The statue is in a brick structure with roots wrapped around it. The site is also where there was a battle between the Kaungbang Dynasty and Thonburi Kingdom.

It was super crowded so we didn’t get a good look at the statue and the line up to get in was very long.

Finally what we’ve anticipated most today, Amphawa Floating Market. Our tour was to include a boat ride to see fireflies at night, but more on that later. Amphawa is quite neat to explore but if you’re short on time there’s probably a good floating market in Bangkok. The layout of like a cross with stalls lining the river. After you cross the bridge to the far side, you’ll find more finger street food options that are super cheap.

Along the river are small shops mixed in with restaurants. A few ladies still cook from the boats in the water but there aren’t many. We had 2 hours of free time here which was more than enough as I ended up looping at least twice and maybe thrice in sections.

Finally the boat cruise itself. We were a bit concerned when our boat seemed to turn back earlier before the rest of the boats and we hadn’t seen any fireflies yet. Luckily we weren’t too disappointed when we did come across a few spots. It was a bit underwhelming though as we probably imagined a scene straight out of a movie. Instead it was small flickers here and there in a tree and then another.

Part of the reason it seems is that they are more active after it rains and unfortunately it hasn’t rained all that much lately despite the season. The water level in the market actually was low enough for locals to go swimming or stand while fishing.

One last Bangkok stop for me, back to Jodd Fairs to chase the mango sticky rice Thai pancakes Khanom Krok! They were sold out last night so I wanted to try my luck and pick up some dinner before my super late or very early flight. Lucked out this time and tried the grilled jellyfish as well.Leggi altro
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Bhutan Frontier
12 giugno 2023, Bhutan ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
Next leg of the trip: Bhutan!

Places my first Grab aka Asia Uber booking today, first Uber ever for that matter. It was cheaper than a taxi too. I left the hotel at 1am to get to the airport for my 5am flight. Managed to snag a 2 hour nap but the flight was a struggle.

The plane wasn’t full and I had my own row. Caught a short nap before we were awoken for breakfast. I’d actually scarfed down some McDonald’s before boarding so wasn’t hungry at all. We made a quick stop in Dhaka, Bangladesh to pick up more passengers before continuing on.

More food came and I ate even less. The sun is now up and not much of flying time left so couldn’t sleep more. The Paro airport is small but the descent is quite cool as we coast into the valley. The mountains looked close enough to touch.

All our meals are included so after lunch a few of us wandered into town. Thimphu is the capital city but it feels like a mountain town. It is definitely bigger than we could see but we only wandered the Main Street.

Met the rest of our group tonight and received a great culture lesson from our tour leader right off the bat. There’s certainly things here we never expected. For one, the tradition of night hunting. This is where during the day boys would ask girls where their houses/rooms were so they could sneak in at night. It seems like a very open society here and you got married if you stayed the whole night and the parents caught you the next morning. Apparently divorce is practical just as easy. People could have as many wives/husbands though likely just one at a time.

It’s a very matriarchal society as assets are passed down the female line. Daughters are the treasures as they bring the boys in and everything the boys earn becomes the girl’s. Its also common for brothers to share a wife especially in rural areas where one has to move their flocks. There’s also cases where 2 sisters might share a husband so the family’s assets don’t get split.

We also learned where our tourist fee ($200 per day) goes. The government collects it but it goes right back to the people as education and health care are state provided. Citizens also get subsidies to travel for medical procedures and post secondary education.Leggi altro
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Thimphu the capital
13 giugno 2023, Bhutan ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
We took a city tour to visit a few of the sights, beginning with the zoo to see the takin which is the national animal. It’s a cross between a goat and an antelope. It’s less a zoo though and more of a rehabilitation centre so eventually release the takin.

Next stop, Buddha Point where a 51m sitting Buddha can be seen kilometres across Thimphu. Once complete this will be the tallest sitting Buddha.

National Memorial Chhorten next. This is a beautiful stupa where lots of elderly people visit and worship. We joined the circle to make the rounds for positive energy. The site is quite beautiful and definitely serene in its own way.

Post Office Museum and markets in the afternoon. In Bhutan, you can print your face on stamps and the stamps are actually functional so you can put them on postcards to send home. There’s also a great collection for those who collect stamps. We then checked out the weekend market which is mostly fruit, veggies and yak cheese (though it wasn’t a weekend) before walking along the river.

A little free time and then it was off to Tashichho Dzong which is where the king and the religious head work. The complex is beautiful and reminds me of places I’ve visited in Tibet. We arrived in time to watch the flag come down, signalling the end of the workday.Leggi altro
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Into the Valley
14 giugno 2023, Bhutan ⋅ 🌫 11 °C
We left Thimphu early this morning to continue our explorations. One of our stops was at a lookout which on a clear say, we could’ve seen the span of Bhutan against the backdrop of the Himalayas. Instead it was misty though the most lent to great photos. Also at the lookout was a collection of 108 stupas. It was really pretty crowded since several groups had converged.

After lunch we went on a hike in the Phobjikha Valley. The scenery was stunning as we hiked along the trees. Being out of the van definitely enables us to take amazing pictures while being in the van, it was best to just look and enjoy.

The hike itself was easy, really more of a stroll and a good warm up for our upcoming hikes. If only they were all like this hehe.

One last stop for the day, the black neck crane centre to learn about the birds who migrate here every winter from Tibet.

Our home for the night is a community home stay in the valley. The group used to be assigned to various houses but everyone now stays together in a building that G invested in. The rooms are beautiful and rustic, a wonderful surprise.Leggi altro
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Onwards
15 giugno 2023, Bhutan ⋅ 🌧 17 °C
Visited the Gangtey Gonpa Monastery this morning and watched part of the monks prayers. The complex is also a school so the boys there are either in junior high or high school.

After that, we headed to Punakha where we visited a nunnery and the fertility temple. It was really interested visiting the nunnery and asking questions. Most of the religious stuff goes over my head but I was curious about the cultural aspect considering we’d learned that girls inherited the assets before. This nun had 2 sisters so it wasn’t an issue. We also learned the king visits this nunnery as well as his grandfather was cremated there.

To get the fertility temple, Chime Lhakhang, we walked through a village with rice paddies and phalluses. The phallus is the symbol of fertility here in Bhutan and there are numerous shops where you can pick phalluses of various sizes and colours. Some are even carved with faces.

Our hotel tonight (River Valley) is located by the river and each of the rooms has a fantastic view. Across the river is the town that we’ll hopefully have time to visit tomorrow afternoon.Leggi altro
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Exploring Punahka
16 giugno 2023 ⋅ 🌧 22 °C
It rained all night into this morning. I was a bit concerned as we were hiking to Khamsum Yueley Chorten, a stupa in the mountains. Fortunately the rain stopped on our drive.

We started with a photo stop of Punakha Dzong, the admin centre for this area before heading to a suspension bridge to begin our hike. A little more challenging building us up for Tigers Nest but still very manageable.

We walked through some rice paddies and Forest for about an hour to arrive to the stupa and had another lesson in Buddhism before climbing the three levels to the roof for 360 views.

Coming back down we headed to a picturesque spot by the river for lunch. A local restaurant catered so tables, chairs and table cloths were set up.

After lunch we headed back to the Dzong for a walk through and learned about Buddha’s life. Then an extended walk back to the hotel. It was really cool walking on another long suspension bridge and along the road.

Before dinner we checked out the vegetable market in town across the river and walked around some of the shops. Nothing touristy but a trove of local alcohol available. I was so fixated on finding hard candy for tomorrow’s ride that I missed the lemongrass oil spray. Oops. Next town :)Leggi altro
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Mountain Drive
17 giugno 2023, Bhutan ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Not too much excitement today as we made a long drive to the picturesque Haa Valley. Our road had has backtracking to Thimphu and then beyond.

Past Paro, the road turns challenging as locals are working to widen the existing road to Haa. This road used to be widely used for trade with Tibet before China took over that region.

We did witness a cow jam which was pretty fun after lunch. I think it’s moments like these that open minded travellers find enjoyable to just be present.

Haa Town has local shops so not much shopping but there are murals done by students in town. While wandering, I had a chance to chat with some locals as well and even learned a new game as I watched them play. It’s similar to snooker but played on a square table the size of a mahjong table where players try to sink their chips into opposite pockets.

Our hotel for the night turned out to be the same place the monk minister of education was staying as he was to perform a blessing ceremony at the local military camp. We got to see what the welcome ceremony looked like and he blessed us as well.Leggi altro
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Warm up hike
18 giugno 2023, Bhutan ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Drove up to 3988m on Dantak Road this morning near Paro this morning to hike to Kila Goempa Nunnery. We were in the clouds and descended to this nunnery that clings to a rock cliff.

The hike isn’t too challenging and great way for us to get about moving at altitude. Scenery was beautiful with the alpine trees and other foliage. Our group stayed together really well, the first time in all my hikes where there was no big gap. Pace set by the CEO was great as we all kept up easily and no huffing/puffing.

The nunnery is small but very hospital as we were given tea and crackers. It was really nice to visit though we saw very few nuns. It’s a meditation centre so a number of nuns were likely in isolation to meditate. They stay in those rooms for 3 years.

After our visit we headed to Paro for lunch and shopping. There seems to be more store options here than Thimphu but I suppose it is more touristy with Tigers Nest nearby. I picked up most o f my souvenirs and just have jam/honey left to buy. Needed a little more time to go through the general stores as we went into practically every souvenir/handicraft store. Hopefully we can have a second round of shopping on the day we leave since we have afternoon flight (if not when we get back from Tigers Nest).

Half of us then visited Kyichu temple one of the oldest in Bhutan. I think some of us are templed out. I kinda felt that way but ended up going and was rewarded by the small temple. This might be my favourite with flower courtyards and the small rooms inside.Leggi altro
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Hiking Tiger’s Nest Day 1
19 giugno 2023, Bhutan ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Gearing up for our big hike to Tiger’s Nest. Today we climbed steady for much of the day to reach Bumdrak camp at 3860m. We began at an elevation of 2950m about a half hour drive from our hotel.

The coniferous forest is absolutely beautiful. To conserve battery, I didn’t take too many pictures. One of the girls wasn’t feeling to well so those of us at the back took breaks as she needed which helped make the trek less strenuous. We also made friends with a few local dogs, one of which I named Paulo and it stuck even after we realized she was a girl.

The camp itself is glamping, there were full on beds on the tents though facilities are basic and no showers. Some rodents got in so quite a few of us returned after dinner to find some items chewed up. For me that was my pants because I forgot about a chocolate wrapper in the pocket. Tomorrow one of the other girls would notice part of my mesh pocket on my bag had also been gnawed through.

Early night and it rained but I was snug in bed with a hot water bottle aka mountain baby as the locals called it.Leggi altro
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Hiking Tiger’s Nest Day 2
20 giugno 2023, Bhutan ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
I rose early before 5 and decided to check out the scenery outside. We were told we could see a cloud blanket below us early in the morning around 530. Thankfully I went out early as the most rolled shortly after I took in the views. One of the other girls said it was a full blanket at 445 but she was feeling sick and didn’t take any photos.

We began our descent after breakfast and light rain gave way to mist and then dryness. The hike wasn’t hard at all save for a couple of slippery spots and then the steep climb up to Tiger’s Nest itself. I was super thankful that I was able to borrow poles as it definitely made the effort easier. Some of the steps were really high so I had to use my arms quite a bit.

The beauty of Tiger’s Nest is really incomparable to what you see in photos. In person you really appreciate the sheer cliff it is perched on and the deep gorge that you have to descend into before you ascend. Definitely the most challenging hike of the trip but we took as many breaks as needed.

There are 4 temples in Tiger’s nest with most dedicated to the great Rinpoche who also meditated in a cave there. This site is also a pilgrimage site for Buddhists but it is hard to get to.

Once we retraced our steps back to where we began our descent into the gorge the going was back to fairly easy descending which was good news as folks were starting to feel dizzy and light headed from fatigue, elevation and simply needing some sustenance in their system. I count myself lucky as I was ok, just tired from all the steps. We were so happy to see our bus in the car park after lunch. Did I mention some of the girls named the bus Bob?

Back at the hotel, it was either some relaxing and showers or shopping. Before dinner we also got to watch some traditional dances by local students. It was really interesting and cool because these are normally performed during festivals.

Tonight we had our final group dinner. As usual it was bittersweet as we bid see you layers to everyone. I’m glad we got along so well and hopefully we’ll remain connected and see each other again on future travels.

I realize I’ve taken next to no food pictures on Bhutan. Not that the food isn’t good but it’s usually been buffet or family style where we pass the dishes around to share.Leggi altro
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ViaggiatoreTake them next time
28/06/23RispostaTradurre
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