I was hoping to be able to post the final Bhutan blog from Bhutan but alas we’ve ran out of time so here’s a random blog I wrote a while a go whilst Douglas was busy chin-waging with Nigel. Actually it was written purely as an excuse to add some of my favorite photos, hope you like them.
We’ll post the last few days of Bhutan from Bangkok.
So here are some general pontifications on the bad, the good and the down right crazy of Bhutan.
The good so far
The people look serious until you smile at them and then they reply with a bigger and brighter smile. The children look like dolls when they wear the Gho’s and Kira’s “micro humans” Douglas calls them, they are soooo cute!
I haven’t heard any swear words or arguments and certainly no road rage since arriving in Bhutan, which is amazing considering their driving ability – or lack of.
North Face seems to be the unofficial national dress as every second person seems to wear a North Face puffer jacket. I certainly feel less conspicuous since I bought mine although I still get stared at quite a lot, Douglas recons it’s the blond hair but I’m sure it’s my charismatic personality shining through the NF jacket.
Monks with cell phones, one of those lovely juxtapositions.
Amazingly painted houses although the jury is still out regarding the phallic images they love to paint on the exterior walls.
The dogs that sleep all day and bark all night. They hang out in packs and like the people all seem to be very gentle natured. Lynne must never! ever! visit Bhutan as she would immediately have about 100 adopted dogs to look after as would I had I not been traveling with the less of a sucke Douglas.
The less than good so far:
The prolific littering!! Even on the trek we were haunted by the endless presence of plastic water bottles and crisps and sweet wrappers. Consumerism has come to Bhutan and they haven’t figured out that it’s all better of in the bin!
The Taxi drivers! Apparently in the Bhutanese form of Buddhism there are three hells for different types of sins. I’m pretty confident that one of them has been reserved for taxi drivers.
The dogs or to be more specific the lack of care for them. They are sacred in Bhutanese culture as they are the guides that will lead them to the afterlife. But obviously they don’t have to be well fed or healthy to be a successful guide. Most if not all are desperately in need of a good vet and a decent meal once a day, something I don’t think I’ll ever get used to.
Driving in Bhutan (or as DT thinks more appropriate, passengering in Bhutan)
Driving in Bhutan really needs a special mention the drivers are the least aggressive but are amongst the most incompetent I’ve ever come across and that’s having witnessed Auckland drivers in action. Having said that, so far traffic accidents are relatively few and no one seems to mind the chaos caused by the lack of indicating and sudden stopping in the middle of the road.
When we first arrived I tried to figure out the difference in the road rules between NZ and Bhutan and soon decided that the Bhutanese just don’t bother too much with a road code. For example:
· The give way rule, it’s simple, if it’s bigger than you give way to it.
· Driving in the middle of the road is preferred but if you have to pull over due to oncoming traffic drivers will move to the left… most of the time.
· I have yet to see a cop car, although I have seen a couple of cops on a motor bike. I suppose they put the arrested on the handle bars? I did hear a lovely story that a cop had to hire a taxi to chase down a suspected crim.
· If the car in front is in the way just beep at it and it’ll pull over.
· Overtaking on blind corners, at cross roads and in other dangerous situations is quite normal and must be expected in order to avoid head on collisions.
And that’s my random blog.
Oh by the way feel free to post us a message even if it’s a quick “read your blog and it sucks” as it’s quite nice to see who’s having a squiz.
Keren
… on our way down it decided to snow on us anyway and all the hills around the capital where dusted.
