Bhutan - five hours in and I'm already sold! It started on the plane, where Royal Bhutan airline's in-flight magazine was the most entertaining one I have ever seen. Much of the content consisted of an ode to the king and his royal family, seen in the photo below in traditional Buthanese costume - and no, he hasn't forgotten his pants you cheeky buggers!
After arrival at the pretties international airport in the world...
... I could just lay back and enjoy the ride. And this is one for the books! Kati, international low-budget traveller of renown has landed deep in the Lap of Luxury!
As a dedicated solo traveller, I've been on rather few organized tours before, and these have been either trecking tours or tours by jeep to destinations, which could only be reached that way. But never before have I been a pampered solo traveller with my own guide, my own driver and jeep and - oh ye gods - rooms in hotels, the likes of which I've only seen in magazines or if I've sneaked in to use their lavatory.
The trouble is, I could see myself getting used to this level of accommodation, which is most definitely NOT going to continue, once I return to India. Carpe diem.
My guide Tshering, above, and driver Sonam are spendid fellows who I corrupted so thoroughly in these few hours that we ended up singing karaoke and drinking Buthanese whisky (all but the driver, I hasten to add, who made do with tea and was the Pavarotti of our crew) in a local karaoke bar. The list of Western songs had so few songs I knew that I ended up singing Michael Jackson's Billy Jean on a mike that has so much reverb that I sounded like a asthmatic boy choir in a very roomy church. To make amends I also sang some Buthanese and Hindi popular hits - albeit without the microphone, which for some reason was removed from me very quickly after B.Jean ended.
This country has already provided enough fodder for a dozen entries, but I must retire to be ready for another day and work off the Bhutan Grain Whisky. Tomorrow I'm off to Bumthang - and yes, that really is a place you cheeky buggers!
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