Where the heck is Bhutan? YES WE ARE GOING THERE

 YES WE ARE GOING TO BHUTAN!

 

 

Many have asked were our next journey will take and I answer Bhutan. I oft get a puzzled look and am asked "where is that".

Bhutan is located in the area where Tibet, Nepal and India meet. 

 A Buddhist kingdom on the Himalayas’ eastern edge, is known for its monasteries, fortresses (or dzongs) and dramatic landscapes that range from subtropical plains to steep mountains and valleys. In the High Himalayas, peaks such as 7,326m Jomolhari are popular trekking destinations. Paro Taktsang monastery (also known as Tiger’s Nest) clings to cliffs above the forested Paro Valley. 

In the early 1980 I was introduced to Bhutan via a presentation by a Bhutanese Police Officer who gave a presentation about his country to our Peace Officers Association. I then knew I must visit this country for many reasons.

To get there we will fly from Denver to Seattle to Tokyo to Bangkok. In Bangkok we will meet our National Geographic group. Currently one must travel with a group to visit Bhutan. I believe this is the first Nat Geo trip to Bhutan.

From Bangkok we will fly to Paro, Bhutan. The airport in Paro is listed as one of the most dangerous airports in the world. There are only a handful of pilots qualified to land there. My research indicates there are 20-28 qualified pilots. Here is the approach chart. 

Bhutan is a majority Buddhist Country. We were exposed to Buddhism on our trip to Tibet. The tenants of Buddhism make sense to me. I will suggest if one wants to learn more the book "Buddhism For Dummies".

The wealth of the country is measured by their Gross Domestic Happiness (GDH). An in-depth survey is administered every 5 years to measure the GDH. 

There are no traffic lights in Bhutan. 

The national sport is archery, where a good target hit is celebrated with dance and song. 

Looking forward to butter tea and momo's (steam buns), red rice and chilies are incorporated into all meals.

The country has a negative carbon impact, and is covered by 70% forests. Their laws dictate it must not drop below 60%. 

We will admire the architecture of the dzongs.

I hope we will see some Black Necked Cranes.

I have this feeling I will be very moved by the spirit of the people of Bhutan. I am ready to learn and experience it all.

So hang on and get ready to follow along.