Exploring Thimphu, Bhutan

17 March 2024

Elevation 7590

Be still my heart! There are pedestrian crossings and Bhutan’s drivers stop for me! I hear no honking. No cows stroll the streets. A dog passes, held firmly on a leash. Not a traffic light to be seen. Kids play soccer in the square and apologize when the kicked ball narrowly misses a passerby. The architecture is traditional Tibetan/Bhutanese accented with colorful windows, doors and eaves. Green tin roofs dominate; government buildings designed with red roofs. The King’s picture is everywhere. I’ve entered another world.

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En route to Thimphu, Bhutan

16 March 2024

Altitude 7590′

This day will be long, sweetened by the drive through the spectacular Bhutanese countryside. Destination is Thimphu, the nation’s capital. The distance is about 110 miles but will take from 5 to 6 hours. If I thought the roads so far were twisty and carsick-worthy, they have only been a teaser. In Bhutan, nothing is straight. 

Weather is warm, in high 70s. However, we will be experiencing a rise in altitude of several thousand feet. It is expected we will have relief from pollution and heat.

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Phuntsholing, Bhutan

15 March 2024

We reboard our van for another road trip. Today is a “box lunch” day. It’s also a day for multiple ginger pills to calm my stomach. Highway 12 is two-lane and twisty, twisty, twisty. Reaching Highway 10, we turn southeast.

It will be a long day of driving south along the Teesta River, past countless hazy View Points, between endless forests and mountains. The surroundings are magical. Mists cling to the peaks; countless bridges pass over rivers and flood plains. Signs of October’s flash flood are everywhere.

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Kalimpong, West Bengal, India

14 March 2024

Altitude 3970′

North is Mt. Kangchenjunga and Tibet. Northeast is Bhutan. The lofty Himalayas surround us, which have been continuously blotted out by haze. Unable to pass thru the mountains , we drive south and retrace much of our route. Nothing is straight here. Our route represents one hairpin twist after another. Best news is my ginger pills work.

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Gangtok, Sikkim, India

12-13 March 2024

Our exit from the hotel is dramatic as our van rips down the already low hanging wires. Electricity has been spotty at the Elgin. I believe we just made matters worse. The huge post lamp can be quickly reattached, not sure about the wires. The few minutes delay put us behind the garbage truck. Not a good place to be in place where trash lies everywhere.

Ginger pill swallowed and I’m prepared for our morning drive 60 miles northeast into the mountains to Sikkim. I feel like a smuggler as I was told not to mention this part of my excursion to the Indian Visa authorities. I am about to find out why.

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Darjeeling, West Bengal, India

9-11 March 2024

Today, we fly from Kolkata to the Bagdogra International Airport in West Bengal, some 350 miles north. A 55-minute flight replaces a 13-hour drive. Our “adventure begins with a scenic drive to Darjeeling” which is always tour-speak for “you will be on a bus for a long time. Be prepared.”

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Kolkata, West Bengal, India

7-8 March 2024

We fly from a pleasantly mild Delhi via Air India into a warmer Kolkata, capital of West Bengal. I need my t-shirts for a couple more days. Neither my niece nor I enjoy hot or humid temperatures so weather complaints may arise. It is hard to pack for two seasons. What to do with sweaters and coats in Delhi or Kolkata? 

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