I’ve met a most interesting woman at breakfast. She is here working from Japan on the regional development plan and is on the environmental team. She is actually from Mongolia. A great chat, and we’ll meet up for breakfast tomorrow.
It’s off fishing today. We plan to fish from 10 – 11 and then a picnic with Sangay and family and friends, and then fish again from 3 -4. I actually end up fishing for quite a bit more time in the morning – well hiking a long way to the fishing spots anyway. We walk a long way trying to find a slower part of the river. Then fished for about 1 1/2 hours – no catching. Observations: The fishing guide uses a line wound on a tin can with a lure at the end and several small hooks above. He can cast this way further than I can with my spinning rod / reel. Spinning rod – I brought my light weight because of luggage. It’s way too light for the current in the river, but it’s still fun, and after awhile I learn better techniques of retrieval for this current. The fishing guide is not a guide as we would expect. Mostly he just gets you to the river, points out a few things, and we both fish. He is far more likely to catch something for sure. He has an annoying habit of coming close to where I am fishing, making my cast and retrieve a bit of an issue trying not to cross lines. This becomes more often in the afternoon fishing. It’s kind of odd.
We are off to meet up with Sangay, her family, and a few camping friends for a picnic. They have found a good place as it really won’t work by the river. We walk back to the car the way we came; past the prison, through some private yards, across the rice fields, and through the saw mill! The picnic spot is high in the mountains with a beautiful view. Sangay and her sister-in-law have made an amazing picnic! Rice, vegetables, chicken, potatoes. Each dish is perfect. They are great cooks. We sit in a circle on camp chairs, just talking and getting to know each other a bit. This is an amazing picnic and I feel so thrilled and honoured to be a part of this, even for a few hours. The camping group should come to Powell River – camp up Desolation Sound or in the bush or along the Sunshine Coast Trail. It would be so great.
Off to fish again. A much better location for me. I fish Tenkara. We don’t catch, so I might as well enjoy the ease of the Tenkara. The river is good to be by – though it is not I think clean. It rains some and afterwards there must be silt coming down as the river is even less clear – really muddy, and an unpleasant smell. Jamyang says the rivers clear as the fall and winter come in. (Note: future fishing sites much better!)
I do enjoy myself. I’m exhausted, so after lots of back and forth I’m going to eat at the hotel and get an early night. We leave Thimphu tomorrow.