My eye is responding to the drops. It has a way to go to be cleared up completely, but I do feel comfortable in leaving Punakha and heading into the mountains and the next valley.
Up at 6am – gentle stretches, sun salutation, etc. to start the day and both wake up and be calm. I decide to pack before breakfast. Jamyang calls at 8:15 as I am usually down by 7 – 7:15 for breakfast. I think he is relieved that I am improving and we can be underway. An enjoyable breakfast with my usual waiter. He’s got some of my preferences remembered – like dark brown toast. But, I do wish there could be training for this staff. They want to do well. They work in a hotel with tourists from around the world. A bit more training would make their jobs easier and perhaps also just improve their skills and careers. Checked out. Luggage loaded and we are off.
Our journey as we leave this valley takes us high into the mountains. We are at one point driving not in fog but in the clouds. The road is one tight corner after the next. But it’s a good highway and Kinzang is a great and cautious driver. Mind you, when we come upon a rock slide that takes the road to a single lane, and the drop off seems straight down a gully with no guard rail, it’s a bit scary! But the adventure and beauty are too wonderful to waste energy on my fear.
We finally come to the height of the pass. There is a stupa. Jamyang teaches me about the shout to make as you come to the height as a pass – Lha Gaylo (ha go lo). I can feel the effects of the altitude a bit. Sometimes I’m just a bit dizzy when I first move – for example out of the car. On we go, mile after mile of mountain highway. Oh yes – when we got out of the car at the pass the most wonderful memories of going to Whistler to ski – and the first smell and coolness of the mountain air. It seems exactly the same.
We take a secondary highway as we are going into Phobjikha Valley for a home / farm stay night. On the way we stop at a temple, and there is a festival. Now this truly feels festive. Lots of monks & villagers inside the temple courtyard sitting enjoying lunch. It’s kind of messy, and lived in, really a place that is a part of this place – not a dzong removed from everyday life. This continues inside the temple. There are crumbs from the lunch offerings that a monk starts sweeping up. There are a few monks napping. There are monks moving about organizing offerings for later. Lived in and I think loved – and festive.
Off now to the farm We come down into the valley. The bottom of the valley has become a wetland conservation area. It’s great to be in a country that values this. Into this wetland each November flocks of black necked cranes make their migration from Tibet. Later I realize I saw a documentary about this migration – as the cranes must fly over the Himalayas. OK to be more precise – over the highest peaks.
We arrive at our farm after a bumpy ride down a definitely single lane dirt / mud road. I will enjoy this I do believe. We meet our hosts, and are welcomed. We have masala tea and a lovely lunch: rice (red rice), potatoes (from their garden), broccoli (also from their garden), and chicken.
Off to the black crane sanctuary (2 birds) – one they rescued and it’s wing was broken so the family kept it and started this place. Later they got permission to capture one other so the first would not be alone. Tourists come to see them – Bhutanese and foreign. They are quite majestic.
Back to the farm. Some writing and tea, then I am able to cook – we make chili cheese and buckwheat pancakes. All the ingredients come from the farm. After cooking I enjoy a quiet late afternoon. There are guests coming for dinner, so hosts quite busy in the kitchen. I arrange with Karma to milk cows tomorrow morning.
The first guests are 3 people I have seen several times on this trip – Janet, Nell, & John. Nell travels non stop and so no longer has a home base. Always with G Adventures. Janet’s first tour with them. John also seems to travel non stop. A large group then arrives. I feel uncomfortable with so many strangers in one room and not wearing a mask – I am a bit distanced. When the meal is served I actually leave and sit outside chatting with Karma and Jamyang. There are clouds with a 3/4 moon that manages an appearance. We make plans for milking. After the large group of guests finishes dinner I chat a bit more with the group of 3 and get email addresses for Janet & Nell. Then they are off.
Now, such a delightful dinner – true Bhutanese style. The pots & serving dishes (many) are set on the floor & we sit on the floor and eat – Wangchuk, Karma, Jamyang, Kinzang, and me. The meal is delicious: rice, chicken with lovely spices, chard, chili cheese, buckwheat pancakes, dahl (soup), and chili relish. All excellent, and I am even able to eat chili cheese – stuffed in a buckwheat pancake. It is a treat to enjoy this meal with my hosts. The ara (distilled rice alcohol) is also quite good – not a harsh drink as I expected – reminding me of sake.
To bed early – BTW the washroom facilities are very good – and this is the best flushing toilet in Bhutan thus far. Hot water, better than the hotel in Punakha. The bed is hard, but with a pillow under my knees I get a pretty reasonable sleep. Up every four hours for the eye drops.
Another excellent day!