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October 2001

Phuentsholing, Paro, Thimphu, Bumthang District

Brett Voegele
2005-11-14 18:40:19

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Phuentsholing

On the way through India to the Bhutan border I saw a sign along the road which said, "Expect the unexpected". That could be India's national motto! The drive towards Bhutan was very nice, as it passed through tea plantations and green hillsides. I knew I was going to like Bhutan when I asked my guide a question. He thought for a minute before confessing to not knowing the answer and said he'd look it up and get back to me. I prefer that honesty to what occurs in some countries - such as India. They are too anxious to please, so will always provide an answer - even if they have no real idea what they're talking about. It means that you end up polling several people and going with the majority, which can be frustrating and time consuming.

The first stop in Bhutan was the border town of Phuentsholing, which is like border towns everywhere - non-descript, dirty, noisy, and a strange blend between the two countries. The following day we took the 6 1/2 hour (though only 170 km) drive to Paro. The highway is only about 1 3/4 vehicles wide, which means that you have to hang a few wheels off the road every time you pass or meet an oncoming car. There are also several cars, dogs, cows, and people on the road, and oncoming cars often stop to talk for a bit - blocking the entire road. The pavement is destroyed in places due to water runoff or rockslides, and there are several people along the road - normally women with their small children, breaking rocks into gravel with hammers to fill in the numerous potholes. Bhutan has very steep, green forested hills, with many waterfalls and rivers. Most major towns are situated in a river valley. The road continuously climbs out of one valley, winding along the various side valleys, before topping out on a prayer-flag covered pass and descending into the next valley. Going anywhere by road takes a long time, and you're constantly thrown from ...