Ants Rants, Bhutan - hard to describe, much better to visit!
So my brief week in this stunning Himalayan Kingdom is coming to an end. 4 days of meetings and its home time. However the meetings have been a huge success and next week Live The Adventure will be making a few announcements that we are very excited about, and pretty exclusive too!……so look out for next weeks Facebook and Blogs - sorry, thats all I can divulge at the moment!
For my last day it was time to complete the meetings and head over to Paro an hour away from the capitol, and the closest valley they had the space for a runway! It’s a beautiful drive following some stunning rivers that take me back to 2006 when I first arrived and travelled the country with unrestricted access to explore the Kingdom using its river systems.
Today though, no paddling kit, instead time to get my Gho fitted, the national dress for Men and over 50% still wear it on a daily basis here. Choosing one was easy, buying one was easy, but trying to work out how it goes on is an art form. After a couple of goes I had it nailed (but not unaided - it was still a two man job) and I have to say - surprisingly, extremely comfortable.
So to end the evening and my visit it had to be a traditional hot stone bath. Out in the open but enclosed to spectators the 5 - 8″ rocks are heated on a fire for 3 hours before being dropped into a caged end of a wooden bath. The theory is that the rocks crack as they hit the water releasing minerals, combined with added herbs added to the water for medicinal benefits such as joints, stomach disorders and arthritis.
Having none of these I just have one for relaxation, and just after getting in a magical glass of local wine arrived!
The secret is getting the stone control just right, like ordering sugar - would you like one stone or two added sir?
I never leave Bhutan feeling sad, as I know I’ll be always be back, just over 8 weeks to be precise, and each visit I learn or experience something new and inspiring.
Although I write about it whilst I’m here, I often refer to this kingdom as……..’Bhutan - hard to describe, much better to visit’.
Tashi Delek
Ant
National Bhutanese Dress - The Gho!