Moving into my home away from home

It’s been a long journey, and now here I am, sipping tea in the living room of my apartment in Thimphu.  Gazing out my window see a series of Himalayan hillsides, climbing up even higher than the 8000-foot altitude of this picturesque small city.

Beginning my travels in Portland, I flew to Vancouver, BC, then Hong Kong and Bangkok.  Because I arrived Bangkok late at night and my final flight to Bhutan would leave before 7 am, I spent two nights at a hotel near the Bangkok airport. 

Bangkok hotel lobby

After nearly 20 hours of airplane time, it felt wonderful to have time to relax and begin adjusting to what was then a 15-hour time shift before that final flight. 

The descent into Paro, Bhutan was as magnificent as all the descriptions I’d read.  The plane flew into the tiny airport between mountains that were so steep and close it looked as if the wing tips of the plane would touch them.  I was met at the airport by a driver who loaded my bags into the bed of a rattly old pickup and we were soon on our for the hour drive over the narrow, windy one-lane-wide two-way road to Thimphu. Cheer signs marked the way wishing good luck and happiness; my favorite said “The highway is a pleasure if you drive with leisure.”

I was very glad to have had helpers haul my heavy luggage up to the third-floor apartment that

will be my home for the next three months. The apartment is large – a large living room and dining area at the center, a kitchen, two bedrooms, a third bedroom set up as an office, and two bathrooms. I count myself fortunate that only one bathroom has the traditional squat toilet; the other boasts a western-style toilet. The landlord showed me around and got things up and running, and soon his wife came down with a lunch she’d prepared for me.  One of many examples of the warm Bhutanese hospitality I’m encountering.

At first glance the apartment seemed more basic than I’d imagined.  It is furnished sparsely with minimal storage places for unpacking and putting things away. Hot water is supplied in the kitchen and in one bathroom by a contraption called a geyser that you turn on to heat up the water in a tank mounted high on the wall.  Cooking (if I do any) will be on a two-burner hotplate.  The bed turned out to be wonderfully comfortable thanks to a 4-inch foam pad added by a previous resident, and after a good night’s sleep, the apartment has already begun to feel more homey and comfortable.

Living room in my home away from home

My bedroom

The study/office room

The kitchen

Tshering, a woman who works for both NBCC (the organization that sent me here) and RENEW (a local NGO for helping women and children and eradicating domestic violence) came by my first evening with some groceries, and returned again today to show me about town. We began by recharging my internet service and data card at the Bhutan Telecom office. After a short driving tour, we went to lunch at her sister’s Folk Heritage Museum Restaurant. (You may want to read about this wonderful spot on the web.)  I had my first cup of traditional butter tea while we waited to sit down. As it turned out, the restaurant was filled for a special luncheon by a group of 20 I’d flown in with yesterday. This turned out to be quite lucky for us because they’d order a grand meal with an exceptional assortment of dishes, and we were able to partake of it all. Everything was unusually prepared and quite delicious, although I don’t think I’ll ever be up to eating much of the bowlfuls of hot chilis that are traditional fare.  The fried cheese and momos were especially good, and after the meal we were treated to chhaang, a traditional beer made of fermented wheat berries.  I’m not a beer drinker, but this brew was very good.

After lunch we toured a bit more of town and stopped for me to get some basic supplies before heading back home.  Tomorrow morning I will go to the hospital where I’ll be working to get my work permit and official papers complete.  It’s been a great first day.

Tshering (on right) and her sister, the owner of Folk Heritage Restaurant

Folk Heritage Restaurant dining room