The Travelling Life of Silvan Colani
November 2007 - India/Bhutan (cont.)
Next morning – Monday – was going to be another big, long day of driving: from Punakha back to Thimphu, then back up the mud and sand of the roadworks to Chhuzom where the road branches off to Paro as well as to the Haa valley and over the Cheli La, Bhutan’s highest motorable pass. It all started off very well: Mei opted for the car to give her sore backside a rest which meant that I could enjoy an adrenalin rush ride up to the Dochu La. Kids were on the way to school and between shifting gears I was busy waving at all of them. Nothing beats putting a smile on a kid with a simple gesture like that!
Half way up the fun stopped however and the rain started unexpectedly. My fancy yellow rain overpants were in the support vehicle of course and so my jeans slowly got drenched and my fingers colder and colder as we climbed above 3000m. The only thing that kept me going was the thought of the warm oven in the hut at the pass which eventually we reached. On the way down I wore my rain pants but sure enough there was no more rain on that side of the mountain. Mondays! Then came the sand and mud part which I actually quite enjoyed without a passenger on the back. Unfortunately one of our riders had a little shunt with an oncoming scooter (which was owned by the local policeman!) which delayed us for a while but luckily there were no serious injuries.
It was noon by the time we took off from Chhuzom into the very picturesque Haa valley. There wasn’t much traffic up this way and the scenery absolutely wonderful, with Bhutanese ‘chalets’ dotting the hillside. The only road hazards were the occasional cows, particularly at higher altitudes where they turned into yaks and often charged at our bikes. We had a short picnic lunch along the way but quickly had to roll again. From Haa it’s 26km to the Cheli La through a series of switchbacks. It drizzled and got colder with every meter of altitude we gained. By the time we reached the pass (sign posted at 3988m, but only 3810m in reality), my fingers were frozen solid and I had to defrost them on my engine block! I also hung my prayer flags here that I carried to Ama Dablam. It was 5pm by the time we finally reached our hotel in Paro just before nightfall, some 10hrs and 235kms after taking off! We stayed at the magnificent Gantey Palace, a traditional 19th century palace building with great views of the Paro Dzong.
Paro (2280m) is home to Bhutan’s only airport and as such is the usual entry and exit point for most tourists. Our last ride of the trip was a short excursion into the upper Paro valley with a stop at Kyichu Lhakhang, a serene 7th century temple built by a Tibetan king. Further up the road we caught a glimpse of Takhtshang Goemba, the famous ‘tiger’s nest’ monastery perched on the side of a 900m cliff. The road ends at the Drukgyel Dzong, the ruins of a fortress built in 1649 to commemorate the victory of Bhutan over Tibetan invaders. Ironically, it withheld an entire Tibetan army but burned down by a fire caused by a single butter lamp!
| Mine’s Bigger than Yours:
Bhutan’s unique architecture is complemented by colorful drawings on the side of most houses, featuring animals and religious symbols. Most striking, however, are the large penises adoring many walls, apparently to keep away evil spirits.
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In the afternoon we visited the Paro Dzong and the National Museum housed in the former watchtower of the dzong. But our motorcycle tour had come to an end. After just over 900kms, endless bends, countless missed gears and several failed attempts at finding neutral we brought our trusted Enfields to a final halt before they were trucked back to India for their next adventure.
Rob Callander, Gyan and Sonu our mechanics and our Bhutanese guide, Dorji, had ran a smooth and excellent expedition into a magnificent country full of unique sights and wonderful encounters – not just of oncoming traffic! Apparently somebody once said: “If you travel in a car you see a postcard. If you travel on a bike, you’re IN the postcard.” How true. And what an exciting postcard this was!
| Druk That:
Bhutan has been known as Druk Yul, ‘land of the thunder dragon’ since the 13th century and you’ll encounter a lot of druk: you fly Druk Air, you stay at the Druk Hotel, you email over the druknet and you drink my favorite, Druk 11,000 – Super Strong Beer (8% alcohol).
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Final Note: I must give credit to my loving and supportive wife whom I coaxed into this adventure as pillion rider. Even though she did some mileage in the support vehicle and when on the bike was usually leaning in the wrong direction in the corners, I’m immensely grateful for being able to share such an incredible trip with The Love of My Life. *mwah!*
Contact:
Our Bhutanese guide, Dorji, was extremely helpful. If you wish to arrange your own trip to Bhutan, contact him on dorjik@hotmail.com
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