Blog 6 - Gasping into Eastern Bhutan

Gasping for more reasons than one – it is stunningly beautiful and it is at altitudes of 3100m plus!! Have left the warmth behind for a short time and are now in much colder climes. Thank goodness I brought my thermals!! Just spent 2 days in the Ura Valley - very beautiful and quiet - a traditional farming valley with lots of yaks and potatoes in evidence. Stayed at a simple guest house (with heart-stoppingly cold water to wash in....) where the proprietor runs a small herbal business and is a fantastic chef – food was exceptionally delicious. Visited a farmhouse to see how they look from the inside – a real eye-opener! It makes me suddenly realise how much I take for granted at home, especially in my kitchen. The family were very hospitable and we drank the obligatory Ara which seems to get stronger the further east we go!
Where we ate at the Ura guest house

Ura Temple


Got dropped off at a remote village called Shingkhar which has no electricity (although some is planned for the future) and it was almost like stepping back in time into another world. A few houses dotted around a temple, small gangs of laughing (and pretty dirty) children were the only people we saw and it was bitterly cold. Walked back to Ura through light sleet showers.

Shingkhar village main street!


Shingkhar family


It gets dark at around 5pm so basically we are eating early evening then heading for bed in a room warmed by a woodburner. Lovely. Where we eat is basically a large room in the family house which serves as a home and restaurant as far as I can work out; we eat in one side of the room and they watch tv in the other – lots of cartoons which cause much mirth – especially popular was Oggy and the Cockroaches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prayer flags


Heading next for Mongar, and hopefully monks performing sacred Cham (religious) dances. Dropping down to 1,600m so that should be a relief...................