Blog 8 – Heading out of Bhutan and into India

An 8 hour drive ahead(on THOSE roads) to Samdrup Jongkhar and then across the border at Guwahati and onto a flight to Kolkata. Started at 4.30AM (gulp) to avoid the compulsory road closures which last for hours apparently as they make very necessary repairs. We stopped around 7.30 for a picnic breakfast of hard boiled eggs, bread, jam and sweet tea in what appeared to be someone's house by the side of the road! Made it finally around 2.00pm with practically no hold-ups, although our guide and driver then had to turn around and drive for 2 days solid to get back to Thimpu to collect another party of tourists....rather them than me – the roads are pretty tiring just sitting looking out of the window, I can't imagine what it would be like to have to concentrate on them as our driver did for hours on end!
Ended the day in a brand new hotel (only been open 21 days....) and said goodbye to Kim and Uygen. A birdie paradise so binoculars came out pretty smartly, John clicking away with the camera and Di and I soaked up the heat again – lovely.

Breakfast...........


Our last day in Bhutan was John's birthday so he was given the obligatory ghoa knee-high socks that all the men wear here – he might wear them on the golf course perhaps?? Who knows.

John and those socks.....


Took off in a local taxi to drive the 3 hours across the border to the airport, along very bumpy dirt tracks, only to get stopped just over the border by two very smart cars (from Pjs agents here) and whisked away for lunch and our flight.

Some great road signs:
“peep peep – don't go to sleep” (if you did on these roads you would most certainly die!!!!)
“Be late Mister – not the Late Mister”
and
“On the bend – go slow friend!”

Kolkata was a smog-pit and we were only staying for a night. Traffic was absolute hell but it was kind of nice to be back in India if only for such a short time. Spent the very last day of our trip having a super-quick guided tour around the city, buying last minute gifts and eating (of course)..... Had a great Bengal Thali lunch and boarded the flight home truly stuffed.

Jain Temple


We have had such a great trip and I love Bhutan – for its culture, breath-taking scenery, history and most of all, its beautiful welcoming people. Highly recommend a visit!

Next trip – something totally different – the Seychelles (for the birds and the sea)........................