Journey to the Land of the Thunder Dragon
Every adventure begins with journey, and the journey to the Land of the Thunder Dragon is no different. We begin with a 22 hr trip from California, through Tokyo...
Onto finally meeting my student group in Suvarnabhumi Airport (Bangkok) for a 2am rendezvous
We set off on our final leg of the journey. Over the Himalayas...
and into the heart of Bhutan, Paro Dzongkhag.
As we load load onto our "magic bus" for the month, I realize this is just the gateway to a month of discovery.
Geography of the Trip
We kept our trip in Western Bhutan.
Over the month, we spent time in 4 districts, or dzongkhags
Paro, the home of the primary international airport and de facto gateway to Bhutan.
Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan
Which includes, the Royal Thimphu College, or RTC, our home away from home.
The Phobjikha Valley, also known as Gangtey Valley. A significant ecological, cultural, and spiritual hotspot in Bhutan.
A finally Punakha, located at the intersection of two rivers, or chhus, the Mo Chhu (female river), and the Pho Chhu (male river).
Note: The hotspots were created using my Google Timeline data and generally reflect the amount of time spent in each area.
Thimphu
Bhuthan Trip
The majority of our time was based in the Royal Thimphu college, located just outside of the capital city of Thimphu.
This no stop light city under 150,000 also serves as the largest mass of population in the country, with ancient and modern coexiting. Monks in crimson robes walk alongside international students trying on their first traditional style Bhutanese cloths. Nearly everyone you see where either a gho or a kira
Phobjikha Valley
Bhuthan Trip
Homestay
Our group had the opportunity to spend 2 nights in traditional Bhutanese homes in Phobjikha. We shared meals, prepared fresh, local (often grown by our hosts) ingredients with our home families and got a small glimpse into the life of rural Bhutan.
Hikes
One of the signature marks of Bhutan is the importance of the environment. We took advantage of the pristine Himalayan air by getting out and up. When I say up, I mean way up!
Football is Life
Like most countries, football is more than a sport, it's part of life in Bhutan. We were lucky enough to have several opportunities to see not only the top ranked RTC team play on their breathtaking field overlooking Buddha Point
RTC Football Club
But we were also lucky to join 3 international matches between Bhutan, Iran, and Hong Kong women's club teams
The Sights
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One month to last a lifetime
UC in Bhutan 2024
