Bhutan--Real World 'Shangri La'

Bhutan is also known as "Shangri-La"

Pricey to get to, priey while there (the government taxes 200 USD per day while you are there), hence I will only be going for a few days.

It has no internet. It has been sheilded from the 'real world' for many years, if not centuries. The time to go is now, before tourism explodes and real hotels appear. Guesthouses with normal facilities are available now. I'm quite excited, and nervous at the same time.

Who knows what i'll see.

Food wise, they love their spice..and chili...from a guide book:

Most of the good restaurants are in the hotels and cuisine is mainly vegetarian. Dartsi (cow's milk cheese) and Ema dartsi (red chillies cooked in melted cheese) are some of the favourite cuisine items in Thimphu. Remember that red chilly is going to be the most important ingredient in any dish in Thimphu and if you don't like chilly ask the staff to decrease the amount to an acceptable amount.

Well i'm vegetarian, and love my spicy food, and LOVE cheese...so this shall be kinda a fun gustatory experience.

Also from another travel guide:

Have you ever dreamt of being to Shangri La? If yes! then this is your chance to visit a place which may not have any relations with the above, but has all the qualities at the same time. Capital to the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, Thimphu is perhaps the smallest capital in the world. Thimphu is a gallery of traditional Bhutanese art, architecture, culture, and tradition and above all still so ethnic and pure. For most part of its history, Bhutan has tried consciously to save its culture from the blunt influences of the western world. It is not that modernity has not reached this region, but they are being introduced in a phased and balanced manner that is unheard of at any place in the world. All these make Thimphu and other parts of the country a unique destination.

I'll be visiting both the cities of Paro and Thimpu (the capital). I fly into Paro, and then drive to Thimpu for the first 2 days. We'll see theMemorial Chorten, National Library, Tashichho Dzong, Simtokha Dzong, Handicrafts Emporium. In Paro i'll be going to the infamous Tigers Nest.

More information about Tigers Nest. I'll be blogging at the end of the week on my last days back in Nepal, before I head off to Thailand to relax, get massages, sit on a beach, and sip drinks for a few days recovering from living out of a bagpack for the past few weeks.

Then back home...unpacking from my move across country...see friends and family..then off on a family adventure in South America for some more fun memories.

Traveling is awesome..yes, it can be taxing at times... when you're not at a resort 24/7 and dealing with languages and customs that are unfamiliar...but it's also quite rewarding because of the 'human' experience with people you otherwise would never come across...and that is priceless part of wandering.