Hi Folks,

A few interesting stories about Bhutan in the news around the world.  Also, check out Bhutan’s daily newspaper (in English) Kuensel.

On Travel in Bhutan

http://www.eturbonews.com/55439/pata-rtcm-2015-closes-bhutan

On the Haa Valley

http://haavalleyhomestay.com

A Blog Post on the Haa Valley

http://floraine.org/bhutan/2014/02/17/paro-and-haa-valley/

Hi Again,

I am a big believer in traveling light on international trips and you will find a wealth of information on ways to pack.  I am a fan of this web site: http://www.onebagtravel.com.  On the web site and with the accompanying video, this site provides information on packing and packing well.  In addition, the information provided on travel is invaluable and is a great resource.

In addition to this site, I also use this site: http://frugalfirstclasstravel.com/2013/04/13/real-life-one-bag-travel-my-packing-list-for-spring-in-europe/.  Packing effectively for travel is a BIG deal when you have to carry bags and such on planes, trains, and in vans etc.  generally speaking, if it is small, it CAN be easy.

Soooo….take a look at these sites and let me know what you think!

Peace,

TGF

Hi Folks,

In terms of vaccinations, I take my cues from the CDC and information from each of the countries we visit.

You can find the CDC information for Japan here: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/japan

For Thailand, here are the CDC recommendations: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/thailand/traveler/packing-list

Finally, for Bhutan here are the CDC recommendations: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/bhutan

Take a look at this information.  You can make your own decisions about which vaccinations to take.  In my case, I have Hep A, B, and Typhoid as my minimum vaccinations for these parts of the world.  In addition, I use bug repellant and, specifically, Permethrin, a wash-in bug repellant: http://www.rei.com/product/768970/sawyer-permethrin-pump-spray-24-oz.

In addition to dealing with personal health questions, it’s always good to eat carefully….avoid food that is not prepared in front of you or food that has been sitting out…when eating street food, choose food stalls that prepare food in front of you….watch the process.

Finally, some foods, like unpeeled fruit and vegetables, can transmit disease via the skin of the fruit or veggie…lettuce products seem to be a serious concern because of handling methods as well as the kinds of pesticides and fertilizers used.

My advice?  Be careful and be wise in food selection!

Hi Folks,

Off we go! In a few months!

We are flying United this year, making stops in Tokyo and Bangkok.  Our group will board the shinkansen (Hikari) at Tokyo Station headed to Kyoto.  From there we have a home stay, a bit of travel around Japan, and a day trip to Hiroshima now added to our time in Japan.

Our stay in Bangkok will be brief and the Bhutan leg of the trip will begin May 30th.  Our plans are to hit the Haa Valley and a home stay as well as a rafting trip down the Mo Chu River in Punakha followed by another home stay at the Orgyen Choling House.

More details to come!

TGF

Hi Folks,

Here’s the deal: the trip departs for Japan in May!  Our travels take us to Kyoto and a home stay in the city.  We will reside in the Japan for about 5 days and then head to Thailand and then Bhutan.  Our Bhutan travels keep us there for 10 days and then we head back to the U.S.

For detailed information about travels to these locations, check out the State Department web site for information on the current situation in Thailand:http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/thailand.html and Bhutan: http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/bhutan.html

Sign up happens NOW and deposits are due by December 1st.

Are you ready to travel?

I have stayed in touch with the folks we connected with in Bhutan.  The Trongsa Middle Secondary School is on their extended break (between January and February).  During their break, our group will organize a series of fundraisers and mailings to the school.  Our plan is to provide some supplies and support for students who live at the school and travel from home to school.

Specifically, the school needs help for students who have no real source of income or support from their families.  The plan is to provide some funds for the school to disperse for students in need.  Those needs include medical help in case of illness, the ability to purchase food when necessary at school, and the ability to purchase clothing, including shoes.

In addition, I have received donations of new elementary and middle school readers and science books for the students.  We will mail those boxes to the school by February 15th to arrive by the start of the new school year after Losar at the beginning of March on our calendar.

If you have additional thoughts about providing support for the school, please do post that information right here.

Thanks for reading,

Tom

 

 

These are the edited reflections of Jordan.  All reflections are in quotations and are directly taken from the journals of the students.

First Impressions: Travel from the United States to Bangkok

“Of all of the people I have met so far, the Japanese were most sincere.  A boy about my age smiled and giggled “you’re welcome” each time he gave me a part of my dinner at a Tokyo restaurant.  A woman taking trash away on our Tokyo flight returned a box of chocolates to me after she realized there were still some left.”

“The feeling of Bangkok was sheerly human; the people filled paces like jungle fills hills.  The self-consciousness Americans have while inhabiting a place was completely non-existent here.  [It’s interesting] how American homes are built with strict boundaries of what’s yours and what’s mine; what’s safe and what’s clean, but in the streets of Bangkok all of these predilictions were non-existant.  For example, there was a building built of wood, coming off a wall of another building made of concrete……the whole commotion of Bangkok was undirected and beautiful.  Everything was moving…”

 

“The sun rises on Bangkok /  warm lit buildings / with people hanging cloths and smoking”

“An orange robed monk walks / past the sounds of traffic / white flowers on the trees.”

In Bhutan

As we walked to a monastery for Buddhist studies….I looked at the flowers next to the steep switch-backing path…on a sign it was written, “By plucking its pedals, you do not gather the flower’s beauty.” For a long time it bothered me – that lack of satisfaction I had after trying to pick flowers and preserve them or taking pictures of beautiful things so that I could look back on them and enjoy things all over again. But the little signs I saw reminded me of the joy I felt when I first heard the words, “You cannot take this world with you, so why not let go from the start?”

“I’ve lost count of the days.  As we go through all of the Dzongs and stupas it’s becoming clearer to me how beautiful the Himalayan foothills are.  Surely the richness of the Bhutanese and Tibetan’s spirituality comes from the power and energy of the mountains.”

“The Bhutanese people are all incredibly happy.  By no means are they happy in the way I was taught to be in America – unlimited enthusiasm, smile all the time, flatter everyone, and act like it’s the best day of your life.  The Bhutanese are happier on a deeper level and their happiness is quiet and sincere….it seems like they are closer to the timelessness of the world around them.”

“As we drove down the road, the bus pulled over and Namgay opened his window and asked a girl sitting by the side of the road what she was selling.  The young woman, probably in her twenties, was kneeling in her kira umbrella placed on the grass next to her, was selling a small amount of cheese sitting in a basket — literally about a plateful….to see a woman a mile away from any human structure other than an eroded road…this Bhutanese woman was at home in the misty foothills which sloped up into the clouds, no need for REI boots tromping about in “nature”.