Read Previous Post:All about Jharipani 

Fog in Mussoorie or Mussoorie in Fog?





The thick envelope of Fog which Jharipani was gifted with immensely,was with every wheel of taxi moving with us to our next destination Mussoorie. We didn't mind.We knew the more foggy it gets,the more colder the weather is.And the more colder the weather is,the more we enjoy the roadside roasted corn on the streets.It wasn't that cold cold,it was a gentle breeze of fresh air with subtle mist of frequent drizzle.

So finally it was taxi..

Yes it was.We had no other option but to request the school authorities to call upon a taxi which I recall was costly.



So the best way is to?

Drive along the hills.The further you go up,the costlier the taxi gets for every km we traverse.I have seen this at many places in north India,be it Manali Kasauli or Mussoorie .Best way to get around is drive your own vehicle.That ways you don't have to pay a bomb.

In some routes the bus connectivity is not that great,for example Jharipani to Mussoorie very infrequent bus service that goes once a day,there is no fixed timing either. Kasauli to Barog,unless you board at Dharampur rail station for Barog or you are on your way back from Shimla or you know of himachal tourism bus timings to Barog,there is practically no ways to go there.

We chose to roam around Mussoorie and Landour to save the cost,and believe me some places in India are well worth walking.

Mussoorie: I love the view top down

No city,no town offers a view that Mussoorie does.It is crowded,yes,but if you reach early,you would know that the essence of this place lies in the foggy early mornings,and the curved roads that cut through.

And if you know what to eat and where to,you would fall in love with the place. Chocolates,coffee,tibetan food sounds yummy isn't it?Well that's not the end,we are forgetting the genuine peanut butter!



Tomorrow we go to Mussoorie,to re-discover the lost charm,the popular weekend gateway from Delhi in more detail.And yes,the video is still in edit.Before I upload the video,let me tell you,

"Super excited for Maldives ,4 days left to go.Blue Sea & expensive Bed Tax.Maldives gonna be a little costly I guess!Lets see."

To read all previous post on Jharipani: Ringa Ringa Jharipani

Some places are beautiful.It might never make it to the "Tourist's best places to visit" list for the lack of infrastructure,transport or sightseeing points nearby,but they truly are places you would love to be at.



Jharipani is one such place.You very well know at the first glimpse that you would love the place but you wouldn't know where to go next.No wonder,Mussoorie to many is an obvious choice.



A little about Oak Grove School Jharipani Uttarakhand

Oak grove school offers panoramic views of foggy mountains,the drift of clouds visible from each room view.The compound is huge in itself,a sort of a short hike.I for a minute, got enveloped in my dreamy world of Kendriya Vidyalaya at various places in the past I have had been to.This school was a beauty I would have loved to rewind my past for.





Jharipani transport


It is difficult to get a transport from Oak Grove School Jharipani to any place.We chose to trek on Day 1 because we got bored of waiting for our bus,which never came.As we couldn't get a bus even after a wait of 2 hours,we cancelled our trip to Mussoorie in Uttarakhand on Day 1 and decided to trek to Jharipani waterfall.We could have taken a taxi on call to Mussoorie,but we chose not to as the taxi was a little costly option and we definitely wanted to save money.
Uttarakhand of late,is in news for all the wrong reasons "landslides,landslides,floods,heavy rains".While we assume the places at higher altitude would be affected most,we forget that there might be other places that could have been affected as a consequence.

Call it destiny.I totally enjoy the trek which makes me discover the undiscovered land coupled with surprises you would be amused to hear as we go further.
What is a trek?Have you ever climbed a small secluded hillock for fun?It need not be some famous hill top,just some random peak you felt like climbing.

"It is called the feeling of in-saneness,and for some reason or the other it makes you happy"
Escape through the partly grilled fences of the side of the basket ball court of oak grove school to discover a place you would love the journey to,if not the end. Ahh .fences how much pleasure it gives me to jump or bow down one.

Just recently I had an amazing desire to visit Pakistan,just out of curiosity to see how the other side is.With the LOC so near to Wagah and Kashmir its a tempting yet dangerous wish.But then when I posted my wish to do so,I found many supporters on my FB page,so I am not alone to feel the unknown land across the fences and borders



Back to fences,all thanks to non-availability of transport for Mussoorie and misguidance by the local shopkeepers,we were there, right there bowing down fences to reach the waterfall villagers have told us about.
With every broken rock I jumped,keeping my shoes carefully weighing down all the possible mental algebra I could,every thorn I bowed at,every landslide which seemed impossible to cross with mud sinking beneath,with roads that were cut ,with every turn that was slippery we finally reached just a few meters away from the waterfall.


The water gushing the sound tempting us to take the last final decision "Shall we cross the 2-3 cracked logs which was placed just at the end with the deep down view of flowing water".Not that we didn't try,but as the rains had dampened the rocks,our only support system was too slippery for a support.We could have balanced ourselves if there were people or villagers around.We were alone.
Cracked logs,dampened rocks,If only I had wings of a superman!
I for one hate the leeches for untold leech attacks on my leg,visible only when I saw my shoe turning red out of the blue.But love the expertise with which they bite.No pain.Only red!

We weren't sure if it was leeches or the fences,so we consulted the medical at the school.
Jharipani Otherwise
-Worth visiting for a day trip from Mussoorie

-More than the waterfall the trek is worth 100%

-Do not cross fences because they are there for good.If you do want to, know the situation of the landslide beforehand by cross verifying with locals.We had to bow down the fences as they were placed to warn us for the way ahead.

-But still if you love to break the rules,enjoy the journey as we did :)

Coming up next: Mussoorie A Fun Filled Journey

Eurotrip : How many of you would love to Backpack Europe from 7th to 15th dec,costing as little as 60k for Germany, Austria & Czech Republic?Give me a buzz.The last date of forming groups is 30th Oct.

"Ringa ringa roses pocket full of poses" danced the small little girls in the school,their symphony almost matching their steps,their smiles sparkling with innocence.The boys were busy playing football,and some of them climbing ropes.


                          Oak Grove School @ Jharipani; No words to describe the beauty

A school is a school,remains always a school.No matter where we are at present,there is always a special place of school in one's heart.For me,school is where I have had my fondest memories & till date the most innocent ones.School is also where we built life long friendships which stays forever.

Have you ever been on a vacation and stayed in a school?This journey is about how we rediscovered ourselves,our own sense of "To be free" and our new synonym of "Lets Go".All that while staying at the Oak Grove School,in Jharipani

Where is Jharipani?

Jharipani is nestled between Dehradun and Mussoorie.

Where to Stay?

We stayed at Oak Grove School.Another alternative for stay in Jharipani is Jharipani Castle.


                                          Jharipani Castle Stay, Rs 2500 per night

How did we go there?

                                              Jharipani : In a middle of nowhere 

...That's a long story.We boarded the public bus at Dehradun going to Mussoorie and asked the conductor for Jharipani Bus Stop.He said "Baith Jao,Jab Aega To Bta Dunga"[Sit down,will inform you when it comes]




The bus stop is 4 km from Jharipani village and 10km from Oak Grove School.We were told that there is another bus which comes near to Oak grove school,but the timing is very absurd,and noone knew the timing as such.When we initially started to hike,we thought the school would be nearby,but then we were not sure because there weren't any school boards on the road.The thick fog covered the road with the valley alongside,making the road barely visible.

It was as if we were walking on the clouds.I recall that every 15-20 minutes,I had to confirm if my brother is nearby by shouting his name.It was that foggy.We walked a few kilometers enjoying the unpredictable path which lay ahead.At one point nothing was visible and then we decided to take a lift from any vehicle which might pass by because hiking for 10 kms with 0 visibility is no big deal.


                                    Hiking along the path where visibility was almost big zero

                                                 The wild flowers bloom midway

After waiting for another 30-45 minutes,we could spot a vehicle coming.Shall we take a lift shall we not?We decided to trust the person in the car and he was sweet enough to give us a lift,and drop us at Oak Grove School.These locals,how do they drive with visibility so less!!!




                                       Can you spot me playing footie with the fog!

Coming Up soon Video on Jharipani fresh landslides,leaches and our stay :)

For all the previous post and video on Bhutan:All About Bhutan

We reached Thimphu passing the now foggy Dochula Pass.In my heart I wanted to stop and click the pictures again,but it was already late.My brother took a quick walk down the road,to watch a movie at the only theatre in town,unfortunately the movie had already started half an hour back.Next we took a stroll to the market,where mom purchased for herself a jacket,and very cheap.It was our last day at Thimphu,so we did whatever we could!



The Splendid Paro

The Airport of Bhutan is at Paro. And Paro undoubtedly is one of the the most beautiful valley in Bhutan,the reason,you got it right,Tiger's Nest.But Tiger's nest is not the only place in Paro,the whole Paro city is walk able and is beautiful surrounded by snow capped mountains and lush greenery.


How To Go Paro


Walk down the bus stand which is just across the National Stadium at Thimpu ,get tickets to Paro for the first bus at 9am. It's best to get the tickets a day in advance to avoid the rush the other day,better reach an hour early at the bus stand.The trip to Paro from Thimphu takes 1 hour 15 minutes.There is an  abandoned mud house on the way from Thimphu to Paro,the only mud house in Bhutan.We clicked some pictures,inside the mud house was the darkness and the dirty water.

Stay At Paro

The best budget place to stay is Phunsum Hotel in Paro costing around Rs 1200/- and Hotel Paljorling for food and even cheaper lodging(Rs 550/-)

What To Do In Paro

Paro Airport Bird's Eye View: We love our airplanes,don't we?But how many times do we get to see the take off and the landing on the run way. Paro Airport Bird's Eye view is a point where if you stand,you can spot the runaway and the planes going in and out!



Chele La: A 90 minute drive from the Paro town is the Chele La which is situated at an altitude of 3,988 meters,the highest motor able pass in Bhutan.While travelling from Paro town,to chelela,we saw many yaks crossing the road in between.There were herds of yak,around 15-20 in number,there were baby yaks,grown up yaks.The moment we tried being close to them,they dispersed in all directions.Are we so scary??Anyways we proceeded towards the Chele La and in between we saw many lavender color wild flowers,spread across the green field..

Chele la is highest motorable pass,yes,but once you reach there,you have to hike half a km ,and then you see many Buddhist flags and the magnificent view.After spending 10-15 minutes at the last point of Chele La,we decided to go for tiger's nest.


Tiger's Nest: Tiger's nest is a mid strenuous trek of almost 2.5 hours up and 2.5 hours down from 7000 ft (Paro valley) to almost above 10,000 ft height.One piece of advice,its best to trek in the morning,than in the afternoon.The reason is simple,Tiger's Nest closes at 5:30 pm.You never know if you would take 2.5 hours or more one way.

Usually people keep a day for tiger's nest,that way you can trek at your own convenience. Best is to carry your own water bottle as you would definitely be thirsty climbing up.And believe me there are no shops,until the cafe,which itself is far off.There is no pakka road,the trek starts from into the forest to the rugged hill to the waterfall then steep stairs and then tiger's nest.But any time of the year you trek,you wouldn't be alone,there are many people who come to Bhutan just for tiger's nest and it's worth it 200%.





National Museum: National museum was earlier housed inside a Circular 7th Century Fort or Watch Tower but now that is severely damaged due to earthquake and its been shifted to Dzong-like building just opposite to earlier structure.It contains lot of old coins,costumes,pictures of previous kings and queens and also the childhood pictures and the marriage pictures of the current king.Photography is prohibited in the museum.

Paro Dzong: Paro Dzong is also located on the top of a hill is a huge monastery.It is similar to all other monasteries in Bhutan. Some scenes in the 1993 Hollywood film “Little Buddha” were filmed in this Dzong. The Paro Tsechu festival is held here every spring

Kyichu Temple: is the oldest and most sacred temple in Bhutan.By the time,we had gone to the temple,it was already almost closed.But we noticed that the orange trees still had oranges though it was not the season of oranges.Locals told us,the ripe oranges are always there in the orange tree in the temple premises,irrespective of the season.They also told us not to pluck the oranges from the tree,but if one falls on you on its own,that's considered good luck.There was also a secluded enclosure,where a few thousand lamps were lighted but as the temple was closed we were not allowed to light the lamps.

Drukgyel Dzong (Fort): Drukgyal Dzong was a fortress and Buddhist monastery, now in ruins, located in the upper part of the Paro valley in Paro District of Bhutan. In the early 1950s Drukgyal Dzong was almost completely destroyed by fire.The place should be your last option when travelling Paro,and can even be skipped.



A taxi to Chelela + Tiger's Nest costs Rs 2000,and to National Museum,Paro Dzong and Kyichu temple combined as Rs 500.

It's best to get the tickets for the journey to Phuentsholing at the main market for 193/- per person in advance of one day to avoid the last minute inconvenience.The bus timings are 07:30 am and 09:00 am.

Per person budget for Bhutan: 6500 pp,5 days

That's all about Bhutan.I hope you all enjoyed my experience,and now you are planning to get set go soon!

"Mam I Google about Skydiving Mysore,Skydiving Dhana,Skydiving India I get confused,there are different rates,different dates different venues what shall I do?I do not even know how safe are each of them?I am confused,I really want to go for it"-Day before yesterday when I got this call,I wasn't surprised,this was bound to happen.Information overload on Internet,in fact so much information that if I Google it now,there would be 20+ sites which opens up!But at the end of this confusion and his desire to jump the poor chap decided Thailand would be a better option.And why not!

For details mail me at ankionthemove@gmail.com / skydiving@kakinienterprises.com with the Subject line:Skydiving Ankionthemove or call me at 9845088909

Let's take Skydiving in India a little easy

There are two upcoming dates for skydiving in Dhana/Mysore.The event is being conducted by Kakini Enterprises.

26th Oct-28th Oct : Skydiving Dhana
9th Nov-15th Nov : Skydiving Mysore

How do I know it?

I belong to a profession where I interact with adventure folks on a daily basis,I have taken interviews of scuba divers,entrepreneurs and people who are now my friends.I know it,because they do it.As simple as that.

How safe is Skydiving?

As safe as any other adventure sports.Do you think any adventure sports guarantee you 100% safety?They do not,that is why we sign up an indemnity form.This holds true for all adventure sports.Have you tried bungee in Rishikesh,or even rafting there,you do have an indemnity form to sign,but does that stop you from trying?It's as safe as walking down the crowded roads of Bangalore,or even more safer :)

How safe is Skydiving in India?

Recently one of my friend had a genuine concern,Why would I do it here if adventure sports are taken so lightly in this part of the world.Fact is skydiving per se,is being happening for a year with 0 accidents till date.Of course you wouldn't get the views of new zealand beneath you,but going to New zealand itself would cost you a bomb!Isn't it?

Types of Skydiving?




Why is Skydiving so costly?

Static solo jump is best way to learn skydiving and it's cheap in India.Tandem is costly and we all are aware.Fact is even airfares within India are costly than abroad.If you can get the air fuel and the plane(preferably air asia) with the approvals from DGCA and the airports,we are game!We might even treat you for free :P

The Skydiving details for Dhana:

Camp dates - 26th oct - 28th oct
Static line jumper will report on 26th 0800 am
Jumps on 27th and 28th
Tandem jumpers will report a day before 1800 pm

The Skydiving details for Mysore:

Camp 1
9th nov - 11th nov
Static line jumper will report on 9th 0800 am
tandem jumpers will report a day before 1800 pm
Camp 2
13th nov - 15th nov

Static line jumper will report on 13th 0800 am
tandem jumpers will report a day before 1800 pm

Static line skydiving costs you approx 18k for 3 days training and jump,tandem skydiving costs you approx 35 k.

You still find it costly?

Check out the previous dates and rates ;) Previous Skydiving Rates And Dates

Any previous Skydiving experiences?

Shweta shares with us her skydiving in Pondicherry experience Shweta's Skydiving Experience

Skydiving previous camp testimonial



Skydiving in The Hindu

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/article3684939.ece

Where to Skydive?

Easy,choose a place which is near

For folks from MP,Delhi,Bombay :  Skydive in Dhana
For folks from Chennai,Bangalore,Pondicherry,Mangalore,Mysore: Skydive in Mysore

Who does it,really?

Tricky question.Call me up and I'll flood you with details on that part.For now the base camp is Dhana and Deesra(gujrat),the camps keeps on changing depending on the number of people interested.In last 6 months,it been happening all over eg Pondicherry Baramati and now Mysore.

I want to get along my travel buddies to Skydiving,will my efforts be appreciated?

I know it's tough to convince your friends to jump off the plane,but if you still manage to,you'd get a referral discount,so your skydiving becomes more affordable to you and your friends.It involves maths and 10% flat for 5 friends you get along!It's just a token of appreciation for your hard work,so get along friends.

How to confirm your skydiving slots?

Mail me at ankionthemove@gmail.com or call me at 9845088909.In most cases I respond back in a day,in case I do not,I must be travelling,and would send you a short message on getting back to you.That's not called customer service that's called friendship.


And people ask me,its sad but they do,what do I gain out of it?

Well,your once in a lifetime experience,and that fact that my blog makes it so easily accessible to you.

9 MONTHS,154 POSTS ,450 COMMENTS

  Am I happy?Am I sad?Well contrary to what people think of me I do not congratulate myself too much or berate myself too much.I do not even know if this is the correct path yet,I am yet to learn many things,and I am yet to win any travel contests.My only wish in life for last 6 months,is to win a travel contest,how much effort I may put in,I always escape the eyes of the judges.I do not understand,may be its all karma,or may be it takes patience.

  "Many of my friends have told me "They love my vagabond life,and wish they had money time or just the will to quit and travel".I am no richie richie,if you read my blog you'll know how less money I spend on every place I travel.And it's definitely not because I have the money!I would love to live in a villa or a private resort,but I do not mind being the backpackers way as well.

  To be honest,I do not know SEO,I use to record my videos on sony wx7 digicam worth 11k till last month.Now I have the canon 550d,and I am happy.I do not know video editing,I somehow manage,thanks to youtube tutorials.Till 9 months back,I didn't know how a blog can have a separate url and not blogspot.com,I am still not very comfortable with WordPress.I recently started twitter(two month back) and opened my account on blog adda which is yet to be approved. I do not take money from my father or my husband for general expenses,I rather pay my own.When we travel together,I offer to contribute my share which is my savings of last 6 months of work.I am yet to learn PR and Marketing.I am yet to learn how to earn,on blogging.I am looking for freelance projects which might help me do that.I am hopeful that things might work,and as Neha Dixit says on NDTV "Believe in Magic" or just "Believe in Me".I am her biggest fan,simply love the crazy dizzy way she is on NDTV good times.




A few things that made my life a little "not so boring".Just till last 2 weeks,I was busy in the film making course of 2 weekends with ireboot,where I met many interesting people.I did a DJ course also with them because I wanted to know what goes behind the scene.



This small badge from Backpacker Co doesn't hurt either!



And one thing that made me really happy in the last week was "I was the runners up in Avirate Real Women Contest Bangalore."An evening filled with fashion shows,free wine dine and awesome collection of clothes.



And a short RT by Lonely Planet India,I feel good because I love Lonely Planet.



It's great to see and interact with so many travelers on my Facebook Page,even great to form travel groups.So in April-May we are heading to Europe and we have a Facebook Group Euro Jam :
 https://www.facebook.com/groups/239131022879608
 You can join in too!

My best friend says,I always cry over things instead of rejoicing over the positives,but why jump in when I have nothing to pump in(money :P)

And no..I don't have the crew to maintain my blog.I learn I do things,and I enjoy,sometimes I am sad,sometimes worried and sometimes happy!I am a human being after all.

And more recently Mahesh's comment on my blog made my day

"Few points

1. Thanks for allowing anonymous comments. I am very bad at remembering ids. 

2. Very good write ups. I reached your blog randomly bit will keep coming back again and again.

3. I know many travelers which are your kind, travel light and low cost. But they hardly share information. 

~mahesh "


Ah..a little relief the number 200(as mentioned earlier) is not the original number of posts,the number of posts published till date is 154. Didn't I tell you I am not really good at blogging and stuff!Yet to learn many many things.




I am still keeping my fingers crossed for my Maldivian trip next month,I've heard it's costly,but I have decided to not spend much on the leisure part of it.Lets see!

But I still need to win a travel contest!I wish..I win.

To read all previous posts on Bhutan : Bhutan All Posts



To my horror

After my busy day at Thimphu,Bhutan last night,we were all ready to witness the grand Punakha dzong at Punakha..But wait,I was shivering.Did I have fever,did the grand tour of Kolkata,Darjeeling,Kurseong,Bangalore,Kanyakumari and the hectic train journeys finally made me sick.I felt weird because I wanted to enjoy,but I had the worst fever and headache the next day along with some pea size red spots on my body.Measles,chicken pox or just allergy!

I decided to not risk,and went straight to the IMTRAT hospital at Thimphu. We were all given visitor numbers and we were all in a queued chair at the side of the clinic.The wait wasn't as long as I thought of,but that half an hour made me realize how sweet the ladies of Bhutan are.Yes,the charming Bhutanese lady beside me had respect for Indians,and she was a traveler too.We had the best half an hour conversation and when I proceeded to the doctor's chamber "I just wished it's nothing serious" but when he said Chick - en -pox ,take rest,water,don't exert,it felt like shit! Yes shit.

For a moment,the people I met in my last trip came to my mind,is it because of him,is it because of her..because chicken pox is contagious..how could I possibly get it!I had no answers.

I know by now,most of you might have forgotten about my first video on Bhutan,here it is for a quick recap




Where To Stay In Punakha

You need not stay in Punakha.Punakha is a day trip from Thimpu,and while visiting all the sightseeing places,its best to get back to Thimpu to proceed to Paro the next day.

The Punakha Journey and 108 Chortens







Thimpu - Punakha -Thimpu by taxi takes around Rs 2000-2500.The first stop after passing the pine and oak trees on the way was 108 chortens at Dochula Pass.

108 Chortens  were constructed in 2004 to honor the dead, from a conflict between the Bhutanese army, and Indian insurgents who were using Bhutan as a sanctuary.

The chill and the drizzle added to the magnificent view,not to miss the snow clad Himalayan mountains as the backdrop.The cold wind was icy and rude,blocking our ears and noses.But we were enjoying every bit of it.This is one of the places which looks really great in winters in the snow,and looks equally promising in summers.

The irony of going to Punakha is even if every other part of Bhutan is pleasant,this particular stretch on Dochula pass is really really cold,at 3150 meters.

The Huts and Houses Punakha

We were surprised to see so many identical homes in Bhutan.All of them had the similar architecture designs and artistry.Out of curiously we asked our driver,and he replied "We in Bhutan respect our culture and we abide by rules set by the government,how do you think it is possible that the people wear the same kira and taego even kids in the modern age ,how do you think we have almost 0 crime rate,how do you think we have similar homes?"Our king is kind enough to support us with the land,construction and safety we abide by his rules.You see,we love our king,he has given us so much.

The Punakha Dzong





If you ask me to choose 2 places for a must visit in Bhutan,I would suggest Punakha Dzong and Tiger's Nest.Tiger's Nest is in Paro and we go there tomorrow. Punakha dzong is one such place where we entered the wooden cantilever bridge crossing the Mo Chu river to enter the Dzong complex which is surrounded by greenery and lilac colored jacaranda trees.The place is postcard picture perfect.The interior of the dzong is huge,it took us around 2 hours to cover the interiors still we couldn't complete the whole dzong. And believe me mom and me literally lost ways to exit the dzong,but finally managed to spot the blue colored guards for direction.It's that huge!

Punakha Dzong is also where royal wedding of the King of Bhutan, Jigme Wangchuck, and his fiancé, Jetsun Pema, was held in October 13, 2011.

Confluence of Mo Chu And Po Chu


A park is situated by the side of confluence of two rivers (River Mo & River Chu). The Park, which has been developed very recently is strategically located from where we can see two rivers meeting together and at the back drop, the grand Punakha Dzong, the religious Headquarters and the first capital of Bhutan.As we were already aware that we wouldn't get anything to eat in Punakha,we already had got ourselves the packed food from Thimphu.Otherwise you can try chicken curry at Punakha Market Hotel "Restaurant".But best is to carry your food from Thimphu,there are not many options to eat in Punakha,and the few ones are based on your pre order(order while going,and eat while coming back) and are closed during lunchtime.

Wangdue Phodrang Dzong



Wangdue Phodrang Dzong is a project funded by government of India.It was like, more or less, same as other Dzongs but very very old and was under construction.In fact when we went inside,we could spot the carpenters carving the intricate designs and they were surprised to see us at the under construction site.

If you are wondering what happened to my Chicken Pox,well with the best things to enjoy in life,it's good to forget the pain and carry on.I would've taken rest the whole 5 days,as doctor suggested,but I would've missed Bhutan.And if I would've missed Bhutan,I wouldn't have written an article on Bhutan.Sometimes it felt like giving it all,I felt more chill than the others,and felt more weak too.But at the end of it "Yes I did it :) ".

And when I write it,I know amongst the humble appreciation of few genuine souls,there will be many others who will think,she writes to build up an emotional quotient,in fact my brother said "don't write about CP" but cummon this is my blog,and not a newspaper article.It's what I write is what is truth according to me.I hope my article was helpful, tomorrow we go Paro,and discover the majestic Tiger Hill And the highest motor able pass in Bhutan.

Black Dog Comedy Evenings




'Uncensored And Unleashed',that's what the Black Dog Comedy Evenings at Hotel Ista was all about. Ashvin Mathews and Anil Abraham were all set to tickle our funny bones with their witty humor. Right next to 1 MG mall and Lido Mall is the Hotel Ista. The staff greeted us at the door and directed to the top floor.I met Sumath from ginger claps yet again,this time searching for other bloggers at the show.And the show hasn't started just yet,the rush to witness the mad laughter evening was visible in all the smiling faces.As they say

A day without laughter is a day wasted. - Charlie Chaplin




While I was waiting for the show to begin,I was also waiting for the other bloggers to arrive.The evening was filled with laughter already,the giggles and hoo haa all around the room.It was a weekday,and a friday..Fridays are when it feels like its the end of the damn boring world,and lets celebrate.

A sense of humor... is needed armor. Joy in one's heart and some laughter on one's lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life. -Hugh Sidey 

And celebrate is what we did.Friday Evenings just doesn't get better.Alfresco ambience, unlimited beverages, party snacks !I had my black dog whiskey in a Black Dog way,didn't I tell you we had a session already on that last week :)

The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.-Mark Twain

Well said,Ashvin Mathews and Anil Abraham made us laugh so much that for one day we totally forgot the routine in life we have otherwise.It was that funny,very funny.Infact not only me,but the whole crowd was enjoying the humor.It was as if the Laughter channel from the TV has come live on our doorstep.

Laughter is the tonic, the relief, the surcease for pain - Charlie Chaplin

Thanks to Hotel Ista,Black Dog and Ginger Claps for the lovely evening.

So far we know how to get inner permits for travel in the interior parts of Bhutan and also how to prepare yummy Bhutanese Spicy Chicken Recipe.

The following facts are essential,so I keep it on my Thimphu Headline:



1)Clock Tower is located at the center of the city.

2)Taxi stand is a 5 minutes walk from the Clock Tower.

3)Stay in Hotel, but take food outside to save some money.
Best place for stay is Hotel Tandin on Norzin Lam, best place for Indian vegetarian food is Hotel Ghasel which is near to Tandin

4)Bhutan TV Tower is also known as BBS Tower(Bhutan Broadcasting Service)

5)Mid Range hotels are in the category Rs 800 -Rs 1200

6)Petrol and diesel prices are cheaper in Bhutan than India

7)The only cinema hall in Thimphu "Lugar Theatre" projects Bhutanese Movies

8)Archery is the national sport of Bhutan,and Takin the national animal

9)Maruti Wagon R taxi for the day trip to Punakha from Thimpu would cost you anywhere between Rs 2000-2500/-

10)Hotel tandin has a bar which serves local liquors and Fosters beer

11)Bhutan is the first country in the world to have banned the sale of tobacco

12) As per Bhutan rules one can take 200 sticks of cigarettes for personal consumption. Selling, buying and public smoking of cigarette will amount to a minimum prison term of 3 years.

13)Most of the time ladies manage the shops and other establishments in Bhutan.

14)Most of the Building, Shops, Hotels (including Indian Consulate) adorn pictures of young King & Queen.





A point to note for the Thimphu Inner Permit

All the travellers should keep in mind that the government office in Bhutan including immigration office remained closed on Sat-Sun and working hours on all other days is 9am-4pm,this is applicable only when travelling inner parts of Bhutan to obtain the 2nd permit.At the end of the Norzin Lam is the handicraft bazaar.These are temporary bamboo huts opposite the immigration office which displays a lot of traditional Bhutanese handicrafts.They are very very expensive and a simple kira would cost you Rs 4000-5000.And the ones you will really really like for the prints would cost you Rs 10k+.Of course,not something you'd like to invest in a journey costing way less.



Aha..what peace!

Then what do we do?

For souvenirs,its best to explore the streets of town starting from opposite of clock tower till the shops are visible.There are quite a few shops where a kira would cost you anywhere from Rs 600-Rs1500,still affordable.There are shops where we get imports from other countries,costing as little as Rs 150 for a jacket.And if you are a lady,a kira and taego is must take back home item,it adds to dimension,character and glamour to your frame.In fact all the ladies in Bhutan looked very smart.There is also a national textile museum just next to Handicraft bazaar which is dedicated to living national art of weaving.



The places you should visit

National Memorial Chorten,Bhutan: This large Tibetan style chorten was built in honor of the third king.The whitewashed chorten with glimpses of gold is a must visit place,similar to the monasteries we have in Leh,but the designs here are more intricate.


Buddha Point,Bhutan:This is a point on a hilltop,where the giant Gautam Buddha is erected but the site is still not complete and the construction work is going on.Since this place is at a height,you get to see awesome views from the top.

While returning back from Buddha Point,we stopped at arts and crafts shops and the library that comes in the way to the main city.We got our self Bhutan printed tees for Rs 250 from the arts crafts shop.




Takin Preservation Center,Bhutan:Takin is the national animal of Bhutan and is said to be cross breed of goat and antelope.A ten minutes hike takes you to a park circled with mesh.We got a close view of 2-3 takins as they were right there in front of us.


Changankha Dzong,Bhutan:This is one of the oldest dzong in the thimphu valley.Locals believe that the temple is auspicious for babies,hence its a ritual to bring babies just after their birth to Changankha.This place is considered blessing for the kids in Bhutan.




Trashi Chhoe Dzong,Bhutan:The present dzong was built to house government officials.We went there and we were told not to take photographs until the session gets over,in fact we were not allowed inside before 5:30pm.Later we were told that the session is over and the king is leaving the dzong.We thought we'll get a glimpse,but we couldn't.The dzong is very very huge and beautiful too.