Author: mag

Marie’s back and we’ve cycled up to BBS Tower a couple of times this week. Normally my energy gives out half way up (unless I’ve been munching just before) but this week I’ve been able to stay in front of her all the way up. It’s not all because of fitness though. She’s been breathing… Continue reading Pure Oxygen

It finally arrived! The memory I ordered locally and paid 50% extra for because they promised it in 10 days, arrived after nearly 5 weeks. First it was the fact that the memory wasn’t in stock in Singapore (10 days lost). Then it was that it was raining in Kolkata (7 days lost). I have… Continue reading More memory

Dogs were crowded around a couple of people squatting on the main street this morning. It’s not an unusual sight as people choose strange places to chop their meat for drying and it’s yak season, but it wasn’t meat in the centre. The pile of white fur being held down made me think of a… Continue reading Cats and Dogs

Marie wrote last night to say that her boss in the Embassy isn’t motivated to work on her extension, so it seems we won’t be staying another year in Bhutan. Part of me doesn’t want to believe it. Surely it’s more work for him to find a replacement and arrange the transfer, paying the shipping… Continue reading Moving out

Today was the day that the great tapestry is displayed to the world in Thimphu dzong. It has to be rolled up before sunrise, so people rush down at 4am to get a look. I decided not to go because I think, like the Tsetchu, once would be enough and I’d rather do it with… Continue reading Missed chance

The trek didn’t go as planned. The taxi driver tried to rip us off, our Bhutanese partner wasn’t available, it was cold, wet and foggy, I slept with rocks in my back, we got lost, some of my equipment was broken and my knees were pushed to the limit. But it wasn’t all bad. We… Continue reading Dagala Trek

Yesterday was the Damchen, a religious festival before the three day Tsetchu. I’d never been to one before so I joined a few friends and headed down at about 10am. The crowds were much smaller and we easily got a seat in the hot sun. About 10:30, a group of monks dressed in masks and… Continue reading Damchen

I’ve often raved about the driving skills and ethics of Bhutanese, who drive as if they were walking around a village. When driving along the one lane roads, trucks keep to the centre, forcing the little cars with no clearance and less suspension to drive on the road fringes, wheels scraping cliffs or finding air.… Continue reading Fallen

Robin, Karma’s lead technician has been working at Athang since it started a year ago, but he’s been quite deferential and I haven’t had much of a chance to get to know him. Yesterday, away from Karma’s ears and with me chatting idly, he opened up a bit more. He’s third generation Nepali and hinted… Continue reading Flash

It’s been another one of those days with too much to fit in one entry. Karma is overworked, so he asked me to go to Paro dzong in his stead. They were complaining of viruses and not being able to access the internet. Since the internet was working when it was set up a few… Continue reading History vs urine