Category: Countries

I’ve come to a decision. I’m not going to say ‘hi’ to the Bhutanese kids any more. That may sound harsh, but I think it’s best for everyone. It happens in many countries – certainly it did in Japan. Little kids want to show off their English by saying ‘haroo’ (Japan) or ‘hi’ (Bhutan) whenever… Continue reading ‘Hi!’

On the way back from the cycling fiasco, I was stopped by a bodyguard, saying something in Dzongkha. At first I thought he was asking for a lift to some village down the road, but realised that he was probably fit enough to run there before I could double him over these hills. When he… Continue reading Archery

My throat’s been better for weeks. My head clear for almost that long. But my energy is still in short supply. It’s getting better and the rain had gone north, so this morning we decided to cycle up the Thimphu valley to get a photo of the swollen river. We passed the King’s residence then… Continue reading Buddhist Ethics

I’m working from home today and I’m glad. Just before lunch, I heard a chanting outside and looked out to find 5 monks in the carpark. It’s not unusual to see monks around as someone’s always having a ceremony to bless their house or the land. We used to come home to our old home… Continue reading Holy Car

Yesterday as Marie and I were cycling up to BBS Tower, a man walking down the other way waved at Marie. As he passed, I nodded and said ‘kuzu zangpo’, the usual greeting. Marie stopped and looked a little flustered. ‘That was the prime minister.’ I looked back at the ordinary man. He was walking… Continue reading That was the Prime Minister

I’ve finally finished commenting all the photos in the album, aside from a couple of albums that I don’t think need it. Take a look here. The more recent albums are at the beginning and contain some great photos. I’m still shooting most on automatic, but will get better as I learn more.

By day, the dogs in Thimphu generally slumber in docility. By night, they form gangs and hunt. I haven’t seen this, but I’ve known people that were bitten (and suffered months of rabies shots) and have heard the gang warfare. Yesterday, I came across a couple of dogs attacking a small boy, not much taller… Continue reading Dogs

It’s a strange life we live here. Bhutan is a developing country that pretends it’s developed. We have electricity and all the conveniences it brings – fridge, washing machine, kettle. We eat out at restaurants which serve a variety of international cuisines – local, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, even an attempt at Mexican. One of… Continue reading All the mod cons

When I was in Belgium, I found myself bumping into people on the footpath. It was the first time that I’d lived in a country that drove on the right, but I had no idea that traffic rules transfered themselves onto pedestrians too – aside from the idea that it’s safer to walk on the… Continue reading Step Left, Step Right

The flu is mostly gone and with it, my philosophical delirium. I even finished the book on Buddhism and if I found any enlightenment, it disappeared when my head cleared. Today I go back to the mundaneness of daily life. I barely slept last night because although the head is clear, the throat still tickles,… Continue reading Garbage