Bhutan, March 2008 - Week 2: Kanglung and Back

We traveled 2 days across the country of Bhutan, spending one night in Jakar, Bumthang. We stayed at a cute little inn with bukari stoves as the heat source and where the electricity did not work 100% of the time. It was probably one of the nicest places we stayed, for in the morning, when you looked out the balcony, you could see far into the distance and for just one second lose yourself in the majesty that is Bhutan, away from the hustle and bustle of cities here in the US, as well as in Bhutan.

Before we knew it, we were on our way again. The terrain on the one road that runs across the country is very rugged! One must constantly be cautious of falling rocks and debris, and the twists and turns of the road are not for those with weak stomachs. It was worth every second of the 16 hours we spent on the road, for we saw monkeys (and no, I'm not referring to my travel companions) and experienced the Himalayas (though it would been better if I could run off and just hike, but I can't imagine how long it would take me to get to Kanglung that way....).

Our arrival in Kanglung was greeted by some of the Sherubtse Geography Department faculty! Sherubtse College is the one college with a geography department in the country, and it is located in Trashigang Dzongkhag, in the eastern part of the country. The college is amazing! For a place that does not have very much, they definitely make the most of what they have! All of the geography students I met were so bright and would put many of our United States counterparts to shame, and to top the cake, they were all very kind and respectful! We were able to witness an archery match before we got to work doing lectures and activities with the students. It was so amazing getting to know the students and faculty, and they really did their best to make us (especially myself) comfortable in a place so different from home. For that I will be eternally grateful; I will never forget their kindness, nor will I ever forget them!

Our time at the university was so short, and before we knew it, we were travelling back to Thimphu. We once again spent a night in Bumthang, and for a place we spent such little time, I have so many fond memories of it!

Our final night in Thimphu we definitely wanted to do something special! There are very few places we noticed that were open past 10 PM, but we found a karaoke bar, and we went there! The only one with enough courage to sing was the other student that was with us, but that's not fair, because many of the songs were in Hindi, and he knows Hindi! He had an unfair advantage (just kidding :)). But, that is an interesting note about Bhutan: their official language is Dzongkha, but most everybody speaks English and many speak Hindi (probably due to its proximity to India?? Maybe??).

It was a fantastic trip, and I wish that I didn't have to come back! But, alas, it had to end, and we were on our way back to the United States before we even had time to blink an eye. We spent a night in Bangkok, and experienced the night life of Bangkok, but soon we were back in Greensboro, back to the daily grind--back from paradise, to endless work....

Bhutan, March 2008 - Week 1: In transit and Thimphu

In December of 2007, I was approached by one of my professors, and asked if I would like to go on a free trip to Bhutan. At this point, I knew where Bhutan was, because I digitized some roads for the project my professor was working on, but I had no idea anything about the culture. I sat on it for a few weeks, knowing I would have to get my passport anyway (since that next summer I was going to Europe for a field school), but I was having reservations. After all, it was a free trip to Asia, my favorite continent, but it would be my first time out of the country. A few weeks later, my professor returns, and said the words that made the decision very easy: "You wouldn't be a real geographer if you gave up a free trip to the Himalayas!" The Himalayas...ahhh...that was it! Ok, I'm IN!

The months leading up to the trip were full of long nights and even longer days of preparing the data and everything that we needed to present our information to the section of the government that we were meeting with (the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement - MoWHS for short). Finally, it came time for our 2 week trip to Bhutan! We (2 professors, myself and a doctoral student) left very early one March morning from Charlotte, NC. The trip was in multiple legs: a short flight from Charlotte to Atlanta, GA; a HUGE flight flight from Atlanta to Tokyo, Japan; Tokyo to Bangkok, Thailand; and finally Bangkok to Paro, Bhutan (the city with the country's only airport). It had been many, many years since I have flown in an airplane, last I remember I was in elementary school, so it was an amazing experience all around! It was like a brief tour of Asian in a few days...five hours in Tokyo and few hours in Bangkok....what else could a person who had never been out of the United States before as for?

Our arrival into the Paro airport was like a rollercoaster ride...tilting to the right, tilting to the left...this is where we got our first taste of what the terrain of Bhutan was like -- VERY rugged! We got our 2nd dose on the ride from Paro to Thimphu, the capital city! The city was amazing! The air was much cleaner than that of our capital (D.C.), and everything was just so much fresher (is that a word? Is now!). We spent the first day walking around the town taking photographs and want not. Interestingly, Thimphu does not have any street lights per say. Their street lights are in fact humans...directing traffic (I guess it's similar to crossing guards here). Anyway, after that first initial day of relaxation, things became very busy!

We only had a few days to prepare our presentation for to MoWHS...and we did a fairly good job, I think! After that a guide took us on a trek to a Monastary, the Motithang Takin Preserve, and to the TachichoDzong! All of these places were equally amazing! The Takin is Bhutan's national animal, and though I was told it was "ugly," I actually found it quite cute!!! The TachichoDzong was brilliant! It was so huge, and I could not even comprehend all that takes place there! Interestingly, there is a monastary in the TachichoDzong, which shows the interconnectedness of religion and government, which is definitely not present here in the United States! We also did a little bit of shopping while we were in Thimphu, where both the doctoral student and I bought traditional Bhutanese dress - a goh for him and a kira for me!

Before we knew it, we were off to Kanglung, Trashigang, for the next episode in our Bhutanese adventure!

Outerbanks, NC July, 2008

OBX...everybody talks about it, and after 9 or so years of living in North Carolina, it was about time for me to go. Besides, nothing could be as bad as the supremely cold water of the Long Island coast, as I was accustomed. So, after the decision was made, I was on my way! The North Carolina Outerbanks, the barrier islands that make North Carolina so unique. Protecting the mainland coast from the battering hurricanes it gets every hurricane season, while providing a get away for people all over the world. It's a fantastic place, and it was about time for me to go.

Leaving very early from my apartment in Greensboro, I arrived at the ferry at Swan Quarters at 8 AM. Being from NY, the ferry was not what I was used to. I was used to hopping on a ferry to Ellis Island, elbow-to-elbow with your neighbor, not loading your car on the ferry and being able to walk around and feed human-friendly seagulls. None-the-less the ride was pleasant and calming, a nice get-away from the hussle and bussle of city life and student life.

I had never been in a more beautiful place in my entire life!

To save money and to be part of nature more, I ended up camping. Camping at the beach was something amazing in and of itself! Like nothing I had ever experienced! I was able to climb the 257-staris to the top of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, visit the Wright Brothers' Memorial, visit the amazing Sand Dunes, all while experiencing the calming Carolina coast breeze. The sand dunes seemed like they went on forever--a giantic sand box is a way it was once put to me, and it accurately describes it...

Though only there for a few days, it was a relaxing get away to one of the geographic treasures North Carolina has to offer!

First Post

So, this is going to be my new blog! LOL! I had one several years ago; however, I never update it. Since I stopped updating it, I did a lot of traveling to different places, and so, this blog will serve to revisit some of those trips. Also recount some of the trips I go on from here on out. The trips will be labeled with dates, and I'll try to post a picture or two showing some of the extraordinary scenery I've encountered. I've been very blessed to go to the places I've gone to, and I hope that my journeys continue. In the end, I would love to share journeys with somebody, but for now, it is just me, travelling to various places...at times it's good, but at tim es it's lonely. THOUGH, I have had some trips where I have been with some friends--and I'll definitely share those experiences as well!