Punakha - A Riverside Retreat

Punakha Dzong

Confusion ensued early morning when the driver called to inform me that he won't be able to take me to Punakha due to some official work that had unexpectedly cropped up. For the next half hour, I tried negotiating a good rate with other taxis and finally managed to strike a good deal. This last minute confusion delayed my departure by an hour. All's well that ends well, I thought.

The three hour drive was extremely bumpy and dusty due to massive potholes on the road or whatever was left of it. Shortly after the immigration check point, we reached DoChula Pass (3,100 mt) offering sweeping, panoramic views of the Eastern Himalayas. 108 chortens built by Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk, the eldest Queen Mother provided the perfect backdrop for many photographs. Being a clear day, I even caught a glimpse of the mighty Gangkar Puensum peak (7570 mts), the highest mountain in Bhutan and incidentally, the highest unclimbed mountain in the world. 

A two hour bumpy ride later, we reached Lobesa valley. We visited Chimi Lhakhang, a well known fertility temple, popular amongst childless Bhutanes couples. On your way to the temple, we passed some houses and shops which had huge phallus paintings on them, in all shapes and sizes. I posed for a couple of photographs, much to the amusement of my guide. It was completely bizarre and nothing like I had ever seen before. 

Phallus paintings

Welcome sign outside a shop

The temple was on a hillock, with great views of Punakha valley. On our way back to the car, I even got to sample some freshly brewed home wine right out of the pot. It was lukewarm, with a kick.
Half an hour later, we reached Khuruthang (Punakha) where I checked into Damchen Resort. It was a lovely riverside resort owned by the King's maternal grandfather. Luckily, I got upgraded to a river view room. I was tired, sweaty, full of dust and desperately needed a shower. After freshening up, I ordered some chicken chowmein and hogged on it. The taxi driver was waiting to take me to Punakha Dzong – Bhutan’s oldest; built on a confluence of two rivers. 

Outside Punakha Dzong

Steeped in history and structural beauty, it is undoubtedly the most beautiful Dzong in Bhutan. It is the main sight to see in Punakha. I spent about an hour wandering around inside, watching monks go by their daily lives. In the evening, I sat at the river bank, observing ripples on water. I felt much at peace and happy, being one with nature. 

Takhtang Monastery (Tiger's Nest): Into Misty Mountains

 Day 2

Trek up to Takhtang Monastery

I saw a picture of Tiger's Nest a few years ago; it beckoned me ever since.

I woke up early and called the hotel reception to check if any group was headed to Tiger's Nest, that I could take a lift with. Taxi was quoting 600, which for one person was steep, especially since I was on a budget. In the end, I had to take a taxi alone.

It was one of the most scenic, quiet and clean drives I had taken in a long time. With the river on one side and the rolling countryside (or should I say mountain side) on the other hand, we passed several chortens and houses with colourful dragons/ other deities painted on their walls.

Slowly, we started climbing up a winding road. As we passed through a thick forest, I spotted a huge, golden prayer wheel in a green field adjoining a small monastery. The driver dropped me off at the starting point and I starting walking in the same direction as other tourists. I met an Indian gentleman from Delhi, exchanged pleasantries and kept trotting on.

We passed a stream rivulet where people were posing for pictures; I stopped to take a selfie. On the trek up, I encountered a dozen horses, oodles of fresh horse-shit and their upbeat masters dressed in gho’s (their national dress). I took a few breaks along the way to sip water and rest my legs. As I hadn’t been exercising much prior to the trip, I could feel the strain in my calve muscles and even pulled a thigh muscle which started to hurt every time I took a step.

The last mile was particularly taxing. I had to climb up and down 700 steps, passing a lovely waterfall to reach up to the monastery. The muscle pain in my right thigh was really beginning to hurt; I had no choice but to carry on. Finally, I was there. Exhausted, I went to the locker room to store my handbag. The staff was pleasantly surprised to meet an Indian girl travelling alone, that too without a guide. A rare sight in Bhutan. 

There were deeply cut steps made out of stone leading up to the door of the monastery. I slowly hobbled my way up. As soon I walked in and turned right, I saw eople standing in a line and walking to a hole in a rock with their eyes shut. The Buddhist believe that whoever manages to place their finger inside the hole will get the same set of parents in their next life. I tried my luck but to no avail. I would still like to have the same set of parents in my next life though, anyone up there listening?

I went inside various prayer rooms, painted with colourful deities and golden statues of various gods. I didn’t have a guide so didn’t get into the depth of what each deity signified. There were lots of prayer rooms with large steps leading to them, I went to only 4 – 5 as I was lacking the energy to do so. In between various selfies and getting pictures taken by other people, I made my way down in good time. I stopped to use the restroom at the only café, en route Tiger’ nest. It started to drizzle, drizzle turned to rain shortly afterwards and didn’t stop. As I had forgotten to carry my umbrella, I got drenched. It was quite an experience, something I wouldn’t want to repeat. Funnily enough, on all the days that I did remember to carry my umbrella, it never rained.

The other trekkers seemed well prepared with their waterproof cover whereas I huddled under my scarf, trying not to fall on the slippery, muddy path. Once I reached the car, I just wanted to get back to the hotel, get into dry clothes and snuggle up in my warm bed. 

Around Kerala in 7 Days - In a Caravan - Munnar

   

We passed a lot of fruit plantations on our way from Kochi to Munnar. You could see tiny pineapples, bananas and guavas peeking out from under the trees. A delightful sight which you wouldn't come across in normal life. Bananas in all colours were being sold on the roadsides. I even saw some fruit I did not recognise, looked a lot like custard apples. 

On the way to Munnar

Being the rainy season, there were waterfalls of all sizes that had sprung up on hill sides, adding charm to the already breathtaking scenery. We stopped at a big one to take pictures. Greenery surrounded us. We passed through some thick forests and could feel a dip in temperature. Our driver suggested we stop at a Spice Garden to pick up fresh spices. It was a well laid out nursery with medicinal herbs, herbal plants, flower plants and spice plants. The owner gave us a tour of the nursery; while sharing valuable information about the healing properties of various plants. My friend picked up a herbal face creme. I picked up a lot of fresh spices for home.

                        

We reached our guest house late evening. It had a beautiful garden and a fantastic view of the unending tea plantations. The next day, after breakfast, we set out to explore Munnar. It was a lovely, sunny day. The air was cool and crisp. We went to Eravikulam National Park, home to the endangered Nilgiri Tahr as well as several species of rare animals, birds and butterflies. We were enveloped by the mist once we reached the park entrance. We walked about 500 mts to catch a glimpse of the  very unique looking - Nilgiri Tahr and took a few pictures. 

View from the hotel

Mist everywhere

Nilgiri Tahr

After this, we went to the Tata Tea Museum & Gardens for a stroll and got some lovely shots of us. In the evening, we treated ourselves to an authentic Shirodhara Ayurvedic massage in a blink-and-you-will-miss-it massage parlour, recommended by a local. It was definitely the strangest massage experience I have ever had. I was made to lay on a wooden bed, which wasn't comfortable for obvious reasons. I couldn't switch off and enjoy the experience as I was very aware of my surroundings. This was also the first time I left a massage parlour with oil all over my body. I would still recommend it though :p

Later,we got some funny, oily pictures out of it. 

Tea Gardens everywhere

Thekaddy, Periyar National Park, was our next stop. 

Around Kerala in 7 days - In a Caravan

A few friends and I decided to make a trip down to Kerala - Venice of the East, as it is fondly known. Pristine white sand beaches, charming backwaters and Ayurvedic retreats lured us to explore this southern gem on the western coast of India. We took the train from Mumbai all the way down to Kochi.

This was one of the most scenic train journeys that I have ever undertaken. Passing through rolling hills, flat land, the ocean on one side for some part of the journey; and fruit plantations marking the entry into Kerala. The tourism guys have got it spot on. It indeed is; God's Own Country.
We were lucky to find a cheap hotel next to the train station. The room was fairly clean. Without wanting to waste time in exploring Kochi, we freshened up and made our way to the harbour. We got a fantastic view of fishing boats, ships, tankers and islands dotted around in the distance. Surprisingly, we didn't find any restaurants serving local fare in the vicinity; and ended up eating at a food court instead.

Hello Kochi!

Kochi market

The next day, we set off to go and explore Fort Kochi - famous for its sights, cafes and fishing nets. The 15 - 20 minute ferry ride from the harbour to Fort Kochi is joyful. We passed a couple of islands on our way there, including one which is inhabited by an indigenous tribe which has little to no contact with the outside world. Everything they need is on that little island, I was told by our guide. The Chinese fishing nets, St. Francis Church, Mattancherry Palace and the beach there are definitely worth a visit. A one day trip to Fort Kochi is enough to visit all major attractions here. It is also a foodies paradise, known for its eclectic cafes and restaurants.

The ferry

Chinese Fishing Nets

As we were planning to travel from Kochi all the way down to Kovalam, we asked around for a good deal on a cab. In the end, we got a plush caravan with leather seats, a TV, driver and a fantastic music system. All this in 10,000 bucks! We also got good discounts on hotels and sightseeing because of our driver's contacts.

The gorgeous tea county of Munnar was our next stop.