Unfortunately Xavier's Chevy will not be mended but he and Ines have decided to continue with the rally and try to hire a car. It is slightly more complex than usual since there is no car hire firms in Bhutan so they are trying to rent one privately. In the meantime we push on and they travel in the bus.
We left Phuentsholing at around 9.00am determined to really enjoy Bhutan and soak it all up in a gentle and slow manner totally in tune with this beautiful country.
We were climbing to 2200m over about 20km but the car performed perfectly and we took it very steadily as almost all the locals seem to do. We stopped to see if the black Buick needed any help but with Charlie just behind we moved on unable to help with a very large squeaking noise from the engine..
A few km further on there were a lot of children on the side of the road all in uniform so we decided to have a little look. It turned out to be a boarding school for children from 6 years old to 18 and we were invited in to join their celebrations of the old kings 60th birthday. All the children were watching a competition of darts between the community and the students. This being Bhutan the darts were not as you and I understand them, being considerably more exciting. The game involved throwing a foot long dart about 60m at a target about 8 inches round. Darts are the second national sport of Bhutan and we were welcomed as honoured guests by the headmaster. They could not have been more welcoming or spoken better English and we spent half an hour enjoying their celebrations.
At our coffee break I met a Captain from the Bengal Sapper and Miners, the same Regiment that my Godfather, Major General Ian Lyall-Grant served in during the Burma campaign. I think he was helping with advising on road repairs which is a constant challenge.
Paddy and I are just loving Bhutan and just short of the lunch spot stopped to enjoy a traditional game of rock throwing, once again in honor of the old kings birthday. This involved two teams lobbing a spinning rock about 40m. Once again we were welcomed and offering fruit juice, wine or whisky. The head man did seem to think whisky and driving were meant for one another but we kindly declined and moved on. Once again gentle, polite, charming people who speak excellent english.
We had about 70 km after lunch to travel and did so gently. The roads are excellent but twisty with sections under repair which can be a little bit more ruff.
The geography is quite unbelievable and the falls beside the road steeper than anything I have ever driven along. We motored up the Chapcha valley which the most productive land in Bhutan just as the sun was getting low, and then down to Tamchhog Lhakhang a private temple reached across a traditional iron chain link bridge. Of course we stopped and visited the temple and bridges. They have been there since the 1400's.
We were comfortable that we still had plenty of time to get to our hotel before dark but we didn't allow for a couple of incidents. Firstly we were waved down by a paratrooper at the gates of a military restricted area/ airport. We introduced ourselves as aged warriors and we seemed to be getting on very well. He invited us in and Paddy and I had visions of a couple of stiff drinks in the officers mess. I put our chum in the passenger seat. Paddy drove and I hung on the running board. Off we went. We soon learnt that this was simply Paro airport and we were prevented from leaving until we had been given a ticking off from the head of security who told us that it was an offence to hang on the outside of a vehicle in Bhutan. We were incredibly polite, showed massive contrition and moved on.
Finally the centre of Paro was closed for celebrations so we had to take a diversion and use our extensive rallying expertise to work our way back to the hotel. We arrived in the dark at about 5.30. Last in but undoubtedly the happiest team in the rally.
Bring on tomorrow and the Taktsang Monastry, or Tiger's nest.
This is simply a stunning country with beautiful people.
RHC
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