I met the other people in our tour group at the Bangkok Airport hotel the night before our flight to Bhutan. I knew ten people from our Patagonia trip, and also met new travellers. A great group, really fun travelling companions!
Several people told me I needed to go on the airline website and get a window seat on the left side of the airplane. I said “Huh?” because I usually try for an aisle seat for the leg room. The fellow Patagonia travelers knew I am an avid photographer, and that I share all of my good photos… “You can see the Himalayas from the left side of the plane, and you need to take photos!” So I reserved the only left side window seat available, in the last row.
We met in the lobby at 3:15 AM (!!) and went to the airport for our 5 AM flight, very glad that I flew in one day earlier!
Here are pictures of the Himalayas.
Here is the original of the last picture, before it was cropped and post-processed in Lightroom. You can see the plane window on the right and the airplane wing at the bottom.
I also took pictures of the Himalayas with my iPhone, and they just don’t cut it when compared to the photos taken with my big camera.
I learned from Brian, a traveler on both the Patagonia and Bhutan trips, that the Paro, Bhutan airport is considered one of the most difficult airports for landing. Brian is a pilot for Delta, so I trust his expertise. He said fewer than two dozen pilots are certified to land in Paro.
From an aviation website: “There are mountains soaring to 18,000 feet, which restricts visibility until moments before landing. Adding to the complexity, there is no radar service available for aircraft. Pilots tackling the approach to Paro must rely on manual navigation using a series of landmarks. Precision is paramount as they navigate through obstacles, with some certified pilots executing a 45-degree angle descent before swiftly landing on the runway.”
This picture from my airplane window does not accurately portray how close the wing was to this mountain ridge. Less than fifty yards, I estimate, while we were making a sharp turn.
Much of Bhutan’s economy is based on agriculture, and here you can see some of the terraced rice paddies from the airplane window.
It was a much more thrilling flight than usual, and when we came down the steps onto the Tarmac, we were very excited. Bhutan’s happiness had entered our bodies! Pictures of my fellow travelers Dan and Nanette, and Gunnar and Carmen, and Jeff, one of our Go Learn Tour Leaders.
To get my window seat, I had to take the last row on the plane. One row ahead, on the opposite side of the plane, were seated three monks in saffron robes. My fellow traveler April, waiting for the loo at the rear of the plane, whispered to me that I needed to get their picture. I replied that I would need to ask permission.
On the tarmac, the three monks were struggling to take a selfie with their phone, and I offered to take it. I then asked if I could take their picture…
We had flown in on Drukair, or Royal Bhutan Airlines. The word Druk was everywhere, on businesses, on government buildings, etc. Druk means Thunder Dragon, which is on their flag, and you can see this emblem on the tail of the airplane.
I took pictures of another plane accelerating for takeoff, and just clearing the mountains that surround the Paro Airport.
The airport was small and simple. The baggage claim emptied quickly… but our luggage did not arrive. Apparently, ALL of our luggage was left behind in Bangkok. (Maybe it would have made the plane too heavy for our difficult landing?) While our Happiness Index deflated slightly, our bags were delivered to us the next day at our hotel in Thimpu, the capital.
There were pictures at the airport of the King and his family. Over the coming days, we saw photographs of the King and his family everywhere. He is very popular with the people. He became the fifth King at the age of 26 in 2006 when his father, the fourth king, stepped down in order that his son could rule at an appropriate age. (Hear that, Elizabeth II?)
This sign for a restaurant exemplifies the love of the King.
The fourth King was only 51 when he abdicated in 2006, “in preparation for the country’s transition from an absolute monarchy to a semi-constitutional monarchy.” He stated: “The best time to change a political system is when the country enjoys stability and peace… Why wait for a revolution? Why crown an heir only when the nation is in mourning for a late king?” Having ruled since 1972, he was known for his efforts to modernize Bhutan while preserving its cultural identity and promoting the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH).
It was not the people who demanded democracy. Instead, it was the very popular fourth King who decided that a democracy was best for his people’s future. In their constitution the Parliament has the power to remove the King!
I find these aspects of Bhutan’s political history fascinating.
If you want to learn more about the start of democracy in Bhutan, I recommend the movie The Monk and the Gun, an excellent comedy. It was a finalist for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards. You can rent it on Amazon, or get it for free via Hoopla or Kanopy through your local library.
This beautiful statue and garden were outside the pedestrian exit of the airport.
BTW, I had a previous post about flying in small aircraft when we were in Botswana in 2018.
The next post will be about Buddhism in Bhutan.