[PARO] Budget and Itinerary

THURSDAY: 26 February 2015

Three Brother Restaurant (Coke) - 100.00

Drukchen Hotel (Room WiFi) - 200.00

Drukchen Hotel (Mango Juice x2) - 100.00

BTN400.00

Estimate of BTN1 = PhP0.75

TOTAL – PhP300.00

[PARO] Journey to the Tiger's Nest

As much as I hate those who often say that you haven't really been to this or that country if you haven't visited this or that attraction, yada yada yada, for Bhutan even locals say that this is the case for the Tiger’s Nest. Come to think of it, every foreigner who has been here most likely posted a selfie with that temple in the background. Be warned, though, it requires an uphill climb that usually takes two hours for a normal person. If you are not that fit, this might be challenging for you.

[THIMPHU] Budget and Itinerary

WEDNESDAY: 25 February 2015

7 Brothers Tours (2-Day Tiger's Nest Tour Package) - 440.00

7 Brothers Tours (Tourist Visa) - 40.00

Drukair (Dhaka - Paro) - 235.70

USD715.70

[THIMPHU] Land of the Thunder Dragon

Driving to Thimphu was as scenic as it could be in terms of the view outside and very informative thanks to my guide. Dorji hails from the eastern part of Bhutan but makes a living in the capital as a freelance tour guide. He is like a walking Wikipedia article on everything Bhutan especially on the subject of Buddhism which seems to be his favorite. That was a welcome change because I am also interested in Buddhism, as opposed to the favorite topic of some tour guides which happens to be Politics.

[THIMPHU] Why Drukair Is So Expensive

I knew something was fishy when I asked for a window seat and was told that it didn’t matter because it was “free seating”. Free seating? Even provincial buses have seat assignments. My doubts were put to rest when we finally reached the boarding gate. There we were. All ten of us. Ten. When we got into the plane we each claimed a row and pissed on the aisle to remind everyone that it was OUR row, OUR territory, and that no one was allowed to trespass.

[VISA] Bhutan (Single Entry)

Bhutan is like North Korea, in the sense that you cannot just fly in and have a DIY tour. The comparison ends there. Despite being reclusive, Bhutan is not really notorious for giving the world a big headache. People there actually value happiness a lot, even having their own Gross National Happiness thingie. Anyway, how do you even start planning for a trip to the last Shangri-La? No need to worry, everything is online nowadays.