The Moment You've All Been Waiting For... The Gho!

Here it is, the Gho, national dress of Bhutan, the picture you've all bee waiting to see. Yes, I will be teaching in my gho. I'm starting to settle in now and have had some time to wander the streets and get used to the place. Adorned in my flashy but sophisticated grey-blue gho I cut a fine finger as I take a turn around the city.

'My my, how handsome you look!' I know, I know.

'I thought you Bhutanese, Sir! I know, I know.

It's really quite uncanny. But seriously, I have to point out some of the defining characteristics of the gho, good and bad...


1) Getting it on...

It's a war against all things simple trying to get the accursed blighter on you a half-way decent fashion. I thought I'd done well putting it on all by myself, but then Nancy, the straight-talking leader of teachers made it quite clear to me that there was room for improvement when she said 'Oh my, you boys need some practice. Well, just don''t go outside.' Right then. Practice. Or, get the kindly hotel staff to give you some instruction.

2) The Pocket

It's the most ingeniously designed pocket that has ever existed. You're basically a marsupial with this thing on you. The pouch at the front can easily accommodate a small car without becoming unseemly, so... a wallet, camera, sunglasses, stamps, socks, couple of books, phone, spare wallet, spare phone, stray lame dog in need of temporary care, water bottle, old friend, kettle, copy of The Beano, some Lucozade tablets and a packet of biscuits is really not a problem at all. You could probably even squeeze a can of Heineken in too. Or a chicken.

For valuables or items of an unsavoury nature, there's also the option of stashing around the back. You simply place the item in the pocket and keep pushing. Before you know it the contraband that you want to smuggle through the streets is sitting pretty above your bottom where nobody in their right mind would rummage. Genius pocketage all round. And you can rest your right arm in there too.

3) Jedi Hands

You can put your right hand in the left sleeve and vice versa like a Jedi. Enough said.

Ghos for everyone please.