Writing Myself Back into Bhutan...

I'm writing my character into Bhutan in the novel I'm working on and it's bringing back so many lovely memories of my times there. Starting with this! The legendary landing at Paro (see link below). When I was doing this I was up in first class (one of the only chances you get to fly first class without spending a fortune to do it), and almost all of us were teachers excited and giggly about what we were doing. Most of us had applied in March, found out we were going several months later, but didn't know which school we'd be at until late November. We finally arrived in the New Year - the year of the Male Water Dragon having dreamed about the moment for at least year, for some of us, like me... decades.

When I was 21 I went into Waterstones and stood looking at a wall of Lonely Planets. I was going travelling for a year. But I hadn't decide where. Hours later I left with the Bhutan book and felt absolutely sure that was where I was going. But then I read the tourist tax info - 250 dollars a day!!! I couldn't go to Bhutan for a year on a student loan and savings from a year in London. So I shelved it and got the round the world ticket that I ended up having to throw away in Tasmania because it expired after a year and I was nowhere done with travelling after one year. In the year of the Male Water Dragon I had hit the age of reason. I was 35. That's 14 years I waited. I had to get qualified as a teacher first, then teach a bit. Now I'm 40 and I have to remind myself sometimes that I am the kind of person that makes his dreams come true instead of wondering about them.

When the wheels struck the excitement fizzled. When the doors opened the clean high Himalayan air hit and it dawned on us - we were here. We had finally arrived! On the runway some of us stalled with emotion. I remember Reidi standing with her hand on her chest taking gasps. I was giddy. That was one of the best days of my life, paving the way for the creation of memories that I will never lose and will always shine with brilliance when I look back at them. I've often thought of returning. Maybe one day I will. But for now, I have to land Alex, get him safely to Thimphu, find him a suitable Gho and then drive him up to the lost valleys where an ancient brotherhood is waiting for him. Where better for an ancient brotherhood to hide away :-)

Landing in Paro