Getting a haircut?

September 6th

lemongrass lines the side of the road

The morning is misty, I can't see much past the lemongrass which lines the roadside..

I have my walking boots and backpack on and am headed for Trashigang for a haircut. Assuming
1. The barber is in Trashigang and has not been summons to provide his services elsewhere to the royal family
2. There are vehicles traveling in the direction I wish to travel
3. The vehicles are not already overloaded.
4. There are no landslides blocking the road.
5. The barber is actually in attendance at his shop.

Traditional houses across rice paddies in the next village

I have passed the school and have received a chorus of "Good morning Ma'am" "Where are you going Ma'am?" from the boarder students who have already made serious inroads to their grass cutting (with small scythes) before 8am.


As I approach the next tiny village, the mists start to thin and the temperature rises. After an hour the first vehicle approaches from the other direction. 

The Drachme Chhu far below the road

Thanks to the new mileposts I know am am walking at about 4.5 km/hr.



The sound of the Drachme Chhu, about 700n below me, has been my companion for the past hour or more and I catch the occasional glimpse through the mist.

I round the corner out of the side valley and am greeted by a welcome cool breeze from the valley of the kulong chhu and the incongruous sight of a gum tree framed by chortens.

Chortens frame a gumtre

A welcome lift with family members of one of my students takes me to the next intersection at Zangpozilor and the attractive offices of the hydro elective project and the river below. Villagers with practical sunhats go about their business and the papaya, pomegranate and banana trees are loaded with their ripening fruit. I've been on the road 2 hours and have completed 10% of my journey. Definitely roads less traveled. Only 3 vehicles so far. 2 going in the opposite direction.


Finally a vehicle that is travelling in my direction (not counting the one that was turning off to the workshop only 50m further down the road) and I have a ride with a couple of gentlemen from Trashiyangtse who are travelling to meet with a Rinpoche (holy man) for a couple of days.  The driver has worked as a tourist guide with a local tour company, Blue Poppy Tours, and we have quite an in depth conversation on a variety of topic.

Villagers above the Kulong Chhu

Although they are not headed into Trashigang, they make the 5km detour to take me there.  This is not the first time I have experienced such kindness, with people taking the time to go out of their way to take me part or all the way to my destination.

Once in Trashigang I find that the barber is ill and his assistant looks alarmed at my suggestion and refuses to cut my hair - he does men only.  One of the young ladies in a shop suggests I go to the lady hairdresser but my style is much more suited to techniques for cutting men's hair.


I also discover that my favourite shop, which sold luxuries such as cashews and almonds, is permanently closed.  Shame, I go to my second favourite shop and make some of my purchases, including a can of philosophically incorrect mortein.  I am over sharing my house and workspace with things that bite me and make me itch.

I visit another shop that sells clothing and look at their taego and am succumb to the temptation of an expensive length that will make a lovely jacket next year.  I am delighted that the shop assistant tells me that I always choose lovely colours and I have good taste.

The prayer wheel in the upper market
Trashigang

A tiny local cafe sells beef momo (dumplings) and I enjoy "2 plates" of these delicacies.  Literally, 2 serves would not be put on a single plate.  There was clearly uncertainty about my order as there were 3 plates on the tray but when it became evident I was not intending to consume 15 momo, this plate was redirected to another customer.


I am able to reserve a taxi home.  When I first attempted to get taxis home I naively thought that one approached a taxi and requested a destination.  Not so. Taxi drivers might not want to go to Kheni. I was asked, while negotiating a taxi, whether I wanted share or reserved.  I indicate share, the "reserved" price is Nu1500,  about $30 AUD, and am then told that share is not possible as no one else wants to go to Kheni. I do wonder, in passing, why the option was offered.

Lady selling chillies at the market

At least having a taxi booked means I can purchase a few more items than will fit comfortably in my backpack, and I divert to the fruit and vegetable market.  After I have made my purchases I pass a lovely lady outside the market who had brought her sack of chillies to sell and was trying hard to persuade me to buy. I had to ask a passing policeman to ask the price and tell her only a half kilo for me. She was wearing the beautiful traditional fastenings to her kira. These fastening are often solid silver and may have been passed to get from previous generations.

I arrive home thinking that my taxi driver had broken the time 

where else would you refuel other than
diagonally across the road?

record for Trashigang-Kheni. 1.5 hours. Including a 10 minute stop while the large construction vehicle refuelled in the middle of the road, a pause to purchase take away momo, (would I like beef or cheese? We have only cheese - again I wonder why the option was offered), a pause to see if Duksom fruit and vegetable market had lemons, and a pause to pick up a person walking.

I wonder what his return time will be without me telling him to slow down regularly (with no shared language - I think attempting to signal heart palpitations was working, but did not seem to last for more than 30 seconds.)

All things considered, there were times (ie, most of the time) when it would have been more relaxing to be walking uphill, in the scorching sun, carrying half my body weight in shopping for the 50km.