Piet’s last hike

19^th – 20^th September

How could I turn down an invitation to join Piet, Tim and mutual friend Sonam for what might be Piet’s last hike in Yangtze for quite some time.  His contract is at an end and he must go after much time spent doing some excellent work for the Dzonghag and developing a thorough knowledge of the better known and many of the lesser known walking trails in the area.

After Saturday morning school, reading competition and some clean up duties, I was on the road with my backpack and hiking boots at 12:30pm

View of Trashiyangtse from the Homestay
at Bimkhar

My thermometer read 30^oC+ in the shade when I left my house, and there was no shade on the road.  Thoughts of mad dogs and Englishmen crossed my mind as I tried to benefit from what little shade my umbrella might provide. 

I was hoping that the total vehicular traffic out of Kheni had not already left; I had already been greeted by the local MP as his vehicle (a better quality than those normally seen on this road) as I walked from school to my house and had heard another heading west as I changed out of my kira.

A couple of vehicles came the other way, and as I was in one of the little side valleys, in which the air scarcely stirs, and was considering finding a tree to sit under for a few minutes, the sound of an approaching truck disturbed the pleasant sounds of the river below.

A very welcome ride was offered to Zangpozor and as I was getting out of the truck, another vehicle approached and passed.  Much tooting of the truck horn brought him back and I requested a ride; my request was kindly granted. 

By 2:30 I was in  Yangtse, checking one of the local cafes for momo and enjoying a plate of these delicacies. 

My enquires regarding a barber (I am desperately in need of a haircut) reached a dead end so I met Tim and we visited Chorten Kora before going back to our agreed meeting place with Piet.  Cold drinks and catching up filled the time well until Piet joined us and helped me finish the bottle of beer and I was introduced to Sonam, a Bhutanese whose passion for hiking matches Piet’s and Tim’s.

Homestay living room

A short walk out of Yangtze and we were in a tiny village with a wonderful heritage house, into which we were invited to look at how the better off members of society used to live.

Homestay alter room

A little further and we reached Bimkhar, a village with lovely views of Yangtze town and the valley of the Kulong Chhu  and one of the nicest homestays I have had the pleasure of staying in.  Our host is a carpenter and the house was well furnished  (although seating was traditionally on the floor on mats) and naja and biscuits were served before it was suggested it was time to move to take our menchu, or hot stone bath.

Note to self:  never model choice of footwear on what a Bhutanese is wearing.  They will wear plastic ”slippers” (thongs or flip-flops – depending on which country you are from) any time.  It turned out that the walk was longer than I anticipated and I did request that someone could go and get my hiking boots for the return walk. 

We descended a narrow trail to the river, and a wonderful fire was heating up the stones for the open air wooden tub which was sunk into the ground next to the river.

The hot stone bath beside the stream

While this facility needs a bit of an upgrade before it would be suitable for tourists, it promised a fun evening.  Water from the spring was being piped into the bath, dusk was falling and the sounds of the river and the fire accompanied good conversation and a drop of Piet’s special Dutch hootch which was shared around while our host and his companion attended to the fire and the water.

In due course both the stones and the water were deemed ready, and I was invited to take the first plunge.  Requesting more cold water before I was completely scalded, I managed to stay in the bath and was joined by Piet and Tim.  After a while (just as the temperature was getting acceptable to my standards, it was deemed that more water and more hot rocks (read: glowing white hot in the pitch dark by now) were required so we hopped out to be on the safe side while this process happened.  The hot rocks, dropped into the water, bounced repeatedly on the bottom as they made the water around them boil.

To scare away evil spirits...

I let the others take a turn, there was scarcely room for 4, as we needed to stay clear of the rocks, but then it was decided we could all squish up and it was very cosy indeed.  Several more rounds of more water and more rocks until the bath was brimming and we were extremely hot and wrinkled (well, for some of us, more wrinkled)

There was much speculation about desirable improvement, including improving easy plunging into river water, paving of the surroundings and ways of separating the hot stones from the people.  Also draining the bath and the silt that accumulates on the bottom.  It was nice that it was dark and we could not see the colour of the water.

About 9:30pm it was deemed we should return for dinner, and ara was offered before dinner. 

Dinner was an excellent selection of fresh vegetable curries accompanied by boiled eggs. Most delicious, despite our hostess’s translated protestations that she did not know how to cook for foreigners.  Sonam had told her just to cook what she had in her garden, a really good move as the favorite protein dishes involve large quantities of pork fat, chicken bone or very bony dried fish.  None of which I find particularly palatable.  I asked Sonam to translate my praise of her food and preference for meat free dishes; which seemed to please her greatly.

Our hosts at the entrance to the homestay

Contrary to my expectations, we each had our own bedroom, and although the bathroom to which I had access was Bhutanese style, my companions had access to a bathroom with a sit on toilet (albeit without a seat or cistern; it was flushed with buckets of water)

The day dawned with much cloud, which cleared a little to give hints of the mountains at the head of the Kulong Chhu valley.  These mountains hide those beyond which have permasnow and form part of the border with Tibet.

The old Yangtse Dzong viewed from above

Breakfast was traditionally Bhutanese, rice with curries, quite similar to the night before, and Sonam requested a packed lunch and Tim also accepted the offer.  I had brought biscuits, chocolate and bananas, which for a longish half daty walk I thought would be quite sufficient.

We farewelled our hosts and headed up the hill, with various grades of gentle to steep, towards …..

We walked through high meadows and lovely forest, at times slowing down so that Sonam could do a little trail clearing with the knife that seems to be part of Bhutanese standard equipment (Think Crocodile Dundee) to arrive at our destination which seemed perched right on the end point of a high ridge overlooking the Kulong Chuu valley and a smaller side valley with its scattered villages.

A short lunch break saw us on the path again, as Piet had a deadline (flexible in Bhutan) to reach the Zorig Chusum (traditional arts and crafts) institute to judge a competition to design an embroidery for a tshirt to market as the Dzonghag symbols.  I was also very interested to see this work.

Maybe Baney Goempa ... or maybe another one...

In due course we reached the road and the waiting taxi to take us to the Zorig Chusum Institute, but there had been a misunderstanding about when the judging was to take place.

Final goodbyes were said to Piet over a plate of beef momo, negotiations made with the same taxi driver to return us to our villages, some fruit and vegetable and meat shopping done and the slow, but safe, journey back was made. 

A delightful, albeit brief, weekend.