Day Five: Paro
Rise and shine. It was the day I was looking forward to all this while. We were going to climb up to the Taktsang monastery, popularly known as “Tiger’s Nest”. Our guide informed us that an average person should be able to make the climb in 90 minutes. Determined to be above average, I threw caution to the wind and ran ahead only to be exhausted by the first kilometre. Fortunately, a friend egged me on and together we trudged on until we reached the monastery (well within 90 minutes). We left our electronic gadgetry outside and entered the famous Taktsang. Each temple was beautiful and a work of art in itself . So when I say they were not the highlight of the place, it is because there was something much better in store for us.
Beneath the monastery is a small cave, the place where Padmasambhava meditated. The cave is accessible through a small opening and descends into the mountain for a couple of storeys. The gap becomes narrower as you climb down and only the horizontally-challenged can squeeze between the rocks to see the actual meditation spot. At the bottom of the hill is a small market of sorts where you can buy trinkets and souvenirs. The rest of the day was spent exploring Paro. We also got a chance to visit the Paro Dzong which was quite a spectacle when illuminated at night.
Day Six: Paro-Chalsa
The last day of the trip and, without doubt, the saddest of them all. Our convoy left Paro, leaving more of this beautiful country behind with each passing kilometre. Our spirits were lifted when we hit the new highway, an amazing stretch of silky-smooth tarmac that ran along the side of a valley, with a stunning view of valley on the right side. By sunset, we crossed the border back into India.
The crew at Mahindra Adventure were constantly at work and made sure that we were well taken care of. The support and service crew were alert and prompt in their duty whenever some issue cropped up. The photographer, Devang Sethi, captured the brilliant frames that make this article lively.
Travelling to another country is always exciting, isn’t it? This was the first time I did so by road and the experience was an eye-opener in itself. Bhutan is an amazing place to visit and is full of people of great discipline, something most of us are lacking in. While I have no clue to the secret of their happiness, I can confidently say that the dragon people have earned it. With its temples, mountains, roads, scenery, and people, Bhutan was a place difficult to leave and, I am sure, it will always be a place that I will never tire of visiting again and again.
The Marazzo Effect
For a drive like this, the Marazzo was a good fit. Though neither as imposing nor powerful as the SUVs, the Marazzo was spacious and comfortable and eventually ticked all the right boxes. The first two rows had enough space to seat four of us comfortably and we folded the third row to make room for our considerable luggage and photography equipment. Packed to the brim with creature comforts and various options for entertainment, there was never a dull moment on the road. As a performer, the Marazzo was no slouch and made driving along mountain roads an easy affair. With ample torque on tap and gearing to match, I was able to easily negotiate uphill sections in third gear; dropping a cog only for the sharp hairpins. Furthermore, sixth gear allowed easy cruising on Bhutan’s highways. By the way, it returned 15 kilometres to a litre. Not bad at all, eh? Would I do the same tour with the Marazzo again? Why, certainly.
