Where in the world
do you have a car driver slow down to a halt, to let you finish taking a picture from across the street.

Where in the world
do you have women managing the night desk alone in a small hotel, in a smallish town.

Where in the world
do you have women taxi drivers doing solo cross-country drives.

Where in the world
do you have young women single handedly manage resto-bars on the side of a highway, in the middle of nowhere.

Where in the world
do shop owners offer you free toffees, just because you visited them.

Where in the world
would you find the owner of a mid sized lodge chopping wood, for the winter, alongside the paid laborer.

Where in the world
would you find royalty traveling unescorted. No wailing sirens, no motorcade.

Where in the world
would you find traffic working efficiently without any traffic lights at all. Across the whole city. Make that country, actually.

Where in the world
would you find someone drive into the center of town and go into a shop while the car stands out there, unattended and keys in the ignition.

Bhutan.
A bicycling trip across western and central Bhutan. October 2013

Ready to start riding from Thimphu.
Ready to start riding from Thimphu.
Snacking on local fruit and chatting with the fruit seller's brother.
Snacking on local fruit and chatting with the fruit seller's brother.
More fruits? Dried Yak Cheese?
More fruits? Dried Yak Cheese?
Our first major pass - Dochula Pass.
Our first major pass - Dochula Pass.
Yeah feeling good On top of the pass
Yeah feeling good On top of the pass
Punakha. Ready for the second day.
Punakha. Ready for the second day.
Our curious friends at the lunch stop.
Our curious friends at the lunch stop.
Lunch stop.
Lunch stop.
Busted rim. Brought the trip to an abrupt end. Just before dusk, about half hour short of a major pass.
Busted rim. Brought the trip to an abrupt end. Just before dusk, about half hour short of a major pass.
Saviors come in Toyota Hilux. Our new friends who almost adopted us as family. They drove us close to 150 odd kilometers to Bhumthang -- our final destination, and their home. Took us to our hotel, and made sure that we found our room warm too.
Saviors come in Toyota Hilux. Our new friends who almost adopted us as family. They drove us close to 150 odd kilometers to Bhumthang -- our final destination, and their home. Took us to our hotel, and made sure that we found our room warm too.
Going around the gonpa. An important Buddhist practice.
Going around the gonpa. An important Buddhist practice.
Yak Cheese hung out to dry.
Yak Cheese hung out to dry.
Bumthang airport, Bhutan.
Bumthang airport, Bhutan.
Hiking to the burning lake.
Hiking to the burning lake.
At the burning lake.
At the burning lake.
Volunteer fire-minder at the Burning lake.
Volunteer fire-minder at the Burning lake.
The priest at the Burning lake.
The priest at the Burning lake.
Chai? Anybody?
Chai? Anybody?

The owner of our Hotel in Bumthang
The owner of our Hotel in Bumthang
*The owner of our Hotel in Bumthang, chopping wood for the approaching winter. I tried. It is hard

Early morning prayer. Opposite our hotel in Bumthang.
Early morning prayer. Opposite our hotel in Bumthang.
Walking to Jakar Dzong - a major monastery in Bumthang
Walking to Jakar Dzong - a major monastery in Bumthang
Jakar Dzong - a major monastery in Bumthang
Jakar Dzong - a major monastery in Bumthang
Inside Jakar Dzong - a major monastery in Bumthang
Inside Jakar Dzong - a major monastery in Bumthang
Arrowslit? in a monastary? OR just to let light in? Jakar Dzong - a major monastery in Bumthang
Arrowslit? in a monastary? OR just to let light in? Jakar Dzong - a major monastery in Bumthang
Perhaps the best Pizza I have had in a shop Bumthang Pizza Cafe.
Perhaps the best Pizza I have had in a shop Bumthang Pizza Cafe.
A diferent Gonpa across the river.
A diferent Gonpa across the river.

First published on January 9, 2014
#cycling, #adventures#featured, #cycle touring, #cycling in bhutan

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