We Made It. Our First Day in Bhutan.

Toronto – Hong Kong – Bangkok – Kolkata – Paro – What A Journey!

Mt. Everest, Lhotse and the adjacent high peaks of the Himalayas from the plane window flying into Paro, Bhutan.

Today marked our final flight into Paro, Bhutan. Sitting across from Mrs. Hahn before our plane took off, I told her “I feel like this experience is going to hit on a deeper level for me”. On the flight, I was admittedly nervous about meeting our guides and anxiously thinking about what it would be like to explore this beautiful, peaceful country. As we approached Paro, we were lucky enough to be greeted with clear skies and a gorgeous view of the Himalayas, including no other than the mighty Mt. Everest. When the plane hit the ground in Bhutan, I shed a tear as I could not believe that everything had become a reality.

After a calm airport experience, we were greeted by our guides Karma and Shring who gave us a warm welcome. Shring shared her culture by giving each of us a traditional ceremonial scarf called a Khata. It represents well wishes, respect, and positivity.

We boarded our bus and drove from Paro to the capital of Bhutan, Thimphu. The roads winded through mountains with trees that held prayer flags and rock indents that held small stupas. After a couple of hours of much-needed rest, we went to visit Buddha Dordenma. It was humongous. Karma and Shring were so kind and allowed us to go into the temple and experience two monks praying. We were then invited to participate in a welcoming cleansing ceremony. It consisted of getting water lightly poured on your head and getting an orange string, blessed by a monk, that you could tie around your wrist or neck.

Following this we went into town and were fitted for and bought Kiras, the traditional dress for women in Bhutan. By this time, we were all feeling the hours of travel and headed back to the hotel to rest. A quick dinner and an early night for us all tonight.

I feel so lucky and grateful that I, and all the others on this trip, get to call this gorgeous country our home for the next 9 days. This was a great first day in Bhutan, and I look forward to exploring and diving deeper into this interesting culture.