Bhutan Day 8

Altitude: 12,370

Weather: overcast most of the day

Everyone is well

Shout out: Yves Tessier and his family

Philosophical musing: The Takin is mystical combination of goat and cow created by the divine madman

Bhutan  moment: the Takin is the national animal – we went to visit it at the Bhutan National Zoo

Last night – we played sevens for a couple of hours. Dinner was in the small home that we were staying in.

Started the day with Brian and Suneet doing some early morning medicine. Two young men coming down from Laya last night were attacked by Takin – I gather there was a male and some babes. So Brian and Suneet did some repairs from our well stocked medical kit.

The day was all about following the river (apart from a 400 foot boulder that we had to negotiate). We followed it running down as we walked up – stunning. Lunch by the riverside.

After lunch we had a break at the army camp – we had to show our papers. Then on to climb up to Laya, We are one mountain range from China (Tibet). One of the major exports from Laya is a caterpillar fungus that apparently acts like viagra (sound appealing????? – I think the moral is men will do anything). As a result this is a very wealthy village.

Camping at a farm very agrarian. Had popcorn for tea. Apparently a bear visited this farm last night – so we are going to move the food bag from our tent……

Another medical event – a bell’s palsy with secondary eye infection – another happy customer

One of the most amusing things is Dave and his old Motorola cell phone – he has been able to keep up to date with his Facebook – meanwhile I have been using a complex Inmersat BGAN system to do the blog – how ironic. Of course I will have the last laugh in about two days when we get above the trees and away from all the villages. We are now above 12,000 feet for the remainder of the trip.