TID 763 Snowman Trek (21Sept to 17 Oct, 2014)

Hi Anand and Jambay and Ugen, I
wanted to comment, belatedly, on the Snowman Trek. I am still processing the whole experience, and truthfully think about Bhutan daily since I left. The trip was stunning, exhausting, gorgeous, and exhilarating. Frankly I was only in decent physical condition, but not expedition condition so the 16 consecutive days took it’s toll. It’s tough to get in shape for multiple days without spending multiple days getting in shape. Would I do it again? Absolutely. What I would do differently is eat more ( I lost 5 kg in the 16 days, but actually was a bit of a ‘little piggy’ before so the change is welcome), and plan some 2-3 day hikes before the trip. The trip was a great combination of cultural visits, site seeing, and of course the phenomenal trek. I chose the trek after reading ‘Blossom Rain’ by Kevin Grange, in 2011, and deliberated a few years as to whether I could afford to take off 4-5 weeks from work, and who would look after my patients while I was away. Once the decision was made, I chose 2014 to celebrate my 60th birthday, A person who had been to Bhutan suggested I invite someone to ‘have my back’ so my daughter Elliot agreed to come along. Other books which gave insight about Bhutan were ’Married to Bhutan’ by Linda Leaming, and ‘Circle of Karma’ by Kunzang Choden. I chose Wind Horse mostly because the dates were ideal weather wise, and fairly close to my birthday. So glad I did. Pema was a superb guide, he shared cultural, religious, botanical, and personal information and was always ready to answer questions and help out. The cook and assistants did a good job, Namgay in particular. And the pony men were fun and helpful too. The accommodations, driving and air travel logistics had been thoughtfully organized, down even to selecting special rooms for us at Yangkhil Resort. Reaching out to us personally by phone along and after our trek was so thoughtful. Thank you also for the complementary Wind HOrse photo book about Bhutan. Thank you for such a memorable experience. The only thing I would like to do differently is to spend some time in conversation w the people living in the Lhasa district, perhaps invite them for a chat over a meal. Another thought is if there was a 1 night home stay option while trekking. So now I’m trying to decide if I should get in shape to compete in the Tour of the Dragon mountain bike race. Actually, I’d prefer to be trekking in the high hills away from distraction. Thank you again.