Main Family Vacations htmlAdWH('7002414', '234', '60'); Bhutan: Monsoons and Miracles Honolulu Advertiser Hob Osterlund Our airplane is several miles from its destination in Paro, Bhutan. ItÂs late afternoon, and weÂre flying so low we can almost count the individual blue pine trees in steep forests below. The airportÂs altitude is 7000 feet, and weÂre still in monsoon clouds. Soon we can see the branches on the trees, mingling tentatively with loose tufts of vapor, whispering the presence of a mystery. We spot women in small rice paddies, close enough for us to name multiple colors in the kiras, their traditional clothing. Sharp embankments are within shouting distance of our wings, and children on mountain roads stop to wave enthusiastically as we descend. WeÂve been told that a safe arrival in the Paro airport takes a skilled aviator, so itÂs a good time to remember that miracles are known to happen here. Though most people have still not heard of Bhutan, it is a world unlike any other.
The Kingdom of Bhutan is nuzzled in the eastern Himalayas, north of India and south of Tibet. Not only is it in the mountains, it is virtually all mountain. The country ranges in elevation from about 600 feet to 24,778 feet, and only 8% of the land is tillable. Flying is the only way for tourists to get there. Druk Air is the exclusive airline to fly into Bhutan, with a fleet of two 72-passenger airplanes. It has the distinction of being the only airline to routinely fly over eight of the tallest peaks in the world. | |
|
