Taktshang (Tiger's Nest)

Today was my last full day in Bhutan and I would be flying out tomorrow. It was poetic in that one of the last places I was going to visit was the very place that originally opened me to Bhutan. Its image alone called me home to this last Shangri-La, and today I was going to finally experience it. My guide and driver picked me up and we headed to the base of the Tiger’s Nest. It was clinging to the side of a rock face, hiding behind the morning clouds that were still burning off.


Because we were now in Paro, and any visitor can come here, we started early to avoid any other traffic.


It is typically a five to six hour round trip, however, I found this estimate to be inflated due to Bhutan’s daily tariff. It’s fairly expensive to travel here and many visitors tend to be older and retired. I found that if you are well in to your 30s, but still trying desperately to hold on to your early 20s, it’s only a three hour round trip. I shifted in to my steady and consistent step, did not push myself, took only a few short breaks, drank plenty of water, and it continually got closer.


And closer.


About half way they have some prayer wheels, so if you need a little extra help on the second half, be sure and give them all a spin.


It may look the same, but we really are getting closer.


As we got near the top, the trail would level out for a little while.


The surrounding mountains made an appearance and where inspiring.


We were now at the same level and just had to get across to the next ledge.






After hiking some challenging terrain you think you are almost there, you are not. You now have over 700 steps that are barely clinging to the side of the mountain as you go down one ridge and come up another.




Reaching the bottom of the intersection of the mountains, we again began to climb back up.




And in just 1 hour and 35 minutes we were at the Monastery’s gate. They confiscated my cameras and shoes, and then patted me down. I saw one poor man who hiked all the way up here get denied entry because his sleeves were too short on his shirt. I went in and stood on the forward deck, looking down on the valley below. It was a beautiful clear day and I welcomed the cool air blowing around me as I worked up quite a sweat on the hike. My guide helped me to explore and explained each of the five temples here. Because this was a more accessible monastery, with more visitors, I just looked around and did not have an opportunity to meditate. However, this place had already played its part, it was what brought me here, led me to explore more remote monasteries, and placed a little part of Bhutan in my heart. I admired the construction with amazement one last time and then began my decent. It seems I always have a more difficult time going down then going up, my knees have had too many turns in them on the ski slopes and are way out of warranty. I was reminded of this on every step. It sucks to be old at 23, especially when your knees are 37. Once down we went and saw the Drukgyel Dzong from a distant view and in the background was Jhomolhari Mountain, towering at 24,035 feet.


For lunch we headed to a farm house where my guide knew the family.


I got the tour before eating. On the ground floor they keep their animals.


One the next level they have their kitchen.




And here is where they sleep, close to one of those crappy fire heaters, at least they don’t have to go far to throw another log on.


On the top floor was the VIP guest quarters, which included a small shrine.




You can never have too many chilies, so you better always have some drying out.


Before lunch the lady of the house came out with some homemade rice wine, much like the homemade beer I had a few days ago, it was served in a used plastic water bottle.


She poured some in a coffee mug for me and I gave it a try.




It tasted like watery rice and went down easy. But it then ran through me faster than a Japanese bullet train, and almost immediately I had to pee, and pee, and pee, and when I was done I had to pee some more. In fact I started to get a little worried when I was completely empty and could not go anymore, but still had a feeling I had to go that could not be ignored. Finally, after an hour it went away and I felt much better. For lunch we had rice, vegetables, and chilies, and ate with the farm hands.


After lunch we went back to the hotel to relax. It gave me time to reflect and think about everything I had the great opportunity to experience, to begin to understand what it meant to me, and how it would define me. It would take months and maybe even years to fully comprehend, thoughts were racing through my mind and it took me a while to finally drift off to sleep.

VIDEO: Day 9 - Paro