Welcome to the 'Land of the Thunder Dragon

Relaxing in the business class lounge!

From steamy Bangkok to the crisp cool air of the Himalayas ... right now I'm making myself at home in my new apartment in Thimphu, Bhutan! I was lucky enough to get upgraded to business class on my flight from Bangkok to Paro after I was originally checked into the wrong flight. I thoroughly enjoyed taking in the scenery from my comfy leather business class chair as the plane weaved in and out of the mountains of Paro.

Welcome to Bhutan!

The drive from the airport to Thimpu takes about 40 minutes but I completely lost track of time as I was caught up in absorbing everything around me. Unlike most countries, where the drive from the airport to your destination reveals everything that the tourist brochures don’t, Bhutan has yet to disappoint. Beauty is everywhere. Everything from the rickety trucks that traverse the dangerous roads, to the petrol stations, to the gates at immigration are adorned with colourful and elaborate traditional Bhutanese designs.

I was met at my apartment by Phuntsho Wangmo, who is the Head of Operations at The Bhutan Observer. She is a remarkable woman who’s passionate about the future of Bhutan and the Bhutanese media. Not only is Madame Phuntsho the Head of Operations at The Bhutan Observer, she’s also involved in a pilot project creating a society completely based on the principles of Gross National Happiness (GNH).   

Rabten Apartments - my new home!

Madame Phuntsho explained that the project would be trialed in a village in Eastern Bhutan. The project aims to bring jobs back to the village as there is currently a crisis of graduates moving away from rural areas after they finish college. It also would focus on revolutionizing education in alignment with the principles of GNH and the spiritual fulfillment of the people.  Meanwhile, the intention is for the village to become self sufficient with all food being grown organically. 

Before you dismiss the project as being completely unrealistic, be aware that Phuntsho herself is quick to acknowledge the difficult reality of implementing the program and its likelihood of failure. While her goals may seem naive and idealistic, she recognizes the harsh reality of the situation but is committed to doing her best to make it succeed. If the project DOES successful it will be fantastic for the country so I sincerely hope that the project paves the way for similar ventures in the future!