Part III | Time-lapse Video | Drive | Phuntsholing to Paro | Bhutan

This is the ‘Third’ of 'Five' series Time-lapse video of drive to Paro from Phuntsholing, Bhutan

Start of Time-lapse: Sirupa Chu (River) - River Bridge, Bunakha, Chukha District, Phuntsholing - Thimpu Highway End of Time-lapse: Chuzom Bridge, Paro Gewog, Paro - Thimpu Highway Date of Journey - 15.August.2018 Duration of video - 02:13 I kept moving closer to my destination and the sunshine was a good omen to things to come in the next couple of days; with my Taktsang Monastery (Tiger Nest Trek) planned for the next day on 16th August 2018. As the driver continued to drive very skilfully tackling each of the curves as he have taken millions of trips on this road at normal speed of 40-50 km/hr; I started initiate talks with the driver and my fellow co-passengers, till that time they were speaking in their local language ‘Dzongkha’. The drivers name was Puma Wangchuk who was a native of Phuntsholing town who told me he generally stays in Paro overnight and next day he would again take passengers from the taxi stand of Paro and return back by evening to his home. Usually makes 3 - 4 such trips in a week. The general charge for one way trip is 650/- ngultrum per passenger and in a trip he can take 4 total passengers as per the allowed limit. The other three passengers who were sitting in the back seat were also Bhutanese; one of them with whom I had pretty interesting discussions who was working in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Bhutan Government. He did ask me if the videos which I am making; will I put them on YouTube? As we continued talking in mix of English, Hindi and Nepalese; we crossed Chukha Dzongkhag (District) and entered into Paro Gewog traveling via - Bunakha, Chapcha and taking the next stop at Chuzom, at which three roads divert. (This part of the video ends) The straight road goes to Thimpu, capital of Bhutan which is 30 kms. Crossing the bridge and taking left would take us to Haa (another beautiful valley of Bhutan) 78 kms from the bridge. Paro was on to the right and driving the vehicle towards Paro; we stopped our vehicle on my request to capture some photographs and rejuvenate my old memories at this mystical place. In the next part of the video we reach Paro Town which is just 25 kms from Chuzom Bridge. It takes 45 minutes generally to cover however in my time-lapse video we will cover that trip in 02:18 mins. Background Score Credits: Vacation Uke - ALBIS

Part II | Time-lapse Video | Drive | Phuntsholing to Paro | Bhutan

This is the 'Second' of 'Five' series Time-lapse video of drive to Paro from Phuntsholing, Bhutan

Start of Time-lapse: Doejung Paksam Hotel, Gedu, Chukha District End of Time-lapse: Sirupa Chu (River) - River Bridge, Bunakha, Chukha District, Phuntsholing - Thimpu Highway Date of Journey - 15.August.2018 Duration of video - 05:11 At around 02.00pm we start from our first pit-stop which was at the Doejun Paksam Hotel where the driver and we, the co-passengers had our lunch. The video starts with the majestic view of the small Gedu town and then the expansive view of the college of the Royal University of Bhutan i.e., Gaedu College of Business Studies comes at 00:11 second of the broadcast. This is the most longest video of the five series Time-lapse of drive to Paro from Phuntsholing but also the most interesting part of the five - six hour long drive from Phuntsholing to Paro. As we drive through some intense rain and cross quite a few foggy patches in the hill; we had to take our next short pit-shop at Chukha Thegchen Zam (Bridge) where the immigration papers are checked again. The drive gets more interesting and pleasant after crossing the Chukha Thegchen Zam (Bridge) inagurated on 22nd October 1982 with clear sky and good road conditions to cross the most highest point of the Phuntsholing - Thimpu Highway (between Chukha and Bunakha). The last bit of the recording is between Chukha and Bunakha where the soil is loose & rocky and this zone is also frequent landslide prone area. What’s more a few road side waterfalls visible gives an incredible end to the video. In the next part of the series we complete the travel in Chukha Dzongkhag (District) and cross over into Paro Gewog (Block or group of villages as called in Bhutan) traveling via - Bunakha, Chapcha and ending the video at Chuzom (Confluence of Paro Chu and Thimpu Chu to form Wang Chu). Background Score Credits: Let's go Home - Jeremy Blake

Part I | Time-lapse Video | Drive | Phuntsholing to Paro | Bhutan

This is a 'First' of 'Five' series Time-lapse video of drive to Paro from Phuntsholing, Bhutan

Start of Time-lapse: Just after crossing the check-post at the outskirts of Phuntsholing town on Phuntsholing - Thimpu Highway End of Time-lapse: Doejung Paksam Hotel, Gedu, Chukha District (In thumbnail) Date of Journey - 15.August.2018 Duration of video - 03:56 Phuntsholing is the border town in southern Bhutan of Chukha district sharing the border of India with Jaigaon, Alipurduar district. The drive to Gedu town which also falls under Chukha district is around 1 hour - 1 hour 30 minutes depending the road conditions. Timelapsed the drive after crossing the check-post of Phuntsholing (where immigration papers are checked) till Doejung Paksam Hotel, Gedu; in just less than 4 minutes. Gedu's economy is growing very quickly largely due to the to the Tala Hydroelectric Project Authority (THPA) program which started in 1998 and which has drawn substantial migration to Gedu, with thousands of workers looking for jobs. Also it is the location of one of the college of the Royal University of Bhutan i.e., Gaedu College of Business Studies (which will be visible in the next part of the video). Background Score Credits: Marrionette - Letter Box