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

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

Start of Time-lapse: Paro Town, Paro Gewog, Paro - Thimpu Highway

End of Time-lapse: View Point Lodge, Taktsang, Paro Gewog

Date of Journey - 15.August.2018

Duration of video - 00:45

We start for our final touch down to the final destination which was the View Point Lodge located opposite to the Taktsang Resort on the road Taktsang road.

The sun was shining down into its twilight as the time was around 4:00 - 4.15 pm as we start leaving the Paro township and drove through the outskirts of Paro town.

In our 8 kms trip we stopped twice in-between to take running school kids who wanted the lift to the next village. Both groups were school going students returning back home after eventful day at school as per the quick chats we had in the short trip.

Finally reached the View Point Lodge booked via Airbnb however the room allotted '304' had no view at all. Though the room and the furniture provided wasn’t bad but this room didn’t do at all the justice to the name of the homestay; it had a small parking space view.

After a discussion with owner of the property and on request he spoke to his family and friends. He finally fixed me up at a decent hotel in the middle of the Paro city, Hotel Phunsum with a fantastic view of the Paro valley.

While getting dropped to that particular hotel; I saw a sublime ‘Rainbow’ which I actually was telling to myself last day or that day morning before entering Bhutan that it’s been quite sometime I saw a ‘Rainbow’. And finally I did!!

(This video doesn’t have the Rainbow view)

Background Score Credits: Lonesome avenue - the 126ers

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

Six things to do at Anjanisain in Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand

Anjanisain is a small village tucked away in the Tehri Garwal hills of Uttarkhand. It is around 350 kms from Delhi and can be reached by via New Tehri or Devprayag. It the perfect place for retreat or soul searching.
Six things to do have been listed while one can do while at Anjanisain:

1. Visit Devprayag 2. Stay at SBM Ashram
3. Trekking from Ashram to Chandrabadani Temple 4. Visits to adjacent villages 5. Enjoy the scenic views from Ashram 6. Indulge with the beauty of Tehri Dam

Virtual Traveling of Dunda in Uttarkashi - Captured in 5 picturesque photographs

How to Get to Dunda:

Dunda is around 130 - 140 kms from Dehradun. Generally its takes 4-5 hours to reach from Dehradun in a car. Uttarkashi is further 30 kms ahead of Dunda. Private shared taxis and buses also ply on this route. 

The drive to Dunda gets very interesting from Chinyalisour with the Bhagirati River flowing beside the road. It was raining lightly during the time we visited and the view was breathtaking, which I am sharing with you all below.

Chinyalisour with Bhagirati River

Dunda is a good place for soul searching, solo travelers and Tenzing Guest house can be the best place to put for the night. I stayed in Dunda for couple of days and the visit will be my most memorable one.

Dunda:

The inter road connectivity in Uttarkashi district is poor however Dunda actually come before Uttarkashi and is the sub-district headquarter, so is an important junction. Road condition apart from the main highway NH-108 are not be trusted on. Landslides during the monsoon months are normal. GREF personals and other villagers themselves keep a tight vigilance so that no roads are blocked.

NH-108

Jineth:

Jineth is a beautiful village south of Dunda around 20kms towards Brahmakhal on NH - 94. One has to walk uphill for 3 and half kms cross many streams and bridges from the point show in the picture. Normally takes 1 and half hour for a person with normal fitness. The village is very cosy with all the house together in a cluster.

Jineth

Kalyani:

Kalyani is around 16 kms from sub-district headquarter, Dunda. Situated besides NH - 94, villagers are very thankful to the government for opening a PHC in the village. Also has a senior secondary school nearby which makes the children very happy as they get extra time to play and time is not lost due to the travel to school.

Kalyani

Nagal:

Nagal is a famous village as it boasts of Prikateshwar Siva Temple. Nagal is situated on NH - 94 around 30 kms away from Dunda. Its is believed by the local villagers that Lord Shiva had given a visit to this village during early times and since then temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and other Hindu god and goddess.

Prikateshwar Siva Temple

Nagal Rice-fields

Nagal is also famous for good quality of rice produced. On interacting with the pradhan it was known that earlier around 60% of the rice produced in the fields were exported outside and sent to other parts of India. However, over the years there has been a downward trend and now only 10% of the rice produced are sent outside of Nagal village.

Nagal Village Rice-fields