SOUND OF SILENCE

Be gentle on my curves—read a sign along the winding, mountainside road as we made our way to our next stop, Punakha. It is one of many creative (and often rhyming) pronouncements of safety that you will find on the drive between valleys, a necessary journey that holds surprises at every turn. The Dochula pass, in particular, was a revelation. From the vantage point of 3,000m high, you will encounter a majestic panorama of the snow-capped Himalayas. You will be hard-pressed to stop taking pictures but it is worth savouring the feeling of being hugged by mountains and breathing in the freshest air (one of the many things I wished I could take home). On our visit, we were also treated to another surprise—a chance to participate in the local Druk Wangyel festival where we got to meet and speak with Princess Ashi Sonam Dechen Wangchuck. The scenic drive was the ideal lead-up for the bucolic Punakha Valley, best known for its beautifully preserved dzong—the second oldest and second largest in Bhutan—and the charming river that runs through it. At just over 1,000m above sea level, a few days in Punakha helps one acclimatise to the altitude as well as embrace the country’s languid pace. Amankora’s lodge sits close to the banks of the Mochu river; in fact, one has to cross a footbridge lined with prayer flags to get to it. The day we arrived we enjoyed an intimate riverside picnic lunch against the natural soundtrack of wind rustling through leaves, chirping birds perched on trees, and the placid flow of the water below. With the sun shining above and a spread of fresh salads and grilled dishes in front of us, it was the epitome of the perfect picnic and one of the meals I treasure most during my visit to Bhutan. While the lodge sits on expansive grounds, the structure itself is notably smaller than Paro and Thimphu. It is, however, more exposed to the elements—resident dog Chungku and the village cows seemed to