As it is going to be my first visit to your country, can you briefly describe nature of Bhutanese?
Bhutanese are friendly, generous, and helpful people. Incidence of theft or inflicting harm to stranger is very rare.

How is weather like in Bhutan?
March – May/Spring, and Mid August – October/Autumn is fairly warm with temperature between 12-25 Degree Celsius, while summer between June and mid August is mostly rainy, with temperature between 15-27 Degree Celsius. Winter months are November until late February. It is cold at temperature between -5 degree +16 during day.

Is it true that we have to pay 200 US$ per person per night as a tourist in Bhutan?
Yes, it is true.

How do I book my trip?
You can directly write to us or write to one of our trusted partner abroad. Do let us know what you want to do, while in Bhutan, or list out any special interest that we might be able to help you with for the trip.

How do I greet in Bhutanese?
KUZUZANGPOLA! Meaning; wishing you good body, or health.

Do you have references for your trips?
Absolutely! Bhutan Everest Tours & Treks (BETT) is happy to provide travel agents and your prospective clients with the names of past clients who have volunteered to be references.

What’s included in the trip price?
• double-occupancy accommodations
• all meals & snacks
• activities and equipment as specified on trekking trips
• expertise and services of professional guide and leaders
• personalized itineraries
• transportation: 4 WD car, bus, or van to support a variety of route options
• taxes, and royalty
• pre-departure information
• plus a farewell drink

Trip price does not include
• airfare
• personal insurance
• personal expenses
• alcoholic beverages
• gratuities to trip leaders as deemed appropriate
• visa fees

What kind of shape does my client need to be in to enjoy their trip?
The adventure is designed for all abilities! Some trips are more challenging than others and we suggest that you refer to detail itinerary of the trip you have chosen or enquire with us.

What are standard accommodations on the trips?
Standard accommodations on our whole trips are double occupancy and almost always with private bath (unless otherwise specified in our detailed trip itineraries). We assign two people per room by gender, unless a couple or friends ask to be in the same room. However, on treks, 2 men tent are shared between two.

Who will lead my client’s trip?
At The BETT, we realize that a trip is only as good as its leaders, and ours are among the best. Our guides’ in-depth knowledge of the local geography, natural history and culture comes from years of experience in the backcountry. They take great pleasure in sharing their insights with your clients. In addition to sharing hidden wonders they may never find on their own, our guides make sure your clients vacation runs smoothly, delivering an unforgettable experience. Above all, our guides are an extraordinary group of gifted professionals who are congenial, caring and fun loving. Their attention to detail is unmatched, their enthusiasm infectious, and their personalities and talents make the difference between a good trip and a great one!

How far in advance do I need to book the trip?
The farther in advance that you book your trip, the better selection of available departure dates you will have. For holiday trips, you’ll want to reserve several months out to find the best selection.

Why book your clients on a The Bhutan Everest Tours & Treks?
• Receive one to one care during your stay with us.
• We offer personalized service and unsurpassed support with an average guide to guest ratio of 1:8.

What sets The Bhutan Everest Tours & Treks apart from other Adventure Travel Companies?
• We are a small company committed to serving and supporting the agents who represent our tours.
• Top uncompromised services, and equally good trip organization.
• We offer more backcountry getaways in remote part of Bhutan.
• We specialize in hidden, off-the-beaten-path travel experiences.
• Our professional naturalist guides are local to the area of their specialization we operate.

Is Bhutan Safe?

Buddhists are respectful of others, and very hospitable. You will find that Bhutan is a very safe country, with helpful and friendly locals. Most young people speak excellent English, and even older people know enough English to help you find your way, or make purchases.

Acute mountain sickness is caused by a lack of oxygen when traveling to higher elevations. This usually occurs in individuals exposed to an altitude over 7,000 feet (2,100 m) who have not had a chance to acclimate to the altitude before engaging in physical activities. While individual tolerance varies, symptoms usually appear in several hours, with those in poor physical condition being most susceptible. Headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, and poor appetite occur initially. Inability to sleep is also frequently reported. In more severe cases thinking and judgment may become impaired. An uncommon but potentially fatal complication called high altitude pulmonary edema, caused by fluid build-up in the lungs, can also occur.

Preventing Acute Altitude Sickness

Avoid alcohol, sleeping pills or narcotics. They may decrease ventilation, intensify hypoxemia and make symptoms worse. Drink plenty of fluids. Avoid heavy exercise; mild exercise is okay. Diamox® (acetazolamide) 125 mg. tablets taken twice a day is F.D.A. approved for prevention and treatment of A.M.S. Although it originally was released as a diuretic (water pill), it also helps you breath deeper and faster. This allows you to get more oxygen. Diamox is especially helpful with the sleeping problems and other symptoms of A.M.S.  If they become severe, they can be relieved with the administration of oxygen or descent to a lower altitude.

Altitude of Locations:
HAA: at 2,700 m (8,850 feet)
PARO: at 2,200 m (7,200 feet)
THIMPHU: at 2300 m (7,500 feet)
PUNAKHA / WANGDI: at 1,300 m (4,260 feet)
PHOBJIKHA/GANGTEY: at 3,000 m (9,840 feet)
TRONGSA: at 2,200 m (7,200 feet)
BUMTHANG: at 2,600 m (8,530 feet)
TANG VALLEY (BUMTHANG): at 2,800 m (9,185 feet)
URA: at 3,100 m (10,170 feet)
MONGAR: at 1,600 m
TASHIGANG: at 1,150 m (3,775 feet)
TASHIYANGTSE: at 1,850 m (6,000 feet)
Altitude of mountain passes:
CHELI LA PASS: at 3810m (between Paro & Haa)
DOCHULA PASS: at 3050 m (10,000 feet) (between Thimphu & Punakha / Wangdi)
PELE LA PASS: at 3,300 m (10,825 feet) between Wangdiphodrang & Trongsa
YUTONG LA PASS: at 3,400 m (11,155 feet) between Trongsa & Chummey valley in Bumthang
KIKI LA PASS: at 2,900 m (9,515 feet) between Chummey valley & Bumthang
URA LA PASS: at 3,600 m (11,810 feet) between Bumthang & Ura valley
THUMSHING LA PASS: at 3,800 m (12,465 feet) between Ura valley & Mongar
KORI LA PASS: at 2,450 m (8,000 feet) between Mongar & Tashigang

Narang students take a break from school

Narang CPS 12 May, 2010 – After the September 2009 earthquake damaged the Narang community primary school (CPS) hostel, dining hall and classrooms, its students found it exciting at first to be eating and sleeping in the temporary accommodation of huge green army tents.

That excitement is fading as the rainy season draws closer.

“When it rains, we can’t hear what the teacher is saying,” said a class six student, Tashi Kuenden. “On sunny days, it gets very hot inside the tent, and on cloudy days the classroom gets dark.

There are 22 students in his class and 197 in the whole school.

Their new school block is made out of corrugated galvanised iron (CGI) roofing sheets, with a single wooden window frame for each classroom taken from their damaged school. Overhead CGI sheets serve as roof and ceiling.

Perched on a hill, Narang CPS sits at an altitude of 2000 m above sea level like Sherubtse college in Kanglung, Trashigang. The mornings and evenings are still chilly and afternoons are very windy.

“The hostel tent is big but maintaining cleanliness is a problem and we fear they might get ill,” said the warden, Sonam Zangpo. He said that, when it rained, the tarpaulin spread on the floor in the classrooms and the hostel turned into numerous puddles. “When strong winds blow, it feels like the whole hostel tent is moving,” said Ugyen Tshering, a student.

Teachers find it difficult to teach. There is no proper place to hang teaching material in the makeshift classroom and noise from adjoining classrooms often disrupt teaching because only CGI sheets separate classes.

“We have to wait until the other teacher takes a break,” said a dzongkhag language teacher, Sonam Tobgay. Quite often the teacher and students end up waiting for a long time just staring at each other.

When the teachers in both classrooms are teaching, students sitting at the back said they find it hard to concentrate and, when something funny happens in one class, then students in adjacent classrooms also join in the laughter.

With the football ground occupied by a temporary school building, students nowadays play volleyball instead.

The tents leak and the CGI sheet school block creaks in the afternoon winds. However, the teachers, who also live in tents, said that they were grateful for the help rendered to them in times of crisis.

“We’ve got four tents for classrooms from UNICEF which we’re going to pitch soon,” said the school principal, Phuntsho Wangdi. “We’ve also asked for tarpaulin to replace the dining hall as well.”

According to him, the site development for rebuilding the schools will start once the farm road to the gewog centre is complete. “Most probably work for reconstruction will start this July,” the principal said. The reconstruction of the school is expected to take two years.

There are 54 boarding students, including PP ones, in the school.

By Tshering Palden

Fifth South Asia Research Workshop6 May, 2010 – Although Bhutan is yet to join the South Asia consortium for interdisciplinary water resources studies (Saci WATERs), where India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are already members, the fifth south Asia research workshop was held for the first time in Bhutan on May 3 at Hotel Taj in the capital.

The workshop was organised in Bhutan by the royal society for protection of nature (RSPN), combined with Saci WATERs.

The workshop focused on privatisation of water services, human wellbeing, urbanisation and changing configurations around the state in water resource management.

“The reason behind for the research workshop to be held in Bhutan is because of the tremendous water resources Bhutan has and per capita water availability in the country is among the highest in the world, and Bhutan is also well known in the world for its commitment to environmental protection,” said the coordinator of the environment education unit, Ugyen Lhendup.

Globalisation of governance and implication for water management in south Asia, being the theme of the project, received 32 water professionals and researchers from the four countries.

The coordinator said that, unlike other countries, Bhutan faced minimum problem with regard to water. “The water problem arises mainly because of poor management and harvest of water, with limited experts in the field of water.”

An official from RSPN said that it was a very good experience, not only for Bhutan but for all the countries involved in the conference, since it provided knowledge that can be utilised by a country facing similar kind of problems.

By Kuenga Tendar

Excerpts

5 May, 2010 – Bhutan is attempting to quantify GNH, which has a number of subjective elements. Is it possible?
Yes it is possible. One of the bigger advantages in research in psychology is one can get good measures, by that we mean replicable, although there is a lot of controversy over interpretation.

By replicable I mean we can get similar results, whoever does the study, so it’s not just a made up number, it’s a consistent number, but then the question is what does it mean.

You ought to look at that in conjunction with other measure, with objective measures. If somebody says they feel healthy but in fact they are sick, you would believe the objective measure like frequency of suicides, various kinds of illnesses, those are good objective indicators.

But in general they are related to subjective indicators, so in my mind you want to get a balance between subjective and objective.

Bhutan’s future economic growth prospects rest on the 10 mega-hydropower projects being built with Indian government assistance in the next 10 years. The power will be sold to India. Do we have all our eggs in one basket?
In general, countries need some diversification in their strategies because, whatever your strategy, something could go wrong. On the other hand one can’t worry about every possible contingency. If US and Canada no longer got along, Canada would be in very serious problems. You can’t grow next door and pretend that you’re not dependent.

So there is no way that you can avoid the issue of dependency. Inevitably it’s mutual interdependence, a lot of good money is coming from India.

In the end, the power plug is hydroelectric facility and it is in Bhutan so that’s your guarantee in a way and you can use electricity for other purposes.

It is understandable why one should be anxious, why one should have diversification but, in the end, there needs to be a better basis of trust. In the current situation, there is every reason to go forward on the basis of common trust.

How important is creativity and innovation to overall social wellbeing which is very strong in America but not measured by GDP or GNH ?
Innovation or creativity is one of America’s real strengths.

But it’s only a small fraction of our population that has created this. The concern here is that you can’t rest the whole economy on one small pillar. The real question for America is harmony, that we have a very strong high-tech sector, university sector or research sector, but we have problems in health, primary and secondary education, manufacturing and finance. We also have a difficult fiscal situation right now, with a debt-GDP ratio of over 10 percent.

A comprehensive measure of economic performance and social progress needs to include those dynamic aspects of creativity and innovation. Some people say it is some of the most important aspects of a society. The individual creativity and societal creativity are one of the strong planks of American economy but indiscreetly.

Creativity, like everything else, has to be directed in ways that bring wellbeing to the society. So one of the concerns in US was that creativity in the financial sector was directed at circumventing regulations, taxes, accounting, figuring how to exploit poor people. Cigarette companies devised cigarettes that were more addictive and the food companies devised products that contribute to obesity rather than to make society better.

In the end one wants to encourage creativity in a way that it enhances societal wellbeing.

What role does right to information play in facilitating a country’s economic development?
In every economy, it plays a very important role and, in a developing nation, it has an even more important role.

In every democracy it’s important to hold the system of checks and balances. To make sure the government is doing its job, why it’s doing it, what was the information, so all that’s a part of the democratic processes.

In the US, when the government gave USD 180B to AIG, the citizens in my view have the right to know why they did it, what was the information about when it made that decision, who was at the meeting, where did the money go.

It was very important for us to know, because we now have a better view of what may have motivated that. We don’t know for sure, as you can never know for sure, but it certainly has cast a different light over what happened.

Should building culture among the Bhutanese with regard to right to information come first or should it be the otherwise?
The right to know is a fairly fundamental right. It depends in some sense to relationship between the government and the people.

If you have somebody that worked for you and gave them some money to buy some groceries, you will have the right to know to see the receipts to see what they spent the money on.

The government works for the people, if you knew that relationship between the government and the people, the government is working on behalf of the people and the government has to understand that its people have the right to know what it’s doing.

There are some areas where you might say there are state secrets, there are some cases where it might cause consequences, so it’s not without exceptions, but on the other hand it is important to the press to show that it can be responsible in using information.

What happens sometimes is when the information is used in a way that is irresponsible, the government then tries to make sure that they keep no records.

What’s your idea of happiness?
That’s too big of a question.