The mountain road from the Immigration office to Thimphu, about 5 hours’ drive by taxi, is well constructed and maintained, the likes of which we Indians do not find almost in all states. The construction and repairing work is done by the BRTF. Lilting Bhutanese songs which are heavily superimposed by Nepali songs are played softly during the drive which never exceeds 40 kilometers per hour. The Hindi speaking taxi drivers donning the traditional Bhutanese dress are conditioned never to utter a word unless spoken to.

The mountains which are bereft of greenery are very high and there are some lay bys en route where the tourists halt for a light lunch at the eateries. For aperitif there are mini bars inside the hotels where measures of alcoholic drinks are sold at reasonable prices. There are mouth watering dishes of rice, fried chicken legs, buffalo and stewed vegetables. Strong mountain winds blow from all directions unfurling the window screens and threatening to loosen the dresses of the women tourists. These are scenes to be photographed for memory and if a camera is not in your possession, these should be stored in some recess of your brain.

As the cavalcade of the taxis cruise somewhere midway through the route, there is the final check point to verify the tourists including head counts. This is to ensure that passengers do not vanish into thin air as in the past militants from the Northeastern part of India had opened camps in the mountains and forests of this kingdom.

There are expensive and luxuriantly appointed lodges in the capital. For the backpackers and those on package tours there are clean rooms with attached bathrooms in hotels and chalets at affordable prices. One remarkable feature that will strike the Indian tourists is that the capital and all market towns are clean and devoid of rubbish and litter. The office buildings, residential houses, shops, public houses are constructed in the unique Bhutanese style of architecture. The Rupee and Ngultrum which have the same value are freely circulated and accepted.

One should not miss visiting Paro which is about 50 kilometers from Thimphu. It skirts the airport and as one travels along the serpentine road one sees the rabbit warrens at the distant mountain slopes which are mostly covered with snow. Monks stay in these warrens for years for penance. The ditches and mountain slopes along the road are covered with snow and all stations are picnic spots. Paro is a moderate sized town where hotels, shops showcasing various items are located. The people are well behaved and courteous and food and drinks are moderately priced.

A little distance from Paro, there is a hillock on which stands a prison of bygone years. The prison cells are constructed in such a way that it was impossible for the prisoners to escape.

Most of the 1.7 million people in the kingdom are directly or indirectly benefited by the ever expanding tourism. Consumer items are brought from Nepal and India by truckloads. One kilogram of cabbage (organic) is sold at Rs. 130 whereas the inorganic one is available as cheap as Rs 18. Smoking is strictly banned in the kingdom but some kiosk owners clandestinely keep cigarette packets for the Indian tourists. These are sold at Rs. 100 per packet as against Rs. 20 in India. One kilogram of pork is sold at Rs. 350 and mutton at Rs. 600. Despite these high prices there is no beggar or dilapidated house in the kingdom.

Apart from the colourful dances they have popular sports like archery and throwing of multi-pronged darts. The people mind their own business and are so law abiding that police are conspicuous by their absence. Officials say that it is once in a blue moon that there is a serious crime like murder or rape. Long after returning home an Indian tourist will see the beautiful landscapes in his mind's eyes and the melodious songs will haunt him for a long time.

Iboyaima Laithangbam