Wednesday 17 October
After a morning drive from Punaka to Thimphu today was another hiking day but it was to be one with a difference - not a mountain hike but a riverside hike.
We set off not long after 0930 and after a 45 minute drive towards Punaka - with a stop for coffee and chocolate - we arrived at our start point.
The start of the path was fairly overgrown as it seems the new road on the other side of the river had diverted the foot traffic. Past rice terraces and beans and the odd tethered cow we made our way parallel to the river. The path widened as it entered the pine forest which was a little way above the river.
2 hours later at this stage far below was the suspension bridge we had passed on our was to the start point. Seemingly 250 meters spanning the river and a major tourist attraction.
After a morning drive from Punaka to Thimphu today was another hiking day but it was to be one with a difference - not a mountain hike but a riverside hike.
We set off not long after 0930 and after a 45 minute drive towards Punaka - with a stop for coffee and chocolate - we arrived at our start point.
The start of the path was fairly overgrown as it seems the new road on the other side of the river had diverted the foot traffic. Past rice terraces and beans and the odd tethered cow we made our way parallel to the river. The path widened as it entered the pine forest which was a little way above the river.
2 hours later at this stage far below was the suspension bridge we had passed on our was to the start point. Seemingly 250 meters spanning the river and a major tourist attraction.
On the other side under a sun umbrella with table & chairs was our picnic lunch which Mr Kinga has set up while we were walking.
There was plan to visit a village school but when we arrived it seemed that school had finished early as tomorrow is election day and the school is a polling station. We did meet the headmaster whose english was perfect.