INDIA BHUTAN TOUR (17 FEB – 14 MARCH 2009) MARCH 29,2009

LIFE IN BUFFALO HAS RETURNED TO NORMAL AFTER A SPECTACULAR TRIP TO INDIA AND BHUTAN. THE SMERDS AND THE NOBELS THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN OUR COMMENTS ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCE. WE CANNOT SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT OUR TWO GUIDES, BRIJ AND TSEHWANG. BRIJ WAS ATTENTIVE, PERSONABLE, INTERACTIVE AND ACCOMMODATING. HE WENT TO GREAT LENGTH TO MEET OUR EVERY WISH AND EXPECTATION. IN ADDITION, HE HAD ANNOYING TASKS AROUND ITEMS FORGOTTEN ETC WHICH HE DID WITH GOOD GRACE AND HUMOR. WE HAD NO CONVERSATION WITH OUR DRIVER IN INDIA BUT PEMA WAS SWEET, HELPFUL AND ALWAYS READY TO CARRY ON A CONVERSATION. HE IS AN EXCELLENT DRIVER. DESPITE THE TREACHEROUS CURVES MADE MORE THREATENING BY ANIMALS, WALKERS ETC., WE FELT CONFIDENT WITH HIS DRIVING. THE CAMEL TRIP WAS GREAT. THE CAMEL DRIVERS AND ACCOMMODATIONS WERE GOOD AND THE TIME IN THE DESERT RELAXING AND MEMORABLE. OUR TIME IN BHUTAN WAS ENHANCED BY HAVING TSEH WANG AS OUR GUIDE. HE IS KNOWLEDGABLE INTELLIGENT AND WAS WILLING TO SHARE HIS OPINIONS AND LIFE STORY WITH US. HE ALSO WAS %100 ATTENTIVE AND HOSPITABLE. HE INVITED US TO HIS HOME (WHICH WAS A REAL TREAT FOR US) AND BROUGHT ARA TO OUR FINAL DINNER WHERE WE ENJOYED A LITTLE CEREMONY WITH EGGS AND ARA – QUITE GOOD. WE WERE PARTICULARLY PLEASED THAT TSEH WANG WAS FLEXILE WITH OUR SCHEDULE. EXTRA HIKES WERE ENJOYED AND APPRECIATED.IN ADDITION TO OUR PRAISE, WE THOUGHT YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SOME CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTIONS. (1) TIPPING INFORMATION ON YOUR “HELPFUL INFORMATION SHEET” WAS UNCLEAR. YOU SAY “TIP ABOUT $7-10 PER DAY FOR THE GUIDE AND ABOUT HALF FOR THE DRIVER OR OTHER CREW MEMBERS” . WE DIDN’T KNOW IF THAT WAS PER PERSON, PER COUPLE, PER GROUP! WE ASSUMED IT WAS PER COUPLE AND TIPPED ACCORDINGLY. IN FACT, TIPPING WAS A SOURCE OF ANXIETY. WE WERE CONSTANTLY WONDERING IF WE SHOULD LEAVE A TIP IN THE ROOM FOR THE MAID, PAY THE PORTERS, LEAVE MONEY FOR THE WAITRESSES AT THE END OF A STAY. HOW MUCH TO LEAVE WAS ALSO AN ISSUE. OUR GUIDES WERE ALSO NOT SURE. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO FUTURE TOURISTS IF YOU OFFER SOME GUIDANCE BEFORE THE TRIP. (2) PEOPLE TRAVELING DURING COLD WEATHE SHOULD BE ADVISED IN WRITING TO BRING WARM CLOTHES THAT COULD BE LAYERED – LONG UNDERWEAR WAS INVALUABLE FOR US. WIND BREAKERS FOR LATE AFTERNOON WIND ARE ALSO INVALUABLE. (3) HIKING BOOTS FOR TIGER’S NEST COULD BE SUGGESTED. THEY WERE HELPFUL. (4) A FLASHLIGHT IS ALSO A GOOD SUGGESTION. IT CAME IN HANDY ESPECIALLY IN GANGTEY AS WELL AS AT THE CAMEL CAMP. (5) INFORMATION CONCERNING ALTITUDE AT EACH STOP WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP IN PLANNING OUR TRIP. IT WAS 100 %100 HELPFUL.