Went to Bhutan alone, came home with a friend in Paro
I just got back from eight days solo in Bhutan and I still think about it most days. I've always travelled with someone before, my family, friends, my girlfriend. This time I wanted to do it alone, and Bhutan felt like the place to try that. It's right next to India, and yet nothing like anywhere I'd been. I found Druk Asia through Instagram and booked their 8D7N package. They took care of the visa, the sustainable development fee, flights, hotels, guide, driver and meals. I landed with nothing left to figure out. Paro airport alone was worth the trip. I was taking photos of it before I'd even gotten through the terminal. Might be the most beautiful airport I've ever flown into. My guide Thinley picked me up at the airport and within a day it felt like I'd known him for years. He used to be a teacher, and you could tell. At the temple murals he'd point at something and ask me what it was. First time round I had no idea, but by day three I was actually getting things right and remembering the stories behind them. At one point he told me, "sir, I do not want you to miss anything when you go back home." I still think about that line. He's based in Paro, so on evenings we wrapped up early he'd text me, "sir, are you bored, do you want to go for a beer." One night that turned into snooker with his friends, another into a local karaoke spot. Nobody was paying him to do that. He just wanted to hang out. Some of what's stuck with me most, the hike up to Tiger's Nest monastery felt like walking with a mate, we laughed pretty much the whole way up. I met Pema at Simply Bhutan, an artist who paints holding the brush in his feet, genuinely one of the most talented people I've watched work. I tried archery, their national sport, was terrible at it, and had a great time anyway. And after a long day of walking, a traditional hot stone bath was exactly what I needed. I went end of July, monsoon season, when most people skip Bhutan entirely. Didn't matter. Everywhere we went was quiet, and I never once felt unsafe or out of place travelling on my own. If you're weighing up Bhutan for a solo trip, go. Druk Asia had everything sorted before I even landed, and Thinley is the reason the whole eight days felt like time with a friend.