Oops, We Did It Again

I'm not really sure how, but we have once again moved to a country where we don't speak the language. While we didn't speak Thai, moving to Thailand was a no brainer, we were both familiar with Bangkok, going there frequently for holidays, it is also within South East Asia so we were still near home and it was easy for friends and family to come over and vice versa. Sweden, however was a whole different ball game. While we have visited before as tourists and CS has been here for work, it is still a rather foreign country to us. The weather was also something that I am personally not keen on. In any case, 6 months after CS boss raised the issue with him, we found ourselves here, in a country that I would never have thought in my wildest dreams that I would be living in. 

This time round, it was slightly easier to move since KC is no longer with us. I always tell people that if he were still around, we would not have moved since I did not want to subject him to a long flight where he would be cooped up in a carrier in the cargo area. Some days though, I wonder if he would like it in this cold country and if he would have enjoyed the cold weather. 

Snow, a few days shortly after we moved into our temporary housing

While we didn't have to worry ourselves with quarantine requirements or the stress of putting KC through a long flight, moving overseas is still stressful no matter how many times you do it. Sorting out items to be donated/ given away/ throw is a huge exercise. We decided to treat ourselves and took business class on Qatar Airways, which also meant a ridiculously long layover. At first I was really ambitious and thought we might leave the airport and check out the markets for iftar, however in the end we were so tired from everything leading up to the move that we just stayed in the airport and slept. The Doha airport was seriously huge and while it gave some Changi Airport vibes, I'm biased and would say that I still prefer Changi Airport. The lounge was really great though and very comfortable with plenty of quiet spots to sleep or just rest. 

Obligatory photo of the famous beat at the airport

We have been here for slightly over a month now and been busy finding a more permanent place to live in as the company provided housing is only for three months. One culture shock here was that an unfurnished apartment not only means no furniture, the apartment also does not have lights or curtains. Laundry rooms where an entire building shares washing machine and dryers are also common, though landlords have realised that the younger generation prefers to have washing machine/ dryer in their apartment and started putting them in. Thankfully we managed to find an apartment with a washing machine and dryer in the apartment, I really do not fancy having to wear a ton of clothes just to do laundry and waiting for it to be done. Having to wear layers and layers just to throw garbage is already bad enough, I don't want to do it for laundry as well!

The apartment hunting process has also been an interesting experience. There are firsthand contracts, secondhand contracts, queues managed by the government and private landlords and probably more that I haven't figured out yet, it was a lot to digest to be honest. For some really strange reason, people also keep telling us we should just buy a property instead of renting. I don't plan to be here long term and managing a property feels like it would be too much of a headache. Sure, there are some really beautiful old buildings and while it would be lovely to own an apartment in one of these buildings I'm not sure I want the associated stress that comes from dealing with an old building and the rules they will have in place. 

Now we just need to move in, and start the unpacking process, something that I really really really do not look forward to!

Flying or rather hiking to the Tiger's Nest - Day 9 & 10 in Bhutan

Saving the best for last, the hike to Paro Takstang or Tiger's Nest as it is more widely known was done on our second last day of the trip. When you think of Bhutan, you probably conjure up an image of it and no surprise it was the only place in Bhutan that we encountered the most tourists in our entire trip.

We started the day bright and early and had a full breakfast to prepare ourselves for the hike. At the carpark there were stalls selling various knickknacks and souvenirs, you can also hire a horses and mules to bring you up the path, though they only bring you to the halfway mark as the rest of the trail is too steep for them. It is also probably unwise to be perched on an animal if it is that steep. We chose to hike up the entire way ourselves and off we went.

Since it was the tail end of winter while we were in Bhutan, it was still relatively cold weather for us. The trail wasn't particularly hard however since we had to share it with the horses/ mules and other tourists, it could get crowded and took a bit of maneuvering at times to avoid colliding with others. The altitude also made it tougher for us since we were not used to it, having lived in Singapore our entire lives. Luckily it didn't take too long for us to reach the halfway mark where we could catch our breath and gulp some tea to warm ourselves up. We spent some time there admiring the view before we set off again as we needed to ensure we had enough time to make it to Tiger's Nest and back down again.

The second half of the trail felt steeper but as a lot of tourists give up at the halfway mark it was a lot more pleasant as there were less people on the trail making it more enjoyable. Considering that we didn't train for this and were not physically active people, I would say most people should be able to hike up to the top, though of course the length of time will vary depending on your fitness level.

After what felt like forever, we finally made it to Paro Takstang. As it is still a place of worship, it is important to remain respectful and be mindful when taking photographs. The monastery itself is made up of different buildings and you can take your time to explore them one by one. We certainly spent quite a bit of time wandering around and enjoying the view. After that, it was time to make our way down for a well deserved dinner after the arduous hike up. 

On our last day, it was a rush to wake up, say our goodbyes to our guide and driver as well as the lovely staff at the hotel. It was then off to the airport for a flight back home. Bhutan has been an experience that would probably be unmatched anywhere else. Though we could only travel with our guide and follow the same itinerary as everyone else, it was still a once in a lifetime experience that I would highly recommend. As the first day and last day are usually taken up by flights, do ensure that you choose an itinerary that allows you sufficient time to explore the places you want to. 

Edit : This is posted in 2023 thought the trip was in 2018, a lot of memories have faded, posting this so as to remember the trip. 

Seat of the dragon kingdom - Day 6, 7 & 8 in Bhutan

It was another long drive towards Thimpu, which is the capital of Bhutan. However before we got there, we stopped by at Phobjikha Valley to see the black-necked cranes, but unfortunately there was none as the weather was too cold so they were all hiding. The valley did look rather majestic though I sadly cannot find any pictures of it.  

Along the way to Thimpu, we stopped at another pass which CS described as looking like the set of Game of Thrones after the white walkers fought with the crows. 

We finally reached Thimpu after yet another long drive and boy that was the first time we saw so many people! By Singapore standards, the population is quite small but by Bhutanese standards, it was a huge city and was the first time in our trip we experienced so much traffic. Our guide told us that there would be traffic jams during peak hours, which is understandable since it is the capital and tons of people are living and working there. 

Since it was the capital, we encountered crowds everywhere we went, which was a bit of a shock to the system after having the luxury of being able to have most places to ourselves as we slowly wandered around. We did manage to have the most wonderful lunch before we went to the various attractions. 

the small bowl of chili is similar to the sambal we eat in Singapore and it was so good I could eat it with plain rice

it doesn't look like much but even now in 2023 I remember how good it tasted

While we did do the touristy stuff like visiting the National Memorial Chorten as well as Buddha Point, we also asked our guide to bring us to the local market where we had a good time walking around and looking at what the locals buy. It's very much like a wet market in Singapore just that they have way more of each items. 

We also finally bought prayer flags and went to Chelela Pass to hang them to make merit and for general good fortune. More explanation on the different colours of the prayer flags and what they meant can be found here. 

It is a popular place to hang prayer flags and the sight of so many of them fluttering in the wind is really quite calming and soothing. 

Edit : Posted in 2023 though the trip was in 2018.