| Travelling by foot, Michael Palin's Bhutan tour, part of | | | | He took off his boots and soaked his aching feet in |
| his BBC Himalaya adventure, took him from woodland | | | | the icy glacial meltwater, commenting that it was |
| to high country with bare mountain faces and | | | | "perfect relief" for feet that had walked 15km a day |
| isolated, spectacular villages. Having said farewell to | | | | or more, and were usually only "used for going up |
| the giants of the Himalaya, he then explored the | | | | and down stairs." He also mentioned that he'd slept |
| religious centres of the Bhutanese towns and | | | | better during his Bhutan tour than he usually does in |
| monasteries. | | | | London. Where some people struggle to sleep at |
| Michael began this episode of his epic Himalaya | | | | higher altitudes, he put the depth of his newfound |
| journey near the Tibetan border on the | | | | slumber down to the sheer exertion of the trekking |
| north-western extreme of Bhutan. Tours running | | | | experience. |
| through this region can include various trekking | | | | At Paro the next day, Michael joined two thousand |
| routes, perhaps via the hot springs near Gasa, or the | | | | pilgrims who had completed Bhutan tours of their |
| impressive Drukgyel Dzong near Paro or the isolated | | | | own to reach the town in time for the Tsechu |
| mountain village of Laya - home to ancient | | | | Festival, the religious and cultural highlight of the year. |
| tribespeople. All these trekking routes are dominated | | | | He approached the dzong temple through a market |
| by the majestic Himalaya range, from which Michael | | | | thronging with Bhutanese travellers, chanting monks, |
| trekked to the green valleys of Bhutan, heading | | | | and stray dogs, before joining the crowds in the |
| ultimately to the flatlands of the Bay of Bengal 600 | | | | temple. They gathered around the staircases and |
| km to the South. | | | | balconies overlooking a sunlit, square courtyard. Within |
| This BBC Bhutan tour's entourage consisted of | | | | the circle of the audience, the musicians beat upon |
| twenty ponies to carry the camping gear, food and | | | | drums and bells, singing in long tones, while troupes |
| equipment, and half as many guides and porters to | | | | danced elaborate, whirling routines dressed in baggy |
| set up camp and lead the way. This was necessary | | | | tunics and flowing fabrics. In a country that has had |
| as their route was "off-piste" (as Michael called it) | | | | television for less than a decade and few theatres or |
| taking them through a stunning, mountainous | | | | cinemas, this was the great entertainment for the |
| landscape with no roads following trails that mountain | | | | crowd, who were clearly enthralled by the show. |
| men have used as trade routes for centuries, | | | | Later, the Tsechu Festival allowed Michael some time |
| transporting food, clothes, animals over long | | | | for some meditation in the Queen Mother's chapel, |
| distances. | | | | and he witnessed the sacred early morning ritual of |
| Michael was quick to point out how he was privileged | | | | the unveiling of the great thanka (religious painting) |
| to be trekking in Bhutan. Tourists must pay a heavy, | | | | which is as high as a five-storey house and must be |
| daily levy whilst in the country which, together with a | | | | covered again before it is touched by the first rays |
| limited number of flights into the country, limits the | | | | of dawn. |
| numbers of visitors. Unlike some prohibitive, | | | | Trekking in the Himalaya clearly had an effect on |
| conservative nations that Michael had visited in the | | | | mister Palin, the perennial traveller. On the highest |
| past, he explained that the levy was not intended to | | | | point of his Bhutan tour, at the Chomolhari base |
| keep foreigners away, but merely to manage the | | | | camp - a permanent staging area for trekkers and |
| effect that they have upon the Bhutanese landscape. | | | | Bhutanese travellers - Michael was reluctant to leave |
| After a three day trek, Michael and his crew arrived | | | | the last of the great range behind. Looking up at |
| at an unbelievably picturesque, grassy spot alongside | | | | Mount Chomolhari (7,314 m) he said, "Farewell big, |
| the Paro River, where they would camp for the night. | | | | monumental, Himalayan peaks. Farewell Chomolhari. |