Chapter 18: Being in the Landscape of Bhutan

Coming into the landscape of Bhutan is a unique experience. From the air, the countryside nestles into the protecting arm of the Himalaya, grading from the browns and greys of the southern plains, through the dark greens of the valleys, to the pristine white snow and black, black rock faces of the up-thrusting mountains. On the ground, this wide expanse of vision is limited, hemmed in by the interminable, tortuously twisting, tree-covered valleys, but it is the close proximity of these steep-sided valleys and beetling cliff-faces that imparts the seduction of intimacy in this landscape. On foot or horseback, or even by motor vehicles, movement across this landscape is restricted to a human pace, each mile won with difficulty and each pass a cause for celebration as another landscape vista opens up.