India 09: Gantok (Sikkim) – Phuentsholing (Bhutan)

I could not hold back my emotion, my happiness! Yes, after so many ‘attempted and aborted’ plans, finally – and finally – I was going to Bhutan. I cannot quite explain why, but Bhutan seems to have a special place in my heart so much so that despite the high cost at USD$200 per day, I was willing to part with the money and ‘experience that once-in-a-lifetime’ experience.

I left Sikkim full of anticipation and excitement. The long journey of almost 9 hours (including short break and lunch stop) and the hot weather did not / could not dampen my spirit.

From the highland, slowly we descended to lowland, then flat. While Gantok is at 1,547m, Phuentsholing is at 150m. We were travelling on the southern boundary of Bhutan but on the India side and heading towards the border town of Jaigaon (India). Gantok is about 125km from Phuentsholing.

Initially we were travelling alongside Teesta River. The second half on the journey was dominated by tea plantations (on flat ground) with plenty of neem trees in between, teak plantations, and farmlands.

At about 6:10pm (Indian time, 5:40pm Bhutanese time), we came to Jaigaon, crossed the arch (which demarcates the boundaries of the two countries), and we were in Phuentsholing, Bhutan!

My first observation was that while Jaigaon was dirty and chaotic, streets of Phuentsholing were impeccably clean.

Our hotel was just near the border. At the hotel, we met our guide (of Bhutan), Tshering. After the initial formality of introducing ourselves, we were ushered on to a bus (Phuentsholing was the furthest our jeeps from India could travel up to.), then to the Indian and Bhutan immigration offices to have our passports stamped!