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Camping at Phobjikha

Missing the Saturday classes, all the boys of PolSoc except three of them, readied to set off the journey to Phobjikha, a destination discussed a weeklong before. All our luggage and rations were dumped in two cars and in a cab. By 10 pass we started climbing up the hills.
In a moment we were at Dochula pass. We had short photo session. Again we descended down the pass towards Punakha. By 12 noon we were acataully at Khuruthang town. A group of friends went to get the hired camper qyite far from the town. Another group was left in the town with a car full of our luggage in it.
It was almost 3:00PM as we were waiting for the group to return from getting a camper.
We had lunch in the heartland of town and cruised down along with the motion of Punatsangchhu. There were three vehicles moving in a same pace against the breeze of the river. Gulping the cool air from the mild river from Khymi lhakhang until the newly constructed Wangdi Phodrang fortress standingon the precarious elephant-like hill.
As we descennded down much deeper joining the highway to Trongsa, Bumthang or Trashigang, the wide valley of Wangdi Phodrang and Bajo town disappeared in the distance.
We were already up in the land of Nubding. The trip to Phobjikha was first time for most of us. And it was my first time to travel beyond the land of Wangdi Phodrang mainland.
The dusk started kissing our faces as the lights of the cars started glowing. At the same time, we were collecting firewoods from the roadside and dumped at the back of camper. By the time we started taking the mainway to Phobjikha, the back of camper was full with a big hump of firewoods.
By 9:00PM, we were actually in the land of Phajoding. We were looking for a better place to pitch the tent and hold a night over there. Everyone started initiating works. While some were transferring the firewoods and other luggage to the camp some started igniting firewood to cook dinner. Some were trying to pitch the tent. Unfortunately, we couldn't pitch the tent since some required materials were absent. So some started standing two poles and made a tent with a big blue plastic blanket.
Everyone was making were busy engaged in making dinner. Some were making camp fire beside the camp. Finally by 11:00PM our dinner was ready. It started drizzling then now and then. We took dinner quickly. Then some disappeared in the tent while some encircled the camp fire with a can of beer in their hands.
It continued raining lightly. Even the guys who were around the fire had to leave. The guys in the tent including myself came into the tent and stayed leaning against the big bags with a can of alcohol clutched in the hands.
Crowing crows and mooing cows were already around our camp as we woke up and stretched to see the environment around.
The rain had completely stopped as we quickly looked around to see wide green valley of Phobjikha. Lhab and I made several errands with extreme excitement and grins.  Lhab started taking photos of the places as I was doing already. Other friends were shouting at us.
"Wai, tama tagay...time yoe sii. Hemara breakfast zagay sho". I could hear Apple-boy shouting at his thickest voice.
Tshering Norbu had already ignited fire to prepare tea. As some other guys started looking for rations to prepare breakfast.
It started raining again. We were looking for a shelter under the rainwater loaded tent. We couldn't make breakfast and we stayed hoping for rain to stop after few minutes. However, it did rain more heavier. We were lying in the tent being helpless to ourselves.
Luckily, we were invited to the house of T.D's relative. We took all our rations leaving behind our luggage wrapped by the blue plastic.
We had breakfast there. An hour later, we started to head toward Gangteo temple. All were in gho with long jeans under it. After few minutes of drive, we were there at the peak of the monastery. The view from the monastery was so beautiful and amazing. We could see the green and serene valley of Phobjikha wide. We prostrated, circumambulated and started to visit the other valleys of the site. The valley was endless. We almost visited the half the way and returned.
Since we visited in the advent of summer, we saw no black-naked cranes. People around say, they come only in winter from the north, Tibet.

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