I was in magical Bhutan. After trawling the valleys of Thimphu, Paro, Punakha and Bumthang, I had landed up in Phobjikha, the valley of the black-necked crane. It was also the quietest valley I had visited in Bhutan, with good reason. They keep the decibel levels down here, so as to not disturb the endangered avians whose winter home it is. All day long, the only sounds that break the monotony are the calls of the cranes as they go about foraging all over the valley. The largest clutch of cranes roosts in the marshlands pat in the middle of the valley. The luxurious, yet utterly unpretentious, Amankora lodge, which was my home for a night, had a small bunch roosting just below it, perhaps in a nod to the resort’s exclusivity. When I left, they gave me these pretty pebbles, painted by a local artist with such feeling the cranes have come look alive. Priceless.
Siteseeing
www.bringsome.com
The forum requires a quick reciprocity to truly work
Ever been haunted by a brand of maple nougat that’s only made in Canada? Or besotted by a Chinese-made miniature dresser that you know can be found in the flea markets of Beijing? Or exiled to student-life in the US, desperately wanting a pack of Mangalore Ganesh beedis? Ever wished you could pick up the phone and ask someone to bring some...? That’s the kind of craving this site caters to. It’s a forum and pre-beta at the time of writing but what an idea, sirji! It requires, of course, a quick reciprocity for it to be truly effective but even the hope that you might receive the object of your desire is seductive. You need to register, of course, and then depending on whether you’re offering to bring some or asking for it, choose from a few options, specify if you’re offering or expecting a fee, bung in your ad and...well, wait.
The most popular items seem to be beer and cheese but there are also requests for more exotic articles: Japanese crochet hooks and bhoot jolokia, the hottest chilli in the world. But what fun to allow nostalgia room to stretch its legs!
Sheetal Vyas