I spent a marvelous week in Bhutan ushering in my New Year. It's a gorgeous country and I am in love with it for multiple reasons.

For my trip I'll let some pictures do the talking - click here

Yes some parts will get missed out like my fantastic dinner with Phub Gen and Ugyen from Yangphel, making dinner friends with an American opera team performing a classical music opera in Bhutan, lunch with Tandin and his family on the outskirts of Thimpu, the first night on the trek visiting a Bhutanese house and chatting with a llama, visiting a monastery under construction, my talks with Tandin about Buddhism, the visits to monasteries but the pictures are a chance to chronologically go through my holiday .

As I leave Bhutan I realize I’m more at home in the mountains. I focus better and work more efficiently. I have known this for a while so now I wonder what I can take back to the city.

- (I struggled for four months but) Email on the go is a waste of my time. I've said good bye to blackberry services on my smartphone

- Sleep and walk (not sleepwalk – which I last heard of in the Enid Blyton series Malory Towers) more

- Do less email and talk to people more

- Eat bigger meals and play a lot

- Spend more time around my kids back at school learning with them AND stop planning life outside class so hard

Bhutan rang home some experiences and brought to life some stuff I've been thinking about too. Just before I went to Bhutan Geet Sethi spoke to us at Teach for India's Ahmedabad retreat. He said “you cannot have the focus of a monk if you live like a king”. And Zen Habits, the blog I read a lot has been encouraging a year without goals for a while now. Living in the present and giving everything a huge shot. Those might be my guiding principles for the year - live simply and work with out goals.

Here is to 2012!

Its a cold night, it just rained and I'm glad I decided to walk out. Its the first of my two nights in Thimpu and I got to cover a lot of the town on foot. I love being layered well and walking in the cold.

Thimpu is a gorgeous city. Developing fast but not bursting at the seams. Quaint but modernizing well. I was catching up with the world on CNN when an advert for Bhutan flashed. Much of what it said about an erstwhile shut but fast opening up country is so true.

I'm sure I've barely scratched the surface with my two days in Paro, a three day trek and a day yet in Thimpu but here's what I love.

A king who moved with the times and abdicated his thrown to usher in democracy. And its a pretty well planned democracy - there are posters everywhere in Jhongka (the national language) and English encouraging voting and providing info about the elections.

The kids in the cities and the villages are well educated. This is across primary and high school. They speak English well, sing in Jhongka and English, dance, connect things and are refreshingly curious. Maybe the last bit is just my outside the class, one-on-one interaction.

The women (are gorgeous) and everywhere. They own businesses, run shops, work in the fields, build houses and almost always study up to class 12 and often beyond. They have rights to property by tradition and the divorce rate is high but the women are the ones who make the call to leave their husbands. Remarriage is not uncommon in both cities and villages. And this bit just might be the Indian in me speaking but I think its a very powerful statement if you're a developing nation but socially liberal with a high regard for women's rights. (Homosexuality seems repressed yes).

Till now by royal decree they've chosen to preserve their culture smartly. You can build any style of house but doors, windows and roofs should be in Bhutanese tradition. One must wear the national dress when going to the offices or the monastery.

And they're a blissfully happy nation. A lot of what I'd say - people talk to you willingly, offer you a drink, are friendly to foreigners is actually true for India too. But they're incredibly happy with status quo and that's not true for India. Its not Bhutan is not on the move. They are but they're not fussed.

I still have a day to go so I'm going to dig deeper but I've loved being here. Here's to an upcoming walk in the cold back to the room. I've had a huge dinner and I'm going to love the walk hopefully.

PS - I got a rather strong JD with coke cause I thought of Nandeeta and felt good enough to break my non alcohol drive for a hol night. And spoke to an American team who are doing a classical music opera in Bhutan. The Americans were there at lunch too. We bumped into each other again - good to speak this time! Sent from BlackBerry® on Airtel

Early on in the planning the long treks (7 days+) got cancelled due to snow and cold forecasts. Finally, we selected the Paro to Thimpu, 4n & 5d , Druk Path trek going up to appx 3300 mts. Decent snowfall over the last two days has meant that the Druk trek has been cancelled. I got to know as I was about to leave for the airport this morning.

I'm still going though. There's an alternate route in Central Bhutan that I might do. I will hang onto my flight coming out 11th Jan. I'm excited to go visit, there's not much chance I'll get to go again, there's a lot of good I hear about the country and I'm happy to be in the mountains and the snow. I'm carrying good trekking and winter gear. Things should be fun.

Wish me luck and look forward to pictures!

2012 kicks off with a super cold – 14 C trek in Bhutan. It’s the only way to start what promises to be a travel-some year. Kenya (hopefully!) with Chandini and the gang in Aug /Sept, Tuscany in October with family and no confirmations yet but looking to head out in the summer to intern during May - July… but here is looking back at what has been a big year.

-          I kicked off 2011with a glorious trip to Assam. A holiday of excesses with huge amounts of food, lots of alcohol, a great dunk in a frigid tributary of the Brahmaputra and long drives in the sun. All that and the elephants and rhinos at Kaziranga really set tone for a big wholesome year.

-          I came back from Assam thrilled to make it to Dad’s Sena Medal investiture at the Army day parade in January. He’d picked up his last presidential medal before I was born and it was a huge honour to be able to make it. I am very proud of my father. I remember him saying he’d never seen me grin so much as on the day when we went to see the ceremony. And indeed, its one of the best memories I will have for a long time. It also happened to be Ma’s birthday and I love it that Chandini was there to share it with us.

-          Dad and I then made the start to the year even more special by getting ringside seats to the Beating the Retreat. I sat there ten paces from Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh marveling at my favourite music from the pipers of the Indian Army and wondering if I’d ever get to a level of excellence that I could play a musical instrument. More than anything else it was a hark back to my days as a child listen to the pipers in the battalion when Dad served with it.

-          With Amit, Nivedita and Chandini I stole a quick getaway to Amritsar in February. Despite the fact that we had to keep the vegetarians in the gang happy the trip was another gastronomic delight ;) Amit and I deepened our bond with an epic couple-like fight. That and the 3 am visit to the golden temple – trip highlights. Not to take away from the Wagah border madness and the search for great mutton around the city. The bus back might have been tiring but we made the most of it.

-          Work took me to Bangalore and Allahabad in Feb and March. Allahabad was special. Ma had spent some years growing up there and I wanted to cross by the AG office where my maternal grandfather had worked. I got to visit the Sangam – where the Ganga and the Yamuna meet.  Nandeeta recommended an old fast food shop she used to frequent as a kid which I could go see. I also made super friends with Venkatesh on the train and thanks to him got to see the city after my meetings for the day were over.

-          Now it seems funny how I managed the time but one of the weekends in Feb I headed back to the village with Dad. I went there after some 22 years and I was moved to my toes seeing my Dad show me around where he grew up for a bit. Epic.

-          Early March I took on another weekend and made it to the Unbox festival. It was a great extension of the journey I was going within to see what else I could do in or outside work to explore my desire to connect with the development side of the world and meet some great people doing awesome work.

-          In April of course I headed out to my trip of the year to bring in the 25^th by going to the Everest base camp and doinga round of the Annapura circuit. I made 11 superb friends on the Everest trip and loved every moment of my time in Nepal. I think there I secretly stowed away a dream to keep coming back to the mountains every year even if I had to beg borrow or steal. I am doing the ‘borrow’ with Bhutan this year. I lived through an IT band strain between the Everest and Annapurna  treks and got a week off in Kathamandu. That was another time of living by the plate. Some brilliant food kept me going through those 7 days of not knowing if I was going to catch the boat to the next trek. And of course I am so thankful for the brilliant medical support by CIWEC and the prompt replies by my travel insurers IHI BUPA.

-          Everest and Annapurna helped me make a clean start after I made one of the toughest career decisions yet. I came back to start my two year Fellowship with Teach for India. I had made the decision to switch out from Gaboli, the company Vineet, Ashok and I started in 2008. For me Assam, Unbox, my work at Gaboli for two years, growing up across the country studying in different schools, having a group of friends who had graduated to start working in education – they were all aligned to nudge me to my current job. But it was a big change still. And I love it.

-          Beautifully Amit, Chandini, Niv and I managed to do an encore to our Amritsar trip when we did a road trip to Kasauli in August. Superb drive, loud music and some great walking in the hills. And a great getaway from the intensity of the first few months of Teach for India.

-          After being cooped up in Delhi for a few months I ran to Mumbai eagerly in November for the Teach for All conference. It was just the perspective I needed to go out of the classroom and try and see how I could be a better teacher. More than that I was just kicked to see how big the global movement for excellent education was looking. I loved being able to stay with family and catch up with my grandmother’s sister and her husband who’ve put a chunk of money into my class expenses too.

Apart from these trips it’s the small things that’s made the year gone past so special. I’ve started playing Frisbee regularly with Dhruva and the gang. It’s a stellar game that I slowly get better at. I love that I am living at home – despite all the madness it gives me sometime with Ma and Dad, times that’s fleeting because I know its not long we’ll have this time together. I’ve found my spot in the ranks of some incredible stalwarts at Teach for India. I’ve always wanted to work with passionate people and the Fellowship is forcing me to look through my life and overhaul things I have wanted to for a while. I started a teaching blog that is one of my biggest outlets in what is a demanding job… its powerful to create something.

I’m grateful for the moments 2011 offered – it feels special that its my 25^th too. I know 2012 offers some continuity with the 40 tiny giants in my classroom who make me think hard everyday but I feel up for the new stuff. A lot of it will be governed by what class throws at me but here’s to living in and enjoying the moments of 2012. 

There is a memory around every corner where I kicked off and lived solo for the first time. I sit typing in a mall where I remember escaping to meet Tarini for lunch / coffee when I had a killer days at work, the coffee place I brought my girlfriend to is around the bend, so is the place where she stayed... I remember getting happy at T Oaks and trying to find a auto back home late at night. Midnight trips to the railway station to find bun maska, drinking milk from the packet because it was so tasty, great paan...

Things do change though. We came in to Pune via a long route that I did not recognize. There is a LOT of construction happening, the malls are busier, the offices bigger and the cars more in number. Dorabjee's is now a three story supermarket that sells apples as good as the ones anywhere in the world, its probably amongst the best supermarkets I've seen in India. Delhi certainly does not come close - or maybe I don't shop in Delhi for groceries!
I realized in the weeks I am here I will need to snack so I picked up some healthy stuff that Ma or a fitness coach might admire. I might also be a flavored yogurt convert a la Vineet Jawa.

I have been packed away in my room for today rushing to finish my pre training work but the beauty of this place is hard to escape as the photos from the phone should attest. Of course, after Verma Type Instt in Assam earlier this year I found Varma studio in Pune. We're taking over the country I tell you...

I came into the city pensive and wary. Pune has always seemed a little hostile and disturbed my peace slightly. I think it is also because its a place where I have professionally encountered a lot of uncertainties. Even today, I'm hesitant of my switch and I'm sure that's affecting my thoughts. However, I still sense that arrogance in the local paanwala, police chap and auto guy. I don't know when they'll learn to be cheerier or politer or just more relaxed. My charming smile and positive demeanour never rubs off. I don't get it. I am determined though to see the better side of this fast growing, increasingly cheerful and very cosmopolitan town.

But yes, I am still the only one out here in shorts. No one else. No guys at least. And they still give me like a once over, as if I'm nuts. Somethings do not change...

Sent from BlackBerry® on Airtel

Bhaktapur I imagine is like those old fort towns in India that people continue to live in. Its so quiant that its hard to imagine people stay in that place. Its a little buit like a showcase city / doll house. The town square is a cluster of buuldings on display but in use. Most of it comes alive in the festive season. There is also a temple that seems to be under renovation for the upcoming festival season. Till then its cordoned off to visitors.

I spent a few hours in Bhaktapur today. Lets see if the pictures below tell a good tale.

The juxtaposition of the old and the new? 400 year old temple entrance and a pretty new motobike

The temple area begins. I thought the lions guarding the buuildings were pretty striking and replicated in metal / stone all over

Metal lion at the temple

They call this the Golden Gate. 1. made me think of how I still want to see the Golden Gate in SF 2. awesome woodwork in the area inside

Trying to get a better look at the woodworl

My coffee place almost at the entrance of the town square

Wooden ties anyone?

Monasteruy! I climbed up the stairs and they were building a Buddha statue. Sweet chat with the owner and worker there, how do they come across as so humble?

I met two ducks on the way...

A tiny lane between buildings. The extent of woodwork is stellar though it has been redone multiple times yes

The temple at the furthest square for tourists in town

Guardian of the temple steps. Distinct Indian / Hindu influences

Walked onto this thanka shop in a bylane on my way to the potters area of the town

Two old men and a game of chess - btw I bought myself one of these hats. Super Nepali convert

A corner of the potters area

To the White Monastery early tomorrow morning at 0630 I go. Time to wind up today :)