Taktshang (Tiger's Nest)

On our first full day in Bhutan, the other teachers and I attempted the hike to Taktshang, Bhutan's most famous and holiest monestary which is located on the side of a sheer cliff. After a challenging hike, followed by what seemed like thousands of steps descending only to ascend again, I'm proud to say that I was one of only two from our group of eight who made it to the monestary.

After Jean Daniel and I finished the downhill portion of the steps, we were just starting our climb up when we heard yelling from across the chasm at the Bird's Eye View, an amazing vantage point for Taktshange located before the steep up and down steps. It was our guide Rinzin and Charlie. Rinzin was waving a piece of paper. Apparently to enter the monestary as a tourist, you must go with a guide and produce proof of a visa - something I was not aware of at the time. I decided to press onward and Jean Daniel followed me. My thinking was that when we got to the entrance, we could explain our situation; if we were allowed in then great, but if we were not then we'd peacefully head back the way we came. Luckily, we were granted permission to enter, so all the steps we climbed were not in vain.

We had the monestary almost to ourselves. Our only company were three monks who had raced ahead of us earlier on in the hike and a young man from India with his guide. On our way back from the monestary, we passed many small groups of pilgrams, Bhutanese, and one group of tourists.