Gifts from Bhutan :)

It’s mid-August now. It’s been almost a year since the last time I visited Bhutan. Read more about my trip here. Summer will soon end and autumn will gradually come.

Uuhhh… how time flies… I still remember vividly all the memories I had during my visit there. I’ve created lots of good memories and met up with lots of new Bhutanese friends. I had also finally made friends with many Bhutanese women, which initially I only knew mostly Bhutanese men as friends. He-he… ^^

Had a great time in Bumthang :)

When there is beginning, there should be an end. After three-week there, I finally had to come back home. Going somewhere then leaving the place is part and parcel of our lives, especially for travelers. We may only have one chance to visit one place. If we’re lucky, we can visit more. If not, once is enough. We are reminded of the impermanence at all times. That’s why I have to make sure that I have spent my time to the fullest on each trip!!

Over the past one year, I still contact with most people in Bhutan, mainly through Facebook. As more Bhutanese get more access towards Internet through their mobile phone and Internet cable at office or home, they have become easier to be contacted.

Sometimes when opportunity arose (usually when there was anyone flying to or from Bhutan) I would send them something from here randomly, as a gesture of my appreciation, love, and thank you to them because they have treated me very well when I was there, and I am very very grateful for their unconditional love and care to me. They have treated me as if I was their sister and family member. Or otherwise, I would send them gift through airmail. But it wasn’t very reliable as I once lost a box of parcel full of stuffs to Bumthang :(

So last month, there was a friend in Bumthang who was asking me if there was anyone flying back to Singapore from Bhutan as she wanted to give me something. When I knew there was someone flying and would come back to Singapore again, I informed her. Then she found a way to send the gift from Bumthang to Thimphu. From Thimphu, she left the items with her sister and then arranged passing it to the person. Since the person wasn’t immediately leaving Bhutan, there were other two persons also wanted to pass me their gifts.

Yesterday finally their gifts arrived in Singapore and I immediately collected it from Yeshey. Thank you very much Yeshey for making this happened! I didn’t expect that they were quite heavy as Devi has given me a bottle of local made honey from Bumthang. She decided to give me that when she knew I was having flu, cold and cough continuously for more than a month some time ago. She thought this honey could help to soothe my throat and lung. How thoughtful she was!!! Thank you dear! :)

Gifts full of love from Bumthang :)

Muna sis and Suneet have gifted me a kira. Wow, I have two kira now! I love the color so much! It’s quite different with what I had, very sweet :) Yeshey and her husband, Phungsuk, gave me a big and beautiful Yathra bag. Both presents were wrapped nicely in an envelope and sealed well with masking tape. They both wrote my name and address on it. Yeshey even put a short note for me. It was very sweet la! Thank you very much to all of you for the lovely gifts!!! I really love it! :)

There were also gifts given by Rekha, a Bhutanese blogger that I made friend with since some time ago. Both of us has the same passion, which is reading and I often ask her suggestion on what books to read as I wasn’t in touch with books for many years.

She too, was asking me on what I wanted from Bhutan. Since she knew that I am Buddhist and love reading Buddhist book, she offered me the Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche’s book, Not for Happiness. And since I didn’t have it yet, she decided to give me that as a gift. She also gifted me a pair of earrings and necklace that she browsed it often at the Thimphu’s weekend market during her free time. They were lovely, Bumo! :)

Gifts from Bhutan. Kadinche-la Rekha! :)

I requested one thing from her though!!! I asked her if she could buy the Parle-G biscuits, biscuits manufactured in India, but has been sold for many years in Bhutan, for me. Hahahaha…. I wasn’t aware about the biscuit during my trip there. But afterwards I found out that this biscuit has won many Bhutanese hearts as they have had it since their childhood time. They love having it with their tea during their morning or evening tea break.

Even for current generation children, many of them are fed this biscuit for their breakfast. I was just a little surprised seeing the big packaging because I thought it would come in a small packet :) But indeed, there were four small packets inside when you opened it.

I was feeling like a child when eating it this morning with a cup of hot ginger tea he-he... It was sweet, crunchy, and delicious! Thank you so much Rekha for making my simple dream come true! :)

Had Parle-G biscuits with tea this morning :)

Ummhhhh…. I feel very grateful and blessed!!! Thank you everyone for all your lovely gifts!!! Thank you, thank you, and thank you!!! Hope all of you blessed with good health and life filled with lots of joy and happiness!!! :) Have a wonderful day everyone! ^^