Looking for the silver lining

They say that every cloud has a sliver lining...well i've been looking for it here, and there are many many clouds to choose from.

Since my family arrived on Friday, it has been raining. Non stop. Rain, rain, rain, rain and more rain. The irony is today is 'Blessed Rainy Day' which doesn't really help the situation either.

It has not rained for three consecutive days the entire time I have been here. So the position I am taking is that the rain is here to show my family the 'diversity in weather patterns' this country has ;-) and appreciate the 'silver lining' that it brings.

To be perfectly honest, with all the rain comes raincloud and the raincloud makes this place look even more mystical. When you are up this high, there is cloud everywhere, and I know it is not going to last for the next two weeks, so it does give a different comparison for these guys to compare the future sunny days to.

Secretly I am hoping it will not rain on the Druk Path trek which starts on Thursday as no one likes camping when they're wet.. in any country! Oh well..I'll make the best of it if it does. There will be plenty of card games to learn, whisky and coffee to drink and time spent catching up with the family.

Maudie, John and the kids have been just wonderful to be with. The kids are just excellent. Well mannered, intelligent, respectful and just good natured. A total credit to their parents and their excellent parenting. 'Just go with the flow', has been the Brearley motto, and it has been just tops. I couldn't have asked for better guests.

They loved the accom I booked for them (which incidently was where I stayed for the first four months), and have just been absorbing and 'oo'hing and ahh'ing' for the past three days - despite the rain!

I took them to a 'flash' restaurant on Friday night, which I had been wanting to go to for a while, and experienced some really tasty Bhutanese cuisine. The next day, we hooked up with a very excited Tashi (Lobzang and Kinzang's eldest daugter) and watched her school performance. The school principal greeted us, and we felt like the chief guests!

Then it was an afternoon of momos, excitement at the vegie market, buying kira for Annabelle, memorabilia for Joseph, watching a traditional archery match, then to top it off the final of the district school dancing competition.

We saw all this traditional dancing done by the kids and it was great. Seeing all the littlies dressed in weeny kira and gho is so cute.

Today they did their own thing in the morning, then I drove them to Tango Monestary for a short hike, some mystical views and some rare encounters with squirrels and birds. It was lovely. Then I could show them to the BBS tower, for the best views of Thimphu and lastly dinner with Tashi, Tenzin and Ama (Lobzang and Kinzang's Mum). It was a great day, all 'round.

For me, the best thing about this whole time is having people that know me, seeing me here. It is the best. To see me outside of the context that I have for myself in Australia and seeing how life is for me here is so special. I really feel at ease in this country, and I know they do too.

John (bless 'im) doesn't want to leave, so it will be a little tricky for him to say goodbye methinks. I saw Mathias today and I can feel he is going through a similar thing, and he has been here for six months not three days!

My dear friend Mathias leaves on Sunday. One week today. We are going to have a farewell for him tomorrow night, which will be rather sad. We have had some pretty fun times and shared some amazing experiences, so it will be sad to say 'au revoir' and have the last three cheek kiss from my Swiss friend.

For me it will be another reminder that my time for the same is only around the corner. I know the next three months is going to fly. I'm a little worried and wonder if I'll get it all done, but I guess there is only one way to find out. Dive in and give it a go.

But first things first, I have family to enjoy, treks to do and Tsechu's to dress up for. Ahh.. such is life in Bhutan. I'll keep making the memories, and for the next few weeks so will my family.

Tashi Delek