So last November, I went on a trip to Bhutan. If you don't know where it is, don't feel so bad -- it's a tiny country on the border between India and an area that was Tibet but is now politely refered to by diplomats as "China."
Anyway, the trip was really enjoyable and quite an adventure. If you're so inclined, you can browse a blog that I kept of the trip here.
Our trip started in Paro, headed east about half way through the country, and then back to Thimphu, the capital. Understand that the best accomodations available range from quite nice to tidy-but-hardly-luxurious depending on the area. Nearly at the half-way point, we stayed at a rustic inn where the walls between rooms were only single planks of wood -- and my room was next to that of one of our Bhutanese drivers. Now this fellow snored so loudly, it wasn't just like sawing wood -- it was a cartoon stereotype of a cartoon stereotype.
So to get to sleep (I have, shall we say, trouble with snoring), I put my trusty iPod Nano on to a loop of something soothing, popped my earbuds in, and folded my pillow over my head. And I have to say, my MacGuyver insomnia cure worked quite well -- I got to sleep and all was well. Next morning we packed up and were on our way.
Fast forward a 10 days. We're getting ready to head to the airport and I'm doing an inventory of all my stuff -- and my Nano is gone. I quickly realize that my small white Nano got left in my bed, right on the white sheets at that lovely little inn out in Bumthang province.
We have 30 minutes before the one flight that day to Bangkok via Calcutta leaves, and I figure the thing for lost, but I ask my tour guide about it. His first reaction was that if anyone found it, they would have contacted us, be he agreed to call. No one had found it, so I told him to let them know that I would offer $50 if anyone finds it. Five minutes later, they call back -- iPod found. (Now some people would insert a "" at this point, but I'm not going down that road.)
Of course, we have no way to get it before we leave, so I give the guide the $50, and head back to the States.
Fast forward to March. After a few follow-up calls to the tour company (Geographic Expeditions, who I must say are worth every penny!) they inform me that the iPod has made it from the inn at Bumthang, to another tour leader, to their agent in Thimphu, to Bangkok via Calcutta, to their office in San Francisco, and to me via FedEx. I had it the next day, and BOY did it look like it had travelled! (Pics attached.) In addition to the scratches and the crack from the left edge of the wheel to the edge of the body, all the cracks were impacted with dirt!
It's pretty much cleaned up now but it works and I must say, I enjoy it even more now.
Anyway, the trip was really enjoyable and quite an adventure. If you're so inclined, you can browse a blog that I kept of the trip here.
Our trip started in Paro, headed east about half way through the country, and then back to Thimphu, the capital. Understand that the best accomodations available range from quite nice to tidy-but-hardly-luxurious depending on the area. Nearly at the half-way point, we stayed at a rustic inn where the walls between rooms were only single planks of wood -- and my room was next to that of one of our Bhutanese drivers. Now this fellow snored so loudly, it wasn't just like sawing wood -- it was a cartoon stereotype of a cartoon stereotype.
So to get to sleep (I have, shall we say, trouble with snoring), I put my trusty iPod Nano on to a loop of something soothing, popped my earbuds in, and folded my pillow over my head. And I have to say, my MacGuyver insomnia cure worked quite well -- I got to sleep and all was well. Next morning we packed up and were on our way.
Fast forward a 10 days. We're getting ready to head to the airport and I'm doing an inventory of all my stuff -- and my Nano is gone. I quickly realize that my small white Nano got left in my bed, right on the white sheets at that lovely little inn out in Bumthang province.
We have 30 minutes before the one flight that day to Bangkok via Calcutta leaves, and I figure the thing for lost, but I ask my tour guide about it. His first reaction was that if anyone found it, they would have contacted us, be he agreed to call. No one had found it, so I told him to let them know that I would offer $50 if anyone finds it. Five minutes later, they call back -- iPod found. (Now some people would insert a "
" at this point, but I'm not going down that road.)Of course, we have no way to get it before we leave, so I give the guide the $50, and head back to the States.
Fast forward to March. After a few follow-up calls to the tour company (Geographic Expeditions, who I must say are worth every penny!) they inform me that the iPod has made it from the inn at Bumthang, to another tour leader, to their agent in Thimphu, to Bangkok via Calcutta, to their office in San Francisco, and to me via FedEx. I had it the next day, and BOY did it look like it had travelled! (Pics attached.) In addition to the scratches and the crack from the left edge of the wheel to the edge of the body, all the cracks were impacted with dirt!
It's pretty much cleaned up now but it works and I must say, I enjoy it even more now.
