Bhutan > Farewell in Delhi

The alarm goes off at six o’clock. The last few hours in Bhutan have arrived. I place my suitcase outside my room as I head to breakfast. Rinchen told us we were not allowed to carry our own luggage. That’s what the hotel staff is for, he said. After breakfast, we drive to the airport. We thank Rinchen as our guide. He also emphasizes that he enjoyed traveling. “I’ve had groups before who complained about everything,” he says. In front of the airport building, the final farewell takes place. We enter the departure hall. There is no one ahead of us at check-in, no one ahead at customs, and no one ahead at the baggage control. This moves things along quickly. However, it also means we have to wait extra long until departure. Just as we sit down, boarding is announced for the flight to Delhi. It turns out to be a different flight. More than an hour later, Delhi is announced again. This time it is indeed our flight. I have a window seat on the right side of the aircraft. This is the side with a view of the Himalayas. The takeoff is also easy to follow. Immediately after leaving the runway, the pilot pulls the plane sharply upward and immediately makes a turn.

Bhutan - View of the highest mountain in the world

Once we are over the first mountain ridge, the plane turns about one hundred and eighty degrees to continue climbing between the high mountains. In the distance, I can already see the snow-covered peaks of the Himalayas. The pilot also mentions this, emphasizing that Mount Everest is clearly visible today. Meanwhile, the flight attendants serve breakfast. I actually ate well at the hotel and am not very hungry. I eat what I like. Around 11:30 AM local Indian time, the plane lands in Delhi. In India, it is half an hour earlier. This means the time difference with the Netherlands is four and a half hours. I never understood why India didn’t choose whole hours. At customs, practically no one is in front of me. I quickly get my new entry stamp. The luggage also arrives promptly. In the arrival hall, I exchange euros for rupees. Although the exchange rate is unfavorable, it is convenient to have cash on hand. Then comes the moment to say goodbye. After traveling intensively together as a group of three for a week, it feels strange now to continue separately.