Real Yoga Retreat, Bhutan, March 2013 (Part 10)

Taktsang, the Tiger's Nest.

The canes that I mentioned in past posts.  Buy it.

Some tourists buy their own walking equipment.

It offers support and makes for a safer hike.

There's that extraordinary category, though, who's
befuddled by the need for canes --
and they can carry >100kg on their back to boot! ?!!????!

"Canes?  I need donkies on top of that!"

Another vote for ponies!

They walk at the absolute edge of the cliffs though..

1 cane good.  2 canes better.

Lisa in her 'I-survive-&-make-it-up-Taktsang-&-so-can-U' pose.
She still has to make it down, kekeke wheeee!

 

 

New shoes up..

Seasoned shoes down..

Taktsang's Tiger Nest has always been one of the most mystic areas of the world.
A fitting finale for a yoga retreat.


Update:

Friends who accompanied me on hikes or treks were often tickled at how I struggled with rough terrains, and one of them once even laid hands on my butt to propel my body upwards (those steps carved crudely up that west-central Bhutan mountainous hill, or hilly mountain in my POV, was almost perpendicular, trust me, and much worse than Taksang's angles!)

I'm almost convinced that there are 2 categories of homo sapiens on earth:
Category 1 - those who can climb Taksang with no exhaustion whatsoever
Category 2 - those who needs aids like walking sticks, donkies and other support.

I must be Category 3, then.. the sort who needs propelling.
It's no wonder I'm a fan of the WuXia genre.
Oh, just let them have their laughs on me.
What's a world without laughter. 
Better safe than sorry. 

But in all seriousness, the May 19, 2013 incident where a Swedish doctor slipped and fell about 25m below Bumdra, located above Taktsang monastery, shows how tricky trails can turn out to be.

As narrated in a previous post
http://bhutanclub.blogspot.sg/2012/12/the-taktsang-monastery-hike.html
even for a popular trail like Taktsang, I've identified at least 3 spots where I have had to 'change gear' to avoid becoming a human trajectory.  And this was during good weather.

Go for it, but keep safe folks.