Wow what a stunning visit we had to this little country. Easily one of the best places we’ve been. So peaceful and beautiful and filled with kind people. If we were hikers this would be the first place we’d return.
As you can imagine there are very few options getting out of Bhutan and none of those really connected with any flights that would take us east to Shanghai without losing an entire day. Soooo, we wound up flying this.
6,244 miles including a backtrack to Abu Dhabi and an overnight flight from Abu Dhabi to Shanghai. Luckily award seats were open in Business Class so we had lie flat beds, but it’s still was a long travel day.
The day started with checking out of the Le Meridien. It seemed like it would be a simple process but apparently the entire country of Bhutan doesn’t take American Express. So we next tried a Visa, but that didn’t work. Another Visa. Then another. Nothing we tried would work with their credit card systems. This left us with no options to pay, so they just let us leave with a promise to pay them later. Yes, it’s that kind of place.
Out we went to meet up with Ello and Bhurba who were waiting with our ride back to the airport. We hopped into the Kia SUV, Bhurba turned the key and all we got back was a bbbb-ddddd sound. He tried again. Bbbbb-dddddd.
It was clear we either needed a new car or a push start. Before we knew it the entire front desk from the Le Meridien came out and helped push the car to get it started and we were headed to the airport. You can’t make it up!
“So they just let us leave with a promise to pay them later”
At the airport Ello and Bhurba bid us goodbye. We’re really going to miss them!
Then a quick checkin at Drukair and then boarding.
Homestly sad to be leaving! And because this is a unique airport Jeff filmed our takeoff as well.
We got more great views of the Himalayas as this time the clouds were a bit lower so we saw many more mountains. Not sure which was Everest, but they all were gorgeous.
In less than an hour we were descending back into Kathmandu. Look at the chaos comparatively. You can see why Bhutan guards their culture and country so jealously.
We had a four hour sit in Kathmandu waiting for our Etihad flight to Abu Dhabi. Good thing the people watching in Kathmandu is terrific.
Soon enough we were boarding.
Turns out we had the entire Business Class cabin to ourselves on this leg. Something you almost never see! Five hours later we landed in Abu Dhabi in time for our connecting flight alllllll the way back to Shanghai.
Here’s the Etihad Business Class lounge at 9pm. Crushing.
After a relatively short stop in Abu Dhabi we boarded our aircraft for Shanghai. Such a strange sensation after having been in Bhutan earlier this same day.
Nine hours later and now Monday morning we arrived in Shanghai, cleared immigration and customs, hopped into a cab, and went directly to our hotel.
It’s located in the building at the bottom of this picture. The second tallest building in Shanghai!
