Never in my life did I ever expect to see Mt. Everest. It was so off the radar that I never entertained the possibility of expecting to see Mt. Everest. At the ticket counter for DrukAir at 2:30 this morning, Megan suggested we sit on the left side of the plane in order to see The Mountain. What a sight as we flew east to Bhutan. Sunrise through the tops of the clouds around 5:30, then the white tips of the Himalayan chain out my window. The in-flight magazine had a layout of which peaks to look for; eventually we got close enough that the mountaintops were clearly in focus, their snow-cover glistening from the sun's rays. Everest is a peak in a long string of peaks; 1000' higher than its neighbor Lhotse, the difference is dwarfed when viewed from 30,000 feet. Majestic nevertheless.

We arrive in Bhutan at Paro airstrip by 8:00, setting watches ahead 30 minutes of Delhi. So many impressions on our first day:

• The airport is a stunning display of typical Bhutanese architecture: intricately painted floral/religious motifs on eaves, window frames, timbers, inside and out.
• Our "support crew" (driver, local guide, meal coordinator) greet us dressed in the traditional gho, the men's "business suit". We are each draped with a white scarf around our necks (a Bhutanese lei!). Our luggage will be transported in a pickup truck, we ride in a small bus with enough room for each of us to have our own seat. We are 12 including the crew.
• Paro (7600 feet), second largest city, but still small. Traditional buildings built on a grid of wide streets with deep wide gutters. All buildings decoratively painted; it's required in Bhutan.
• Dogs sleep wherever they want, horses graze wherever they want, both still with their thick winter coats.
• The native rhododendrons have started blooming. The reds are the first of the 47 species found here. Pink peach blossoms also in bloom.
• Strings and dense stands of prayer flags dot the mountain and roadsides. I never realized the colorful fabrics were imprinted with text: prayers and symbols. Giant prayer wheels release thousands of prayers when spun clockwise.

We start seeing some target birds as we move north of town before lunch. The predicted rain never materialized; we overdressed for the strong sun, but no complaints. We pass the famous Tiger's Nest, a monastery complex perched atop a cliff, still in use from the 17th century. A pilgrimage site, impressive for the steep climb which we will not be doing. The paved road continues a few miles before eventually ending at the Drukgyel Dzong (fortress), now being restored. It used to be a major stop on the trade route with Tibet. As that trade ceased, it is now a departure point for trekkers (6, 14, 30 day treks).

After a tasty lunch in Paro, a quick look at the shops, we gratefully are deposited at our hotel overlooking the Paro Valley. Everyone is ready to sleep before or through dinner!