![My first visit to Bhutan – or how it all began?](https://www.sailinbhutan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1.png)
My first visit to Bhutan – or how it all began?
More than 5 years ago I decided to travel to Bhutan. I had heard about the country in 1990, sitting next to a Bhutanese in an airplane from Manila to Hong Kong, who told me about the rules and limitations of his country. I have been to more than 120 countries and once a year I do a trip with my best friend Franzl to a new country we dont know. Regarding Bhutan I checked a few travel agencies online and felt insecure about which one to take. Therefore I decided to call the German embassy of Bhutan, just by chance and try it out. I was lucky because the German Honorarkonsul for Bhutan, a German physician, was available and we spoke for at least 2 hours on the phone. He said: „Well if you go to Bhutan there will be one major problem.“ „Which one?“ I asked. And he said: „Well… you will not want to come back“.
And he was right.
He then did a very special favor to me because he linked me to Kado, the former chief lifeguard of the King Number 4 and kind of babysitter to the current King Number 5. After his lifetime duty of being ADC to the King he had opened and operated a travel agency. „Kado will open any door for you in Bhutan that nobody else can open“…the German Honorarkonsul said, and yes we exactly experienced this on our trip.
![](https://www.sailinbhutan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Screen-Shot-2018-12-21-at-1.53.25-PM.png)
So Franzl and I flew via New Delhi on a „dry day” with the only available Bhutanese airline, Druk (Dragon) Air.
The plane arrival was spectacular, going with the Boing 727 in steep curves before the landing in Paro, Bhutan.
![](https://www.sailinbhutan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Screen-Shot-2018-12-21-at-1.54.39-PM.png)
And then we had arrived and I finally met Kado:
![](https://www.sailinbhutan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Screen-Shot-2018-12-21-at-1.54.52-PM.png)
And his niece Chencho who was our guide…
![](https://www.sailinbhutan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Screen-Shot-2018-12-21-at-1.55.06-PM.png)
…to help us against truck accidents…
![](https://www.sailinbhutan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Screen-Shot-2018-12-21-at-1.55.20-PM.png)
…and show us the local culture and traditions
![](https://www.sailinbhutan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Screen-Shot-2018-12-21-at-1.55.35-PM.png)
The Bhutanese live a simple life…
![](https://www.sailinbhutan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Screen-Shot-2018-12-21-at-1.55.45-PM.png)
They give you many presents and are happy…
![](https://www.sailinbhutan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Screen-Shot-2018-12-21-at-1.55.58-PM.png)