Think a happy dod

The money has been wired am I one step closer to Bhutan! I've recently been surprised to find out that there are in fact more than 3 people who have been known to read my blog and I'm flattered. For the first 3 of my dearest of readers my ramblings about Bhutan will sound eerily reminiscent of my pre-Mongolia-arrangements. However I was never told to "think a happy dod" before. This occurred today as I got some photos taken for my Nepali Visa. Apparently Bhutan is content when they have your copious amounts of cash and a faxed version of your Passport. Nepal wants a photo of you looking like a criminal before they warmly welcome you to their country. Which isn't too far off of my Passport photo where I could easily pass for Karla Hulmuka. (for my American readers, she is a nasty Canadian killer, I think she's free now).

I didn't want to look like I just murdered my neighbour this time. The first shot the nice little asian photographer took of me, I responded "I look mad, can I smile?" She shook her head. "No smile, no country like smile. But you think Happy Dod and you look better" As she's readying the camera again I am quickly trying to ascertain what a "happy dod" is. Ah.. a THOUGHT. She wants me to think a "happy thought". She's almost ready to click the damn camera, happy thought QUICK, so I think of sex. She smiles at the view finder, and as she's turning the camera around to show me remarks "See Happy Dod does make difference see?" Well I'll be damned that happy dod of me being.. well never mind. Lets just say that in my newest Visa photo for Nepal I look... content.

Next on the list will be to book my flight. I will be headed back to dreaded and most reviled Heathrow Airport. Readers I direct you to my blog about Switzerland, Christmas 2006. My climbing luggage got into an argument with Heathrow, climbing luggage got a vacation to Italy for a month while I was in Switzerland borrowing climbing gear from a generous local climber. Hate Heathrow. Heathrow is where the humourless security man took away my gifts of Maple Syrup bought at a duty free store (still in the sealed duty free bag) that had gone through 3 fucking security scans already. He smiled as he put them in the "contaminated" bin. (ok I'm bitter but I got stuck in England in a mediocre hotel overnight and this added insult to injury) Heathrow now dubbed Hell is a place I will be reluctantly visiting enroute to Quatar enroute to Kathmandu, and eventually to Paro, Bhutan.

Tomorrow I'll be sending off the Nepali Visa request and start researching what heinous deseases I should be innoculated for and most likely taking a trip to the international health clinic. The fun is just begining!