‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,' says a well-known African proverb. And that sentiment found its way into Nauheed Cyrusi and Rustom Contractor’s honeymoon in Bhutan. Having grown up in the same residential colony, the two badminton buddies tied the knot at an Agiary at Colaba and embarked on a delightful post-wedding getaway to the Land of the Thunder Dragon.
Bhutan was the post-wedding destination. As they climbed the mountainsides there, sighed at the majestic snowy peaks, and stopped to overlook valleys and winding rivers—all of it made for their stunning honeymoon set in the Himalayas.
It’s known that Bhutan holds a rare and quiet intimacy that is hard to find. You wake up to quiet mountain mornings, take leisurely strolls through rhododendron forests, pause for riverside picnics, and go to farmhouses and to monasteries perched on hillsides, the flutter of their colourful prayer flags cutting into the stillness and serenity of the landscape. Choosing this country was one of the best decisions for her and her husband, reveals Nauheed Cyrusi.
As we kick off Manifest Life’s ‘Honeymoon Special’ this November, take a peek into Nauheed and Rustom’s beautiful honeymoon, filled with steaming bowls of traditional Ema Dashi and of being surrounded by truly happy people.
Nauheed Cyrusi (NC): At first, we had not thought of Bhutan as our honeymoon destination. But if it was the Maldives, we thought if we went there, we would get bored of each other after two nights. Since we both love the outdoors and nature, the obvious choice was Bhutan, as it has lovely food, great topography, amazing people, and it’s a country we had never really visited before.
(NC): Bhutan was never on a honeymoon ‘visit card’ as such; it was always on our ‘we-need-to-go-to-this-place-because-it-is-beyond-stunning’ list. Kelly Dorji is a friend of ours, and he lives in Bhutan, so we asked him about it, and his company created a lovely honeymoon itinerary for us. The rest revealed itself when we went to experience the place, which I have to say, was really every bit worth it.
(NC): Kelly drew up our itinerary for us; we just told him that we both love walking and trekking. And honestly, when it comes to Bhutan, absolutely stunning landscapes are visible everywhere, so they framed everything we did.
(NC): Well, the people are just so nice; they are compassionate about every living being, not only humans. They are genuinely so kind towards animals, and they think about every single being in that country.
What also struck a chord with us was the food. There's this dish called Ema Datshi, which is basically just cheese and chillies, and you eat it with rice; I can never forget it! When I came back from Bhutan, I almost made Ema Datshi for at least a couple of weeks, and then I said, okay, now it’s time to get back to the usual dal chawal.
(NC): The thing about trekking or exploring any mountain together is that every experience is unique to its own. You see different creatures and you create your own paths, which is really nice. Bhutan has valleys that are just so vast. I have never been in a valley as big, and I would highly recommend everyone do view this at least once in their lives.
(NC): Yes, we did the Tiger’s Nest; it was very high up on our itinerary and to-do list. We had previously climbed a few other mountains, but they were not so big and as tough as this. As you will learn, the Tiger’s Nest makes for a very demanding, challenging trek. The treacherous part about it is that after a point, the path narrows into a grueling, vertical ascent. But we did it, and it felt great! What motivated us the most here was seeing elderly people navigating the incline. Watching them, we were like, ‘Oh my God, if they can, we must’!
(NC): We remind ourselves to connect with nature all the time; it's not something out of the ordinary for us. We were on a honeymoon, so we were happy to be together. We had done long distance, so it was just celebrating the end of all of that.
(NC): We didn’t spot any unusual wildlife, save for an extraordinarily large raven that soared past us through the valley. It was truly the biggest I have ever seen. We also encountered Bhutan’s unique tradition of phallic worship. The imagery is everywhere: striking phalluses are painted on exterior walls, and small wooden carvings hang from the eaves of house roofs. This was very interesting to see.
(NC): Bhutan is meant to be one of the happiest countries in the world, and the people there are definitely like that! Do you know why? It’s because they are very content. Take, for instance, our interaction with our guide. When we travelled anywhere at all, we always had our guide with us. I’m sure that he had a very demanding job, yet every day he turned up, so chilled out and happy. Our guide was also so considerate about his surroundings. Everywhere we walked, if he saw even one small piece of plastic, he would instantly pick it up. So, every day we’d come back with a bag full of trash—other people's trash—that we had picked up along the way. This says a lot about how considerate the people are in Bhutan.
(NC): Honestly, we did travel before we got married also, so this getaway was about exploring another country together. We also really plan on travelling to as many destinations as the higher power allows us to, together. Travelling helps you grow together, and I think travel is the biggest educator you can have in life. You get to meet new people and new cultures when you travel somewhere, and that truly expands your horizons 110%!
(NC): We are not a romantic couple at all, so there were no romantic moments like that. To me, romance is 'I am struggling to climb up the mountainside, and he's dragging me up, muttering but still helping me climb.'
(NC): Bhutan’s peaks aren’t for the tourist who needs a donkey and human help to get to the top. To me, that isn’t an ascent; it’s an assisted stroll. I feel if you aren't relying on your own two feet, you've missed the point of climbing entirely. In Bhutan, I’ve seen a 102-year-old lady climb up to the Tiger’s Nest, and it left me shocked. Sure, she didn't climb fast, but she was very steady, and she completed the ascent. I remember we were on our way back down when she finally reached the top. But she had made it and had remarked how commendable it was.
(NC): I would suggest unconventional destinations to every single couple. I feel like going to the same old place and doing the same thing is pointless. You can take a holiday to the Maldives any time because in essence you are just going to watch the beautiful ocean and maybe the marine life, take in a swim, and then go back to sleep, because in essence you are just on a tiny little island, which is your home. That’s not our kind of holiday at all. If I have to do that, I will just go to a staycation in Mumbai.
(NC): Not just one day, I would want to relive all the days—it’s that much more Ema Datshi to eat!
(NC): Perfection.