Yak on Track shares McNeice’s 16-day trekking adventure in Bhutan, while offering a traveller’s insights into the country’s history and culture
Nestled in the Himalayas between India and China, the Kingdom of Bhutan is a nation of forested mountain peaks known as the last Shangri-La. A tiny country with a population of only 800 000, Bhutan remained largely insulated from the modern world late into the 20th century – a national monetary system didn’t officially replace bartering until 1974. Due to its challenging terrain, much of the country is still isolated. Some villages have no road access, and distances are measured by how long it takes to walk to the nearest town, which can be as long as a week.
In 2013, Australian author Heather McNeice set out to visit some of Bhutan’s most remote villages by hiking a 240-kilometre section of the Snowman Trek from the town of Gasa across the Lunana Plateau.
The Snowman is one of the most difficult trails in the world. High-altitude passes, poor weather conditions including snow, and the endurance required by the region’s isolation mean that only half of those who attempt the trek make it all the way.
McNeice’s debut book, Yak on Track, shares her 16-day trekking adventure, while offering a traveller’s insights into Bhutan’s history and culture.
She first visited Bhutan in 2010, and amid the mountains, vistas and ancient monasteries, one of her most memorable experiences was an invitation to a village classroom:
The floor was rough wooden planks; paint peeled from the walls. A scratched blackboard at the front. Simple wooden desks and chairs. A set of lopsided shelves, only just clinging to the wall, displayed a small collection of curly-edged books. The contrast with [her daughter’s] school in Australia was stark.
After this first trip, McNeice found herself returning annually. She challenged herself to see more of the country by trekking, and used her treks as fundraising opportunities to support RENEW, a Bhutanese not-for-profit organisation created to support and empower women. In her first year, McNeice raised enough money to cover the boarding costs for over a hundred Bhutanese girls living in remote areas who would otherwise not be able to attend school. Her efforts are also about awareness of the worldwide issues of domestic violence and education for girls, as she notes:
When I spoke to people at home about the benefits of the scholarship scheme for some of Bhutan’s most disadvantaged children, particularly those affected by domestic violence, many were shocked that domestic violence existed at all. Maybe because it didn’t fit the image of ‘the last Shangri-La’ or the fact Bhutan is such a devoutly Buddhist country. But it was a very pressing problem, like in Australia.
Yak on Track starts with McNeice’s arrival at Bhutan’s alpine airport, and her early chapters tour the mandatory tourist spots, including Thimphu, the national capital, and Paro, the town closest to the country’s sole international airport. Visiting Bhutan’s best-known sight, Taktsang Monastery, she describes:
The iconic image of Bhutan: whitewashed buildings, with red and gold roofs and gilt spires, squeezed onto tiny ledges on the side of a deep gorge, hemmed in by forests of blue pine.
A chapter dedicated to Paro recreates the experience of walking through the town, noting the everyday sights:
A monk, his crimson robes swirling around sandalled feet, brought together the old and new: as he passed his prayer beads methodically through the fingers of one hand, he chatted into his mobile phone in the other. Above him, strings of shiny scarlet chillies hung in curtains from the upper storeys, drying in the sun. Curling strips of chewy yak meat, draped over a cord between two railings, spun in the breeze.
While touring the sights, McNeice provides a primer on everything from the country’s relatively recent opening to tourism with the coronation of the Fourth King in 1974, to the impact of Buddhist traditions on the national psyche and the popularity of archery, the national sport. While informative, these early chapters have minimal narrative drive. A few last-minute concerns arise about preparation and packing. The only truly foreboding moment, however, is when McNeice’s local guide, Tshering Norbu, reveals that it won’t be possible to arrange a sungkey ceremony, a traditional practice to bring protection and good luck before a journey.
Once the trekkers actually get on the trail, the pace picks up. Krista Waddell, an American friend, has accompanied McNeice to Bhutan for the trek. Norbu, who has been her guide for each of McNeice’s previous trips, is making the journey as well, though he has never attempted the Snowman Trek himself. He prepares a crew to escort the two visitors through the mountains. It includes a trail guide, chefs, horsemen, and 23 horses carrying tents, gear and food, along with school supplies, books and beanies for the two remote schools McNeice plans to visit.
While the first few days are rain-soaked, the trekkers catch glimpses of Himalayan majesty. Arriving at the Lunana Plateau, she describes the terrain:
Ahead, our trail swept down from the pass in a wide arc, coiling away into the distance. It was eclipsed by the imposing peaks of Jekangphu Kang, Tsenda Kang and Teri Kang, giants of 7000 metres plus in a land of eternal snow …
Back towards Narethang, the surface of the two turquoise green lakes glimmered like glass, reflecting streaks of high cirrus clouds and the bluest of skies. Behind them, a series of interleaving spurs, their bald domes a rich chocolate brown flecked with snow, gave way to a succession of serrated white pinnacles, like rows of Levantine minarets.
In the last days of the hike, when circumstances become life-threatening, McNeice’s narrative gains further momentum. Avalanches crash down around them, the trail guide suffers snow blindness, and an unexpected snowstorm forces hard decisions among the trekkers. Her friendships with both Waddell and Norbu gain depth in the face of these challenges.
For anyone planning – or merely wishing – to visit Bhutan, especially to go trekking, Yak on Track paints a vivid portrait. It also highlights the challenges faced by the nation’s remote villages, particularly for women and children, and offers hope through the work of organisations like RENEW.
Heather McNeice Yak on Track: An unforgettable adventure in the last Himalayan kingdom Affirm Press 2018 PB 304pp $32.99
Ashley Kalagian Blunt is the author of My Name is Revenge, a finalist in the Carmel Bird Digital Literary Award. Her writing appears in Griffith Review, Sydney Review of Books, the Australian, the Big Issue, and Kill Your Darlings. Find her at ashleykalagianblunt.com
You can buy Yak on Track from Abbey’s at a 10% discount by quoting the promotion code NEWTOWNREVIEW here.
To see if it is available from Newtown Library, click here.
Tags: Australian travel writing, Australian women writers, Bhutan, Heather | McNeice, the Snowman trek
Discover more from Newtown Review of Books
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
