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After 3 days of traveling—from New York to Dubai to Bangkok—we finally made it to Bhutan. We all woke up at 3am the morning of June 4 to catch the flight from Bangkok to Paro, Bhutan. It was hot and sticky beyond belief in Thailand, and the effects of being outside made a shower almost pointless. Everyone was buzzing with excitement as we boarded the plane to Bhutan. Luckily, Druk Air provided a plethora of interesting reading to satisfy our curiosity while we waited to be transported into the “land of the thunder dragon.”

After a quick stop in Bangladesh, we finally made our way into Paro. And what an entrance it was. There are some videos on the Internet of the approach that the flights make into the old Paro airport, and they are breathtaking. The airport is nestled in a valley with huge rolling green hills on either side. There are a lot of hairpin turns and seemingly close calls with the forest and hillsides before you screech to a halt on the impossibly short runway. It was a pretty thrilling way to arrive in Bhutan.

The airport itself is gorgeous, as all buildings in Bhutan are built in a style keeping with Bhutanese traditions. Every inch of the interior of the airport was painted with fantastic murals and carved with dragons. Everywhere in Bhutan there are pictures of the King and Queen, said to be the most beloved rulers of any country. Everyone has a picture of them in their houses and shops, and loves to talk about how beautiful and friendly they are.

From Paro we made the one-hour drive to Thimphu, the capital city. One of the smallest capital cities in the world, it boasts a population of around 100,000 inhabitants. It is one of the most interesting and magical places I have ever seen. Everyone here is friendly and smiling, and it is difficult not to feel safe and at home here. The citizens of Bhutan dress in the national uniform, the Gho for men, and the Kira for women. One of the highlights of our days here in Thimphu thus far was going to a local dress shop so that we could each pick out our own .

So far on our journey, every place we have visited—the Takin reserve, the Paro Museum, and The Yeedzin hotel—has been filled with the rich cultural history and pride of the Bhutanese. Bhutanese pride in their commitment to the protection of the environment has been evident in every one of the guest lectures we have heard so far. I have a feeling that this trip will be an amazing glimpse into the history and evolution of one of the most successful and harmonious cultures you’ve never heard of.