I made a lightening trip to GMC for some urgent work.

Although it was a short visit, here are few updates and an observation from there:

1. The place has taken off. I can feel the life and energy now. Young people chilling out in cafes and restaurants, hotels rooms getting sold out, and shortages of rental spaces are all positive signs of economic activities taking off.
2. The town is very clean. The new Guru Lhakhang is up and dominating the business area. The outcome of the volunteers is visible in the teak woods, and the Bhutan Post Building is getting remodeled to GMC Building.

There are no stray dogs or potholes – both of which are bothersome. I saw our young Desuups trimming the bushes along the highway. I felt very proud of them. Everyone is working.

3. Overall, it was nice to see the hustle and bustle – especially at the airport area with hundreds of trucks, escavators and men toiling day and night. (Last picture shows how the entire stretch of how the 3500m long runway will look like).

One suggestion, though.

Now that seatbelts and speed limits are mandatory (no excuses. Fines, right away), I wonder if all the speed bumps can be removed.

My worry is, if a visiting investor dozes off while being driven around in Gelephu, and the car hits a speedbump hard, it can cause a whiplash injury. This injury can even be faked. A hefty lawsuit might then follow. Not all foreigners are angels. Some can be shameless with money. They will demand an upwards of 100 million dollars. If I don’t make sense, don’t bother.

Other than that for the youth especially, stay alert, stay positive, get skilled. Something for you will be there as long as you are ready to roll up your sleeve and charge. 🏃‍➡️🏃‍♂️‍➡️🏃‍➡️