Bhutan

• The writer vividly describes the mountainous landscape, emphasizing the repetition of the noun 'mountains' to convey immensity and awe
• The analogy of a 'giant child' sculpting the terrain engages the reader's imagination
• Precise and powerful verbs like 'gathering,' 'piling,' and 'knuckling' vividly depict the crafted nature of the landscape
• The adjective 'first' intensifies the sense of novelty
• The present tense in the second paragraph creates immediacy, with the phrase 'It is my first night in Thimphu'
• Numerical details like the 'ninety-minute drive' and 'five different flights over four days' provide an understanding of the remoteness of Thimphu
• A list of unappealing breakfast items - 'instant coffee, powdered milk, plasticky white bread, and flavorless red jam' conveys disappointment with the hotel's offerings
• Introduction of 'two other Canadians' as companions suggests a sense of friendship, with descriptions of Lorna's 'ringing laughter' and Sasha's 'impish smile'
• Their excitement about Bhutan, having 'travelled extensively,' builds anticipation for unique experiences the country might offer
• The writer expresses surprise at Thimphu's size and tries to relate it to a western audience by emphasizing the lack of traffic lights and irregular presence of trucks or land cruisers
• The “incomprehensible” signals from “blue-suited police” highlight her foreigner status
• Lists of items sold by shops and unexpected signs of the outside world against the Bhutanese background evoke wonder and curiosity in the reader
• The writer's admiration for Bhutanese people is evident in her description of their looks and qualities
• Use of Bhutanese words in italics like “bhotanta” and “Bhu-uttan” underlines her journey in learning a new language, providing a shared learning experience with the reader