I'm sure I'll annoy a few tourism folks with this one — but what can I say? Facts are hard.
When I've got no work, I scroll through the WhatsApp and Telegram tourism groups. It's a wild mix — news, updates, interesting topics, and of course, the usual complaints.
Some people advertise their businesses over and over. We get it. Then there are the car ads. Some are driving empty to Phuentsholing, hoping to pick up a passenger for a few extra bucks, while guides are out there begging for a lift to save on transport.
And don't forget the drama crew — some just join in to argue for no reason, or complain about everything from food to hotels, roads, shops, and, of course, the government. It's like a tourist version of a reality TV show.
In the middle of all the chaos, out of nowhere, someone starts selling a wheel drum for a car — total plot twist. Meanwhile, some guides are raising their daily service allowance (DSA) like they're at an auction. One goes, “I'm free, but my DSA is 3k,” and the next guy's like, “Well, I'm free for 4k,” and then another jumps in with, “I'll take 5k and I'm good to go.” And then you've got the wise guru-type, reminding everyone: “Please, keep the DSA at 3k — not more or less.”
Sometimes the whole chat turns into a complaint session. Someone will pop in saying, “Don't take your guests to that shop or restaurant — it's the worst!” And sure enough, others jump in, “Yeah, it's trash,” followed by someone dramatically saying, “Let the business die, they need to learn their lesson!”
Then the peacemakers step in: “Maybe it's just because they were too busy.” By then, the lines are drawn — the complainers vs. the defenders — and the debate begins. A mini war over where to eat.
Feeling too lazy to finish the whole thing right now... maybe I'll write more later.