STC in Bhutan
Can tennis bring you happiness?
In November 2012 a group of tennis players from Sarratt tennis club travelled to the remote Himalayan mountain kingdom of Bhutan.
As trip organiser Paul Olney who searched out a court on which we could play said ‘It was a great opportunity to play tennis in an unusual location and to experience playing at high altitude’
Para is a town of 10,000 people situated at 2240m (7500ft) in the western part of this country which is known for its policy of prioritising GNH (Gross National Happiness) over GNP.
We found a court at the University in Para. Our driver Namgay and guide Karma certainly enjoyed the spectacle and gave us great support with the score board, and the sports department of the university provided us with rackets.
‘It was difficult to know whether the way the ball flew off the court was as a result of the altitude, the concrete surface, or the strong wind’ said club chairman Rob Hildick, ‘It was certainly a challenging game’.
We were certainly glad that we played the game at the end of our travels in Bhutan when we had had an opportunity to acclimatise to the altitude.
Sarratt tennis club in the beautiful Hertfordshire village is a small friendly club…..
By Jeremy Gilbey
