Being a landlocked country, few Bhutanese can swim and the few that do, learn through trial and error. Parents are naturally wary of their children playing near rivers and rightly so; I was told that in Lobesa, on average, a child is swept away in the river every year. Young Bhutanese children are often told the tale of a fearsome octopus that will snatch and eat you when you're in the water. It was even said that should your shadow fall on the water, the octopus will be able to enchant you, causing you to faint and fall into the treacherous river waters. I was in Lobesa again recently to enjoy a night's stay at the new hotel belonging to Kuenga's cousin. Naturally, all of the family was invited, and we had a lovely time. The kids were particularly delighted when they were given the rare opportunity to play by the river, with adult supervision of course. The river is shallow this time of the year and the sandy river banks were exposed. It was a sunny morning, so despite the cold waters, the kids had a roaring good time playing in the sand and water.