It all began 21 years ago
A dream which remained unfulfilled.
A trip which could never be taken.
Till planning and preparation made it happen!
Not alone, but with travel companions excited as I was.
Tickets booked well in advance to ensure we got good deal for the money paid.
Travel agent contacted with detailed itinerary to make sure we could get the most out of the 9 days.
Hotels reviewed, confirmed, ready.
And then the long wait began.
This is the price you pay for planning things way in advance, the wait is longer!!
Busy exam schedules, work schedules, made the months disappear.
Soon it was here!
Trip advisor reviews were read, weather report keenly followed. It did not seem good, but also seemed wonderful!!
Day 1
The short flights, the long waits and finally we landed in cold, grey Bagdogara airport.
The skies were grey, threatening to open up any minute,
An ardent googler, I was fearful of the road trip that lay ahead of us to reach Darjeeling.
The girls were wide eyed in fear as our driver embraced curves.
Night falls early and by 5:00 PM we were driving in the mist and dark.
Rain pelted down, the mountains a dark silhouette in the distance.
We crossed Ghum, the highest railway station in India.
We saw the famous Darjeeling toy train tracks.
We crossed Kurseong and was reminded of ghost stories set in that town.
We drove through mist with less than 5 metre visibility!!
Scary!!
Finally, reached Darjeeling, tired, hungry, needing to use the rest room!!!
The hotel room, was big! functional, with lovely views of the Kanchenjunga in the distance marred by the clouds and night sky.
Lights dotted the valley, houses readying for the night.
A quick dinner, and we slipped into the comfort of the quilts, cold for us from hot climes!
Day 2
The next day, we woke up to blankness, no mountains visible, just a huge thick sheet of mist and rain!
Suddenly as if by a miracle hand, the skies cleared and we got to see the magnificent ranges.
before we could take pictures, the mist covered them up again!!
We spent the day at the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoo, well maintained, animals indigenous to the Eastern Himalayan ranges.
the animals were all well fed, well nourished and looked happy though locked in cages.
We visited Ghum monastery, which was a disappointment. the Namdroling Monastery in Coorg is a wonder!
A Japanese Peace Pagoda drew lot of attention from all tourists, destroying the sanctity of the place.
A long drive to a supposedly good view point, Tiger Hill was a flop show. It was an anticlimax after the beautiful drive along the mountain ranges covered in mist!
Stopped at a tea estate in the constant drizzle and were soaking in the freezing rain!!
The chill in the air was getting to a cold in the bones by then.
We headed back to the hotel, to get some much needed rest and warmth!
Once we were comfortable, we walked down the famed mall road for some window shopping.
Night comes early, we rushed back before it got too dark and misty.
Day 3 was a long drive from Darjeeling to Gangtok.
The river Teesta flowed along us, meandering along the curves!
The drive was jittery, the roads were bumpy and the vehicles were not very comfortable, but suitable for such terrain.
After a tiring drive, we reached the state of Sikkim, the capital city Gangtok.
The drive is beautiful and scenic, mountains, valleys, rivers all in perfect harmony.
Prayer flags fluttering in the wind, reminding us of the presence and watchful guidance of the omnipresent.
The city does not permit non state registered vehicles to ply within the limits, We had to move out of our vehicle and shift into a local taxi at the taxi stand to head to our hotel.
Again, tired, rattled bones, saw us checking into the hotel.
Cold wet weather greeted us in Gangtok too.
The room was well kept, comfortable.
A very late lunch and dinner, saw us hitting the sack early for another day of traveling around.
Day 4
This was a day for local sightseeing.
Gangtok is a city of ups and down, curves and dips.
Our cab driver took us to a lovely garden filled with rhododendrons, to a monastery again where we prayed like the locals do, turning the prayer wheels and chanting to the rhythm, a few temples with good views of the mountains around us.
A plant conservatory.
Gangtok is a Tibetan Buddhist city where cleanliness is so obvious.
The lack of traffic signals, the rigid following of ROW, the disciplined driving were such a pleasure to watch.
There was respect for the police and for his guidance,
We spent some time at MG Marg, shopping for knick knacks and for an authentic Tibetan meal.
With night falling early, cold rains making the wind chill reach single degree temperatures and a long drive ahead of us the next day, we crept under the covers soon.
Day 5
This was a long journey, through roads which were not laid to Lachung in North Sikkim
6 1/2 hours of off roading!!
Teesta river, snow capped mountains, fern hills, pine forests, bamboo groves and treacherous roads!!
The views made the drive bearable and kept our minds occupied.
We reached Lachung a small village which was cold and wet already.
Hotels are few and very functional here. But served the purpose.
The room we got had to die for views. Snow capped mountains surrounding us on all sides,
Waterfalls in the distances, water flowing fast below. Greenery all around!
We had an early dinner and slept keeping ourselves warm under several layers of quilt!
Day 6
Saw us leaving early to drive through Shingba Rhododendron sanctuary and further on towards Yumthang valley.
Late snow had not allowed the valley to be filled with the flowers as we had expected, we saw the flowers slowly carpeting the wet snow melting grounds.
Driving down further brought us to the Zero Point.
Heavenly, so white, covered in snow. Falling snow! First time experiences are always memorable! Having been just toddlers when they last lived in snow land, this will be the memory they carry for a long time!
We rented snow boots and jackets and soaked in the cold snow and beauty of the mountains all around us.
The drive back down to the valley and hot Maggi to warm ourselves was a treat.
The night was cold, we were dressed in layers, the rain came smashing down on the tin roofs, along the already soaked valley.
We stayed warm under the covers, refusing to step out for dinner!!
With the rains came power cuts and darkness and candle light at night.
Eerie in the mountains, cold, shaking, we slept.
Day 7
Heading back to Gangtok was a relief after a night of thundering rains.
Fearful of roads, waterfalls, gushing down and landslides, we made it back to the city, safe.
The driver was cautious, not taking any chance on the road. Knowing we were sitting petrified in the back seat.
Thankfully, it had stopped raining as we drove through the slippery roads.
Reached Gangtok and back to thunder, lightening and non stop rains.
The room we got this time had lovely view of the mountains and valleys and we stayed warm and dry indoors, eating hot pakoda and drinking chai,
the mountain life!
Day 8
We heard that permits to travel to Tsogmo lake and Nathulla pass were not being given out thanks to a major snow storm which had cause a 6 hour block on the mountain roads, which had to be cleared by the army,
Disappointed. But lucky for us, our driver reached with a permit the next morning for Tsogmo lake,
Nathulla still remained inaccessible due to the snow storm.
Dressed warm, prepared to play in the snow, we made the long scary journey to reach 14000 feet above sea level.
The narrow ledges called roads, were slippery with ice, snow on the pines, water quickly freezing from the melting snow.
Each ride more scary than the previous one!!
We made it up the mountain, dressed like eskimos, played in the falling snow, made snow man in the fallen snow, a wonderful experience for the kids and a pleasant surprise for me!
Rushed back before the snow storm began for the day and we could get holed in the cold mountain for the night!
Our feet were frozen under the snow boots, our fingers numbed by the cold snow. Warmed by hot cups of tea and Maggi.
We headed back to the hotel for a hot shower and hot cocoa and crispy pakodas!
Day 9
Was the long trip back to the airport.
Again a drive along the gushing Teesta River.
Changing landscapes, mountains and valleys, to rolling tea estates.
The airport was packed with returning tourists, foreigners finally being seen at the airport - Sikkim begin a state which does not allow non Indians permits.
long waits, journeying back home to comfort and familiarity,
As Banglorians we are familiar with distance being measured by time, so it is in the mountains. A 20 km distance takes more than 1 hour to cover.
But the views, the changing landscape, the majestic mountains, the bottomless valleys, the milky waterfalls all make the drive interesting.
All hotels were filled with tourists, noisy, chattery, huge groups. Surprising when the state is not easily accessible, motor-able roads disappear after landslides, rains and snow storms.
Goes to prove that the Indians are more discerning and love to explore the vastness and enjoy the beauty of their own country.
Permits to visit most of the tourist spots are required in this state.
This is not issued to non Indians. Permits are obtained against a tourist vehicle and not for individuals. So it is important to contact a tour operator to get these organised a day in advance.
Security is very strict being along a sensitive border, army has lot of control over the mountain regions.
All this make it gratifying to view their lives so far from their family, homes, yet happy to serve their country in such harsh weather conditions and security situations.
And so ended my 9 day affair with the mountains I fell in love with.
A lovely experience, time well spent with kids, different cultures and traditions and a trip to remember. A lifelong dream fulfilled.
