One Foot Traveller's Trip to Sikkim, India

The Traveling Buddha

If Raj Kapoor went around the world in A Dollar, why can't I do so on one Leg? 

Technically, I am an orthopedically challenged [PH] person but I love exploring the world. I do not plan but often travel on impulse, last minute. And I love it that way!

My Trip to Sikkim was one such expedition and I cannot tell you what a memorable trip it was!  I went with an open heart, all I planned for this trip was to explore lesser-traveled places and take lots of pictures.

So, let me tell you about this trip via some breathtaking pictures we took, no filter, no edit. Truly the way, trips should be.

My Date with Sikkim

It was the month of March. I was back from an exciting and exhausting car launch trip to New Delhi. I had two days to finish my pre-vacation chores and pack my bags for Sikkim from my Mumbai Wardrobe. I went ahead and visited my prosthetic center, asking them to service my leg for the trip and give me a better sock so I can visit all the places including the mountain terrains. 

My prosthetician asked me where all I will be visiting? I showed ignorance as I really didn't go through the itinerary, I just wanted to go with the flow, unadulterated. So I said- Mountains, Waterfalls, and Snow kissed world!

It was a trip after a long time and all those impulsive things I did in Goa last December, I was all agog to feel this one. I imagined myself playing in the snow, sitting by the lakes and flower valley.

Here's the two of us, taking our flight to Kolkata and then Baghdogra. We have not slept whole night but dreams serenade us. Can't tell you how we killed the time to be there.

I imagined myself surrounded by the snow. And the first thing I wanted to slurp was some hot piping noodles. Thank God for in-flight services, I grabbed a cup of noodles imagining it is those "mountain wali noodles". Yummmm...

When I sat down on my seat en route to Baghdogra, I closed my eyes and murmured- Here I come Sikkim. Do welcome me with warm hands.

And it did!

It was a magical, mystical journey way beyond my simpler words. It was indeed a trip of the lifetime.

All through the trip, we traveled from hilly terrains of Gangtok to Lachung, Lachen, Namchi and more! The places I have not heard about before but the places that are now embossed in my heart, shining like the most precious gold!

We discovered some world-renowned places, traveled some forbidden paths, braved adventurous mountain journey, eaten from some lesser known shanty, visited some dreamy Tea estates and also had soupy-piping Maggi on top of the mountains at army base camps.

The beauty of travel is not in talking but seeing. So, let me tell you more about this amazing trip via some amazing pictures. Here We Go-

You may like to check this teaser trailer that I created for my trip.

On a Date With Mountains

We landed in Baghdogra and from there we hired an Innova to Gangtok. We landed in the noon and scheduled to reached Gangtok by evening. Not to forget all the beautiful sight-seeing we did en-route. Check the above video for more.

Next morning, an early, cold, foggy morning, we took the same Innova and our happy-go-lucky driver and drove towards the sleepy town of Lachung. 

In this blog, I will not tell you about the places we visit but all the explorations we did, how we unraveled an unknown world with our child-like enthusiasm and the big lens. 

The Milestone Near The Seven Sister's Fall

The roads in the mountain are actually not roads but a narrow lane, spiraling up. The beauty of a road trip is passing by the locals and seeing the life there. Look at these beautiful people who live in such extreme weather yet brave it so well.

The beautiful journey at the selfie points and clouded valley

We also met these two beautiful kids who gave us a warm smile-

 We ignored the hotels or restaurants and instead identified few home-based small joints to have our cup of tea and familiarity.

And those bridges with beautiful, colorful flags, I tell you, transports you into some other world- A world of Zen!

The trip to Lachung was long but beautiful.

And then we reached our beautiful Orange County Resort amid Rains and dark skies in the evening. It got a little difficult for me to climb up the resort but it was worth it. Here I am, kinda rescued, sitting at the resort's cafe, sipping warm tea and waiting for onion bhajiyas...

Have you noticed my Monkey cap?

We had a hale of time there and met another beautiful couple, who we did not know will turn into lifetime friends.

We spent that evening chatting and dining near the fireplace.

Cheers to the essence of travel, going on blind friendship dates to places not everyone visits every day. We discussed and were all set for our blind date with the beautiful Guru Dronmarg Lake the very next morning.

The Blind Date with Guru Dronmarg

It was blind dark at 3 am when we left the resort and drove towards the legendary place. The place we heard has many restrictions. We were two couples [you can say going for a blind date of a sort] having two vehicles, one each. So we decided to all plonk in one [giving us body heat in the stark cold morning], played on good old Bollywood dhinchak music.

There were certain destructions in the path which made us stop for a while and take additional help to push the vehicles but it did not deter our spirit. It was scary but when you are on a good mission, paths appears.

Stopping by the base camp and have some Maggi and tea!

Look at this beautiful, panoramic view of the Lake. Unless you do not visit the place you would not know the experience.

That's me at 18,000 ft above sea level, with one artificial leg, braving the lack of oxygen, chilly winds, standing tall and happy! Bliss.

That's me with Ramya, enjoying my life's first ever snow.

Watch this boomerang video here-

The magic did not stop there. We had several other memoirs.

We played in the snow and then soaked in sunshine, only to get drenched in Gangtok MG road's rain again. The rain-soaked street looked amazing.

An unplanned halt at the temple on the way to Lachen. The stairs were pious and lead to skies as if.

And then, more snow at the Tsangu lake, Gangtok

Eating at the lesser known home cafes-

A visit to the flower exhibition

The Buddha Museum, a click straight from the fairy tales-

The Tea estate and the Gardens where we dropped in unplanned and learned so many good things about tea manufacturing.

The chaar-Dham Temple at the picturesque Naamchi. It has a calmness of its own.

The Guru

Like a rainbow, we experienced different joys associated with a travel- The beautiful places, the kind people, the lovely food, the faith and the culture, the commercial establishments, learnings and more!

It is the experience that counts and this was truly wholesome. Thank you, Mayank for being my soul mate and making my travel dreams possible!

So, do not wait, go romance the world. Travel and visit the world. Let it embrace you.

What's next on my list? Well, another #TheBlindlist!

#SayYesToTheWorld and unravel a new mystery today. You never know what pleasant surprises are waiting there for you.

Go Travel!

Ekta

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