Friday, May 8, 2009

Day 59 - May 6 - Around Gangtok

Got up lazily and today was just the permit gathering day. Weather pretty clear and i start off with my textile jacket and start sweating in no time. Gangtok is not very high but just high enough to keep it cool. The streets are like crazy narrow and steep and some of the switchbacks are lil scary if u dont take them properly.

Thanks to Sparsh for the his information on the permits, i went straight to Secretariat's office. Even Deputy Secretory and Joint Secretory were there and put my application in process. The cheerful staff asked about my journey etc. There was lot of work on the permit for them. I was asked to fill up and data sheet which they would type out later. But by now The chiefs have gone for meeting so can get permit only by 2PM it seems. This was cutting close as the other office of Army and Check post close by 4PM. But no choice.

With a couple of hours to kill i dump the bike back at the hotel foot path and walk to MG Road. Very pretty road where vehicles are not allowed. This can be the flatest place in Gangtok and its a well developed city on Hills. Nice weather and i enjoy my walk in the sun and enter a Baker's hotel up stairs to have something different. It had great view next to the table in the window. Spend hour there and time to worry about permits. Went there by 2.15 and i was told that work is in process! Why is it so complicated here. Its lot more hectic compared to the troubled states of NorthEast. By 3PM my permit is ready in 4 original copies! Had to give two on the way up north and one at Army camp and one at Checkpost. They said instead of me going they would fax the copy to Army and that would save some time. Even after saying that few friends had come here few months back and they had to convince army to let them through. But the clerk said that difficulty only when we go on our own not if they fax it to army directly. Well i trusted them and got no choice as well.

Then i rushed to Check post office and Lo its closed at 3PM!! Ohh common. Giving a whole day for permit purpose is also not working. I was called at the tourism office then next day at 7am to get the final permit. There goes my early start to NathuLa the next day!

It was like 4 and was thinking of checking out Rumtek monastery. Saw a book store and wanted to check if they had Lonely planet of Nepal. Instead i met Raman and Kharchung there, Who were bulleters and Kharchung had even done a 40 day ride coming all the way to Bangalore. The weather was deteriorating and they discouraged me on Rumtek and they were right. In just a few mins it started pouring outside. we got into a conversation over Tea. As the rain cleared up in half hour went back to my hotel. Met Eric and Laura at the Hotel who were riding around india on their Bullet. We planed to hang out for dinner.

It was a nice evening with Erick and Larua at the Neat hotel with Balcony seating. Very adventurous people who came to travel in India by trains and busses. which they did for some time then caught up with bullet. Eric learnt how to ride a bike here on a bullet and started traveling on that! Now talk about adaptability!! Then on we shared our travel experiences and other insights over a few drinks. It was a uncertain day for Nathu La tomm.

Streets of Gangtok...


The Secretariat who would grant me the pseudo permits!!


Thats a 4 road junction!!


They have these fensed walkways for miles together and nobody walks away from it!!


Never seen so many multistoried buildings on hills!!


Walk way near MG Road...


Now that was some steep road and had pretty uncomfortable switch back at the end...


MG Road... Gangtok's pride..




The hilly streets..




Its MG Road, a road but no vehicles are allowed...


Settled in this neat baker cafe for the lunch...


It had great views...


I am at the Book store with Raman... and my bike is taking quite some water...


Pouring rain....





As the sky clears the view is fantastic... Too bad i dont have this view in my room...

6 comments:

Arun said...

Gangtok looks nice!

Anonymous said...

having time of your life !!!
there is more to come ??!!
-vicky

Praveen said...

It sure does Arun :)

Yes vicky more to come :D

Satish said...

hey expecting some snaps with Erick and Larua... Want to see Erick who learned riding for touring...

moksha said...

And the book store you mentioned seems to be rachna book store where you met karchong..i know him personally too..there are only few like minded people who swears on long rides of surprises...even me i am contemplating a long ride from sikkim to leh and nepal. I hav been to bhutan on my bike on numerous occasion and the place and this never cease to quench my thirst to ride more. 550kms has been my longest solo in a day from delhi to dharamsala in himachal.
I am so envious and happy that you could live the dream i am dreaming...god bless

moksha said...

And the book store you mentioned seems to be rachna book store where you met karchong..i know him personally too..there are only few like minded people who swears on long rides of surprises...even me i am contemplating a long ride from sikkim to leh and nepal. I hav been to bhutan on my bike on numerous occasion and the place and this never cease to quench my thirst to ride more. 550kms has been my longest solo in a day from delhi to dharamsala in himachal.
I am so envious and happy that you could live the dream i am dreaming...god bless