My Big Escapade - Destination Unknown...: Day 65 - May 12

May12 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

Pretty tired with the excitement and frustration of the previous couple of days, got up lazily with fixed idea to of a place. Spent time on updated the logs and got ready by 12 noon. But not so fast. The TV crew of sikkim channel 'Nayuma' was already there at the lobby to get my interview! One of the crew member wanted to interview me when i was leaving for North sikkim 3 days earlier, but i was late and had to leave. But this time looks like the hotel guy had tipped of the TV crew! Well felt pretty flattered that they had everything ready and people waiting for me to come out and catch me! Well it was a few questions from the two hostesses about my travel. Helmet and gloves were put on the tabel so that they get framed in the Video. Clips were taken of my loading up the bike. The camera guy ran some distance and waited to get a clip of me riding away.

Back to the ride ahead. Since it was pretty late decided to stay at pelling for the day. Did not know what to expect and was riding like a robot pretty overwhelmed by the previous experiences. Wondering if i was done? Have asked my self the same already a few times now in this trip, but have continued with renewed enthusiasm. Guess i just needed a couple of days of easy going. As i reached the junction to Singtom, the cop says i am bettor of riding all the way to malli and head back up to pelling. Y? all people go via singtom. But since i was riding like a robot took the suggestion as an input and headed towards malli.

Only near malli did i realize i am heading way down towards border and should have taken singtom route as it would have not been as bad as the roads i have seen. What do you know i even exit Sikkim! Go accross Teesta ride west a bit and again North towards Sikkim over a bridge on Teesta and enter Sikkim! Stop for lunch at a restuarant in the middle of nowhere. Veg momos is all they have and i love veg momos. Saw the deviation to Namchi with the image of the huge statue. Would be a 2 hour detour and i was pretty lazy today so just headed towards Pelling.

Was a nice peaceful ride with not much traffic. Began to gain altitude slowly and back to the chilly weather. There was something strange about the mountains around. They were clear. I mean no haze around and could see the green moutain range quite afar. Pass by a town strangely named as Legship! And climb even more and could see the top view of Legship town in no time. Reach pelling by 5 pm and no sooner i entered the town i was looking at boards pointing to places from from X junction in the center of the town. More than a town it was a like a Tourist complex with hotels around a X road junction. Ride up towards a clearing to what i thought was the Helipad. And what do you know people were looking at Kanchenjunga. Which had a pretty clear view. I am so naive that i did not know about the Mt k could be viewed from here. And what timing got a good view of the Mt. Went happy go clicky with the cam.

settled in Hotel garuda. The enthusiastic host Dewas fancied my bike very much. Looks like Karizma is not really know by people in towns away from cities. He wants to ride along till the helipad and i thought i have already seen it. Any way went along and pass the clearing and ride a bit up to the actual Helipad. It was amazing up there and had a quite a good panorama. As the light fades, get back to the hotel. catch a conversation with backpackers Daniel and Lucas. Lucas was traveling around india and managing with squeezing the expenditure to as low as 3-4k a month! Well he had taken the 75rs dorm while i took a double room!

Get a call from mitch on dinner. He's made it to Gangtok and i have left. Second time i we miss each other being in the same town. Crash for the day after drink.

The TV crew of Sikkim channel Nayuma