My Big Escapade - Destination Unknown...: Day 66 - May 13

May13 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

No way i am getting up early. The fone is tired of taking snoozes. The sunlight peering through the window succeeds in waking me up. Sight seeing enthu catches me and get moving check out a few attractions nearby. A lazy ride to Sacholing Monastery becomes a small adventure. The path just of mud, damp with previous night's rain. The path switchbacks pretty tightly and getting really steep. Bikes pulls small unintentional wheelies! Even managed to climb up the last switch back which looked dicey. Walked back to check it out and slipped a bit on foot. Man its going to be tricky going back!

Pretty lil monastery perched about the mountain with great views around. The keeper gave me a tour inside. Have a cup of tea at a stall near by bit nervous about riding down. Gather courage and start towards the first turn and i no time i the bike is moving laterally on both the wheels and just when i thought we are going down, some slippery stuff ended and tires catch traction. Riding down felt more tough on the tight banked muddy switchbacks. Any way manage to get back to tarmac with rubber side down. Then rode up to Pemayangtse monastry. Quite a big one. Photography not allowed and i just walk in. Pretty peaceful inside. Went to the to floor to find a highly skluptered chariot sort of thing. Forgive my ignorance but that was quite detailed and lot of details in the 15 odd foot chariot i guess.

Ride out couple of Kms to the Rabdentse Ruins. Which was the second capital of Sikkim. Its quite a walk from the road through a narrow path between the trees. Felt as if i was walking through the jungle! When i get there, it dint looks like ruins at all. It was that neatly maintained. Not really the scale expected but must have been great in good old times.

Get to the room and pack as Darjeeling is the plan for the evening. Thought of riding via Namchi and visit the huge Guru statue before heading to Darjeeling. Catch the road to Ravangla. Not so good for some stretches. Prolly thats why the cop discouraged me to use this road. Any way riding it now. Reaching Dantek, saw a board to the left Gangtok 68 kms. Was kinda tempted to head there hehe. Visited the Huge Guru statue and as i was riding through Namchi, a guy called out to me. Thats a surprice, and then he says you are the guy doing the long motorcycle tour, saw on the news yesterday. Wow they put the story on TV so soon. Well guys what do you know i was on TV. Though i never got to see the clip. Get down towards towards Teesta and exit Sikkim. Felt the pang but a traveler has to move on.

Crossing Teesta catch the road to Darjeeling and all of a sudden the road starts climbing wildly. Climbs in such a hurry that the road even spirals up one loop on itself at one point. The climb only gets steeper. Stop briefly at the Triveni view point. Pretty good view of the valley with Teesta flowing in between. Could see white water rafting boats rowing below. The same balcony, was a couple of couples! Wearing caps and still rubbing the palms. I was sweating in my textile jacket! Obviously they came down from Darjeeling as they were complaing about their ears popping. I should keep in mind to ride down slowly if i am taking the same road outside Darjeeling. Get on the saddle and the road goes up and up in a real hurry. Now not many switchbacks but the road goes straight up along the mountains. And soon its getting colder as well. Colder as i climb. Reach Ghum and take a couple of clicks of the Toy train station. The road from Ghum to Darjeeling is accompanied by the toy train track and the track goes across the road many times to find the straightest possible path along the contours of the mountains.

Reach Darjeeling by 6.30 and its pure chaos. I am at the Hill cart road next the railway station. Was wondering how will i find a place to stay where i can park the bike safely. Its a big challenge to find one in hilly towns and this city was thickly populated. Ride up and down the narrow road in search of possible rooms. At one point i get into a allie which was going down pretty steep and which i though hardly 5 feet wide. And no rooms there. Have to leave way to a car squeezing through the road and after that no way i can back out. Ride down till i get place to turn around. Was a steep climb as well and just hoped no car comes from the other side. Cos no way i can back down or he can back up!

Just when i came up i saw a couple of bullets with rucksacks tied on em. They were peter and mathew, Geologists from England. It was obvious that they were also looking for similat stays and on inquiry they thought they found one and was asked to join along. They had sure found one and enough space for all three bikes and we put up in The Grace In. Hosted by young enthusiastic pawan. Went along with the peter and mathew to join thier friend scott at the a Bar and reatraunt near the clock tower and it was just travel talk over drinks. They had got new Bullets on thier names and even managed local addresses. Showed me the registration card for the bikes. Its not more RC books in chennai, but RC card kinda looked like simcard still in the holder!. Thats it for the day.

Got up just in time to catch the morning view of kanchenjunga before the clouds covered it...