This day was spent staying put at Dzongri to acclimate to the altitude before climbing even higher in later parts of the trek. The morning involved our only real work of the day-a 4:30am climb to Dzongri viewpoint to catch the sunrise amidst a panorama of the Singalila and Kanchenjunga Ranges. We stepped out of our tent to a gray near-dawn and sipped tea with Topden before heading up the skinny, winding path with the rest of the trekkers, including a Polish couple, three Singaporeans and a group of eight Indian men who had met up on India Mike to climb Goecha-La. As we ascended we saw the dzo camp in a valley beyond our own-as we climbed even higher we saw the valley of Thangsing which we would hike to the next day, considering that our pressure headaches from the altitude calmed down before the morning.
The entire group was grateful for clear skies and a moderately colorful sunrise as we huddled on top of the point among the prayer flags that whipped in the increasingly furious wind. The Bear, of course, took a million pictures, with all four lenses, with and without the tripod. Topden pointed out Mount Pandim, which we now seemed to be hunting even more than the red panda (which we had been told numerous times by now are "lazy and shy"), as well as Kabur rising before the Singalila Range which marked the border with Nepal and, eventually, once the last of the night's fog had lifted, the craggy peak of Kanchenjunga, the guardian of Sikkim having been recognized by Guru Padmasambhava himself as a holy presence. Coming off the hill the wind picked up and I was grateful that the drop-off was not more steep as I was almost knocked clear over the edge by one virulent gust.
Later that afternoon we carefully avoided the ubiquitous dzo dung to walk around camp and eventually fell into conversation with Jana and Ivan, a Czech couple who were heading to Thangsing the next day as well. They had spent the previous night in Tsokha where they had originally planned on ending their trek due to Ivan's sickness on a trek of Northern Sikkim the week before. Luckily he was feeling better now, as were we, and we all fell asleep after our respective dinners at the respectable time of 8pm, as had become our norm.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Goecha-La Trek Day Three
We began our trek out of Tsokha up to Dzongri (4200 meters) at 7:30am, Topden having wised up about how fast we could move with the Bear's altitude headaches and breathing issues. We made good time climbing along broad rocks and wooden slatted stairs laid down by the HMI (Himalayan Mountaineering Institute) up to Phedang Meadows. We were lucky enough to catch a few earl blossoming hot pink and red rhododendrons at one of our break points where we also ran into two Russian men who had just come down from Goecha-La and said it was impossible to go further than the first viewpoint due to slick ice.
We broke for a snack of an apple and an egg at Phedang Meadows and then Topden pointed out the rest of the trek up a razor's edge of switchbacks climbing out of the pine and rhododendron forest into alpine meadows. We could see trekkers, porters and dzos climbing high above us and the mere sight of the climb made the Bear want to lay down and spend the night right where we were. But...we made it-slowly but surely....up and up through fog that turned into clouds until finally we reached Deorali Pass, nearly 4000 meters and marked with Tibetan prayer flags.
The path from Deorali to Dzongri followed rolling hills among low brush and an absence of trees as we were now above the tree line. Our camp became visible as we crossed an iced over waterfall but aft fifteen minutes it began to feel like a mirage as we just never seemed to reach it. We were at first turned off to find our tent propped on top of a hill above the rest of the camp and with our team's camp without a toilet (a hole dug in the ground and surrounded by a tent), but the latrine situation was soon remedied and although the tent was standing in directly in the windpath it was actually quite cozy.
We spent the rest of the day, when not eating, relaxing in the tent a snowstorm of small, semi-hard hail/snow, and I finally got the chance to try out my rented (and HUGE) down coat. Dinner, of course, was delicious, and precipitated by tea and popcorn, the latter of which apparently helps with altitude acclimatization.
We broke for a snack of an apple and an egg at Phedang Meadows and then Topden pointed out the rest of the trek up a razor's edge of switchbacks climbing out of the pine and rhododendron forest into alpine meadows. We could see trekkers, porters and dzos climbing high above us and the mere sight of the climb made the Bear want to lay down and spend the night right where we were. But...we made it-slowly but surely....up and up through fog that turned into clouds until finally we reached Deorali Pass, nearly 4000 meters and marked with Tibetan prayer flags.
The path from Deorali to Dzongri followed rolling hills among low brush and an absence of trees as we were now above the tree line. Our camp became visible as we crossed an iced over waterfall but aft fifteen minutes it began to feel like a mirage as we just never seemed to reach it. We were at first turned off to find our tent propped on top of a hill above the rest of the camp and with our team's camp without a toilet (a hole dug in the ground and surrounded by a tent), but the latrine situation was soon remedied and although the tent was standing in directly in the windpath it was actually quite cozy.
We spent the rest of the day, when not eating, relaxing in the tent a snowstorm of small, semi-hard hail/snow, and I finally got the chance to try out my rented (and HUGE) down coat. Dinner, of course, was delicious, and precipitated by tea and popcorn, the latter of which apparently helps with altitude acclimatization.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Goecha-La Trek Day Two
I was thrilled to find porridge at Gupta's for breakfast-the perfect way to begin a 16 kilometer uphill journey. After breakfast, Topden introduced us to our crew, who would later prove to be amazingly efficient, kind and helpful over the next nine days and whom I hope will forgive me for most likely butchering the spelling of their names: Bibi, the cook who offered meals such as rice with dal, alu gobi, parathas and rice pudding or porridge, omelets, spiced potatoes, and toast with jam; Sukmansubeh, the porter extraordinaire who could carry heavy loads in a basket strapped around his forehead; Bhasunta, another porter of only 18 who also helped Bibi in the kitchen and delivered our meals and tea; and Purna, Bhasunta's brother, only of 17, who drove the dzos (yak-cows) that carried our bags and the crew's gear, always with a smile.
We started off after Topden stopped at the Kanchenjunga Conservation Committee's office to make sure that our permits were in order. The beginning of the hike wove through the village of Yuksam while gorgeous children walked to school, the boys in ties and sweaters, the girls in knee socks and pigtails, all giggling at what Topden said was Jan's (aka "The Hulk") size. Once we left the village behind, the trail meandered through dense forest and for about two hours we didn't see much besides the rough, rocky path below our feet, though at times we caught a glimpse of the mist-covered valley to our left. We crossed a sturdy but mobile bridge over the Parekh Chu and were welcomed by a sign denoting the entrance to Kanchenjunga National Park. Before lunch at Sachin we passed several porters, dzos, stray dogs looking for friends and food and a group of Japanese senior citizens who made us ashamed that we were sweating this part of the trek. We also passed three Australian women who had gone so far as Dzongri and reported snowfall at that point.
Lunch was an amazing spread of hot orange juice, noodle soup (like really good ramen), uttapam, alu gobi and a warm banana for dessert followed by milk tea which we ended up sharing with a German-Indian couple who had just gone up to Tsokha for the day and told us not to miss the rhododendrons and magnolias at the Bakhim caves.
Rain washed over the remaining four hours of the day's journey, the majority of which was an achingly steep uphill climb. We were grateful to stop for tea at the Bakhim Forest Rest House where we caught a glimpse of Yuksam, where we had started, far in the distance. The wild strawberry switchbacks leading up to Tsokha were a refreshing change from the primarily green forest cover which we had seen all day. About half a mile from Tsokha we turned a corner and Topden pointed out the range of mountains towards which we were headed, a line of five snowy peaks, with Mount Pandim in the foreground and we realized that we were in the Himalayas.
The village of Tsokha, which had been given to a group of Tibetan refugees in the 1960s by the last chogyal of Sikkim but whom were asked to remove to Yuksam six months prior, is a charming village of wooden houses with aluminum roofs and wooden pens to hold cows, dzos, and horses. Along one hill, facing the range, two chortens stand amidst grazing cattle and the orange of sunset splashed against Mount Pandim. We ate a quiet and delicious dinner in our modest and drafty hut and easily fell fast asleep.
We started off after Topden stopped at the Kanchenjunga Conservation Committee's office to make sure that our permits were in order. The beginning of the hike wove through the village of Yuksam while gorgeous children walked to school, the boys in ties and sweaters, the girls in knee socks and pigtails, all giggling at what Topden said was Jan's (aka "The Hulk") size. Once we left the village behind, the trail meandered through dense forest and for about two hours we didn't see much besides the rough, rocky path below our feet, though at times we caught a glimpse of the mist-covered valley to our left. We crossed a sturdy but mobile bridge over the Parekh Chu and were welcomed by a sign denoting the entrance to Kanchenjunga National Park. Before lunch at Sachin we passed several porters, dzos, stray dogs looking for friends and food and a group of Japanese senior citizens who made us ashamed that we were sweating this part of the trek. We also passed three Australian women who had gone so far as Dzongri and reported snowfall at that point.
Lunch was an amazing spread of hot orange juice, noodle soup (like really good ramen), uttapam, alu gobi and a warm banana for dessert followed by milk tea which we ended up sharing with a German-Indian couple who had just gone up to Tsokha for the day and told us not to miss the rhododendrons and magnolias at the Bakhim caves.
Rain washed over the remaining four hours of the day's journey, the majority of which was an achingly steep uphill climb. We were grateful to stop for tea at the Bakhim Forest Rest House where we caught a glimpse of Yuksam, where we had started, far in the distance. The wild strawberry switchbacks leading up to Tsokha were a refreshing change from the primarily green forest cover which we had seen all day. About half a mile from Tsokha we turned a corner and Topden pointed out the range of mountains towards which we were headed, a line of five snowy peaks, with Mount Pandim in the foreground and we realized that we were in the Himalayas.
The village of Tsokha, which had been given to a group of Tibetan refugees in the 1960s by the last chogyal of Sikkim but whom were asked to remove to Yuksam six months prior, is a charming village of wooden houses with aluminum roofs and wooden pens to hold cows, dzos, and horses. Along one hill, facing the range, two chortens stand amidst grazing cattle and the orange of sunset splashed against Mount Pandim. We ate a quiet and delicious dinner in our modest and drafty hut and easily fell fast asleep.
Goecha-La Trek Day One
After searching the various tour operators out of Gangtok we finally found an outfit that offered a desirable rate and level of experience-Blue Sky Tours and Treks. On Sunday, April 17 we rode in a rented Jeep with Topden, our guide, to the village of Yuksam, the first capital of Sikkim. Once again, the journey was hair-raising and we amused ourselves by reading the various road signs: "Where Eagles Dare," "Life is Short Enough, Don't Make it Shorter," and "Thanks" were some favorites. Outside of Geyzing we stopped at a Bon monastery where we found a novice monk of six or seven napping in a garden. Topden pointed out Tashiding, the holiest monastery in Sikkim, atop a perfect conical mountain. The ride also involved a punctured front tire which was repaired somewhat hastily with some kind of bamboo stick and a piece of cloth, but the stop allowed the Bear a chance to snap pictures of a terrace crop of barley and an adorable little boy who seemed intrigued by us. Once we arrived in Yuksam, a lovely and misty village that smells of fresh grass and offers sound effects of goats, roosters, cows and ponies, we ate at Gupta's, apparently a popular trekkers' haunt. We slept in Demazong Hotel, where the Bear was unhappy to find a spider the size of my hand and insisted in spraying the perimeter of our separate beds with Deet. Luckily, the night was uneventful and we awoke without any spider bites. =)
Friday, April 15, 2011
Goecha-La Trek Preparation
Day three in Gangtok and we are still in love. We feel right at home among the kind and helpful citizens of Sikkim. Tomorrow we will take another (hopefully not as treacherous) Jeep ride to the village of Yuksom where we will spend one night before heading off on a nine day trek to Goecha-La, the base camp of Mount Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. We are spending today gathering some warm hats, gloves and scarves but hope to fit in some tourism in Gangtok (we have heard there have been red panda sightings at the Himalayan Zoological Park near Ganesh Tok....perhaps we will have some photos next week) along the way. Our tour company, Blue Sky Tours and Treks, will provide an English speaking guide, porters (or "yak-men"), and a cook. Here's hoping we don't get hit with altitude sickness! Signing off for ten days. xoxo
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Bumpy Road to Paradise
They say all things worthwhile cost a great deal. In our case, the more than worthy secret pocket of Sikkim in northeastern India cost us one day's sanity and comfort - in the long run, a small price to pay.
The journey began with a delay leaving Washington (British Airways was in its most disorganized state-no one appeared at the check-in desk until actual flight time), which caused us to miss our flight to Delhi. Thanks to the Bear's hard-line strategy with the customer service rep at Heathrow we were given a free day room and lunch at a transit hotel so we were able to take a nap and shower during our then eight hour layover. Sadly, we lost the money for our hotel in Delhi where we originally planned to spend the night. Hopefully we can make it up during another planned trip to Delhi.
The flight to Delhi was smooth and provided some rest, though once at the airport we had some trouble figuring out where to get an Inner Line Permit for Sikkim: according to several guide books and websites these permits are available at the four main entry point airports in India (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai) though no one had any idea what we were asking for. We finally gave up and just waited for our flight to Bagdogra Airport in West Bengal which turned out to be the bumpiest, most frightening flight of our lives. True, I can be a little dramatic about matters over which I have no control but I honestly thought we were going to be flipped over by the storm clouds or hit a high Himalayan peak. And once we hit ground and ventured into West Bengal, we realized the bumps weren't over yet.....somehow we managed to get to the Sikkim Tourist Bureau in Siliguri fifteen minutes before it closed (thanks to our skillful cab driver, weaving around bikes, vans, tuk tuks, goats, dogs and the occasional cow), got the permit and seats in a jeep headed to Gangtok and proceeded on the most terrifying car ride of either of our lives. Four and a half hours of hairpin turns, horns blasting as jeeps, trucks, monkeys and pedestrians shared the road and our driver played the popular Asian game of how many vehicles can I pass every minute, all along sheer cliffs threatening to drop me, the Bear and seven Indian gentleman over the unguarded side of the sometimes unpaved road. At one point, the gentleman next to the Bear even vomited on the floor of the cab (he got out at the next stop) which added to our increasing nausea and left the Bear in agony for the remaining two hours to Gangtok. Oh, and did I mention that the majority of this journey was in the dark and our driver waited until it was pitch black to use his headlights? Anyway, we made it to our comfortable enough Hotel Sagorika on Upper Arithang Road and crashed for ten hours, spent this morning enjoying dosas and chai at the Rasoi Pure Veg Cafe and exploring the town before popping into this Cyber Cafe.
All said and done, was it worth it? To be surrounded by peaks of 16,000 feet and up, a kind and helpful Buddhist culture, shops that smell of incense and cafes selling the most delicious chai? I would say yes.
The journey began with a delay leaving Washington (British Airways was in its most disorganized state-no one appeared at the check-in desk until actual flight time), which caused us to miss our flight to Delhi. Thanks to the Bear's hard-line strategy with the customer service rep at Heathrow we were given a free day room and lunch at a transit hotel so we were able to take a nap and shower during our then eight hour layover. Sadly, we lost the money for our hotel in Delhi where we originally planned to spend the night. Hopefully we can make it up during another planned trip to Delhi.
The flight to Delhi was smooth and provided some rest, though once at the airport we had some trouble figuring out where to get an Inner Line Permit for Sikkim: according to several guide books and websites these permits are available at the four main entry point airports in India (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai) though no one had any idea what we were asking for. We finally gave up and just waited for our flight to Bagdogra Airport in West Bengal which turned out to be the bumpiest, most frightening flight of our lives. True, I can be a little dramatic about matters over which I have no control but I honestly thought we were going to be flipped over by the storm clouds or hit a high Himalayan peak. And once we hit ground and ventured into West Bengal, we realized the bumps weren't over yet.....somehow we managed to get to the Sikkim Tourist Bureau in Siliguri fifteen minutes before it closed (thanks to our skillful cab driver, weaving around bikes, vans, tuk tuks, goats, dogs and the occasional cow), got the permit and seats in a jeep headed to Gangtok and proceeded on the most terrifying car ride of either of our lives. Four and a half hours of hairpin turns, horns blasting as jeeps, trucks, monkeys and pedestrians shared the road and our driver played the popular Asian game of how many vehicles can I pass every minute, all along sheer cliffs threatening to drop me, the Bear and seven Indian gentleman over the unguarded side of the sometimes unpaved road. At one point, the gentleman next to the Bear even vomited on the floor of the cab (he got out at the next stop) which added to our increasing nausea and left the Bear in agony for the remaining two hours to Gangtok. Oh, and did I mention that the majority of this journey was in the dark and our driver waited until it was pitch black to use his headlights? Anyway, we made it to our comfortable enough Hotel Sagorika on Upper Arithang Road and crashed for ten hours, spent this morning enjoying dosas and chai at the Rasoi Pure Veg Cafe and exploring the town before popping into this Cyber Cafe.
All said and done, was it worth it? To be surrounded by peaks of 16,000 feet and up, a kind and helpful Buddhist culture, shops that smell of incense and cafes selling the most delicious chai? I would say yes.
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| Bagdogra airport taxi |
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| Monkey along the road |
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| Our first breakfast in Gangtok |
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| Gangtok |
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| Gangtok |
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| Gangtok |
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| Lady is picking one's brain. |
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| Gangtok |
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| Gangtok |
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| Gangtok |
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| Gangtok traffic control |
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| Unemployed dog |
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| Sweets |
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| Gangtok jeep stand |
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| Kanchenjunga - Third Highest Mountain Peak in the World |
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| Gangtok downtown |
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| Kanchenjunga - Third Highest Mountain Peak in the World |
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| Homeless |
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| Gangtok downtown |
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| Gangtok downtown |
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| Mahatma Gandhi memorial in Gangtok |
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| Mahatma Gandhi memorial in Gangtok |
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| Mahatma Gandhi memorial in Gangtok |
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| Chickens doing laundry |
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| Gangtok viewpoint |
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| Gangtok viewpoints |
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| Gangtok view point |
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| Gangtok TV tower |
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| Himalayas |
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| Himalayas |
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| Himalayas |
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| Himalayas |
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| Himalayas |
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| Himalayas |
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| Prison |
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| Himalayas |
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| Street artist |
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| Typical house in Gangtok |
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| Gangtok |
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| Gangtok concert |
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| Our first hotel |
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