Day 12 Lachung - Gangtok East Sikkim 10th July 09

Morning light came with no bed tea as we requested… Woke up about 0645hrs to take the maybe last hot shower we will have after this place… I scrub myself down and wash my hair…Enjoyed this bathroom for about 20mins before I got out to let Ramli enjoy his time…

Packed up and went downstairs to await breakfast… Across the street we saw the little girl whom we have saw on the first day… She had a tiny black bindi on her forehead and even have black eyeliner on her beautiful eyes… So glad we get to see her today before we leave… went across to say hi and take some photos with her.. Her name is Doma and her favourite pass time : sitting at the porch waiting to wave at passer bys… Kekekekke

Sonu the chef

Breakfast was ready, todays menu : Poori with Wai Wai masala maggie… Again good breakfast… After we bid farewell to Sonam, Sonu and Tibetan Grandma .. Before we left we took a photo for Sonam and his grandma which she requested the day before. And not forgetting a group photo of us… We cant bare to leave this place but no choice had to move on….

Sonam and Tibetan Grandma

Sonam and Tibetan Grandma...

Doma, Speedy Gonzales (all cleaned up) and Friend...

Visited a Monastery on the way back

So another 5 hours of humpty bumpy ride back to Gangtok.. Stopped at 2 monasteries along the way… By 1500hrs we were already in Gangtok… Went to Deorali bus station to get our tickets for Kakavitha to get into Kathmandu tomorrow. Wasn’t able to get the seat no. 1 & 2 but manage 3 & 4 which was good enough as we have excess to the door which was easy rather than having to climb in and out if we get seats no 7 to 10 like out journey from Darjeeling to Gangtok…Ticket costs Rp160/each.

Some interesting signs from the roads of Sikkim/Darjeeling to share,

1) Encroacher will be prosecuted

Im not sure what this mean??

2) Determination of sex will be punishable by law

This one too? Determination of Sex? Hmmm

3) Bridges link people of many status

4) Safety on road is safe tea at home

5) Drive like hell & you will be there

6) Don’t gossip, let him drive

Walked around to look for a cheap accommodation to rest for the night before the jeep ride at 0630hrs tomorrow… Surveyed 3 and finally settled down for a nice clean room which only costs Rp350 with “marbled” toilet flooring and also seems to have water heater!! And not forgetting the TV … Yahoo!!

After settling down in the room, try to complete the blogs and headed out in search of the internet café. Went to one just near the hotel but no power as usual. So decided to walk up the hill to the one we went on the first day we arrived. Was happy to see they have generator back up but sad thing is all units are occupied by kids playing counter strike 2, my goodness and they are so rowdy… We had to wait, so hung around there and waited for about 30mins and Ramli chatted up with a Indian journalists Mr Shoumeek Datta working for The Assam Tribune from Calcutta who is stationed in Sikkim for 2 months now and will be staying here for a year. He told Ramli that he will send us some nice trekking places to go with some pictures. Hopefully will get some good advise from a local. The kids still haven’t give up on the gaming and we almost gave up on waiting when the young boss came and Mr Shoumeek talked to him in their native tongue that we are guests and waited for so long but still didn’t get our turn. So quickly the nice young boss asked 2 of the kids to stop playing and give up their place for us.. Wooo we feel so “guesty”. Whahaha

Finally time to log in and find out what we miss the pass 3 days… 1^st Good news updated by Izar was Baby Ray has entered to this world and both Bubu and him is well!! I’m so happy and ecstatic for them… Almost teared cause we cant be there to be with them and share their joy… Only from a far we give our prayers, hugs and kisses. Hope to see Baby Ray’s pictures soon on FB…

2^nd news wasn’t so good… Sigh got to know bad news from my sis with her mother in law.. Hopefully she and Andy will be able to settle and resolve their issues as soon. Our prayers to you guys too… Don’t give up…

3^rd news also bad… Some bloody idiot tried to still our bicycle locked outside our door!!! Bloody hell!! Luckily for the neighbours dog the guy got shocked by his barking and left w/o taking the bicycle after cutting the chain… Me and Ramli suspect should be those Bangladesh cleaners at our place… Idiots!! But now it is safe inside the living room… Damn you thief!!! So now we owe the dog we “hate” a favour…

We read our mails and replied all as fast as we can.. Reading all the emails from home makes us feel so home sick… myself as usual emotional, read the mails from our dearest friend Izar and my sis make me teared… Even now as I’m typing … Ahhh I’m home sick only after 12 days… Still have long way to go … And for Ramli even though I didn’t turn to look to confirm I realize he was rubbing his eyes and was breathing in so hard, I guess to hold his mucus in when we were at the internet cafe… kekekekek … We didn’t say a word but we both have the same understanding… we miss our dear friends and family so so so much...

And finally time to upload the pics and update our blog… 3 hours we sat at the internet café…Wooo my eyes almost crossed uploading all the pics … Luckily now we always update our blog on our lappy first then copy and paste to the blog otherwise we would have a worst time… When we finally finished it was already 2100hrs and the shops around are all closing.. We wanted to try our luck to go back to Ashrafiah Fast Food again, but when we reached the shop is closed.. Sigh so no choice have to eat wai wai Maggie.. and got honey to substitute for sugar for our TOKM… Yes Lynn the sugar you “got” for me has run out..Should have taken more.. Ahaahaaa .. And also got bread for tomorrow breakfast…

Got back to our rooms cooked our Maggie, finished our dinner and watch National Treasure on Star Movies in the room it is already 2323hrs… time to get some rest before the 6 hours taxi jeep ride to Kakavitha, India/Nepal border and another 12 hours bus ride into Kathmandu.... Wish us luck our friends…

More updates later from Kathmandu…

Day 11 Lachung North Sikkim 9th July 09

Window view


Still from the window


View in almost greyscale


View from our bed room window.

We started the with “Bed tea” @ 0630hrs. Tea served on bed. Quite interesting concept and felt good to be treated like a VIP for once. Hehehe….

Stirring tea

his fav pic of himself..

Concentrating on the scenery

excuse me for the messy hair..

Afterwards headed downstairs for breakfast, poori looking food with potato gravy… Nice..

Savouring the poori

Up close

Tibetan ladies going to work..

me sitting outside the lodge

Up the road from the lodge

Another view of the morning

its only 0730hrs but the sun seems to be at its highest ..

Sunlight...

Itinerary for today is sight seeing to Yumthang Valley at 11,800ft (translated Valley of flowers) and Yumesamdong at 14,000ft where there’s a hot spring.

Diff view

First view of Yumesamdong

another view

First stop was Yumesamdong. The journey took around 2 hours and I tell you, its worth every minute spent in the vehicle going thru bumpy off road terrain. We were like just a stones throw away from a mountain peak!! I almost wanted to try climb up the steep slope to get to the top. Like jakun because never see snow covered mountain up close. And as you can imagine, its quite cold!! The weather is hot and sunny but when the wind blows,Brrrrrrrrrr…… damn cold. The view from where we were was fantastic, wonderful, beautiful, guess there isn’t any word to describe its beauty of the surrounding mountains at this valley.

We went to try feel the water at the hot spring. Yes it was hot, Sudan asked if we wanted to bath in the hot spring. I just shake my head cause I know after coming out from the hot spring, I will be damn freezing cold…. So I opt out even I came prepared.. Ramli said will try afterwards, but didn’t … We weren’t accustomed to the cold….

Jumping with joy

me too

Taking in the view

View after mini trekking ..

Lying down to enjoy the view..

We tried climbing up nearer to the mountain up a tiny winy hill and was already panting.. Sat and lay at the clearing for about 15mins to enjoy the view and take it all in rather than keep taking pictures but never enjoy the scenery. Small flowers everywhere on the grass patches and even poppy flowers in blue. And not forgetting the yak dung that was almost everywhere. Cindy stepped on 1 piece but luckily it wasn’t as fresh so didn’t make much “damage”.. The weather was just so fantastic, all clear and blue skies even for this monsoon and low season.

Yaks grazing

Up close

Im scared they might attack me..

It’s difficult for us to describe this wonderful place and best is that you could see it with your own eyes…

Yumthang Valley

Yumthang Valley, valley of Flowers

After, we headed to Yumthang Valley, a big green clearing with small flowers in bloom. There is also a river running thru the valley.. The view as compared to Yumesamdong wasn’t as fantastic but still beautiful. Sudan told us during winter time this place will turn into a winter wonderland with people coming from all over India to ski and play with the snow. Wow that sounds fun!! Sudan doesn’t really like the high season time as he said that too many Indians especially Bengalis makes the place all so noisy starting from 4am in the mornings.. kekekekekke Maybe isn’t good idea to come during the high season I guess but the weather will be better and the flowers will be in full blooms and the whole valley will be covered with flowers of all kinds..

We sat at the stall had some black tea and cashew biscuits and headed back down to Lachung for lunch back at our lodge “Seela Inn Resorts”. We are anxious to know what was prepared for us by the 19 year old chef Sonu..Rice, sliced stir fried potatoes, cheese cubes with curry gravy, dhal, and papadum, simple but nice. At first we thought the cheese cubes are tofu cooked like mapo tofu style. My first bite, eeeerrrmmm I had a hard time swallowing as it is too weird for me.. Cheese cooked savoury, but the gravy was nice. Ramli enjoyed it so much he finish everything. Good lunch for him…

trying to call someone?

can get?

is cold

We sat down at the porch looking at people passing, and the Grandma of Seela Inn sorting out the 2 crates of tomatoes that she just bought from the vegetable vendor.. She was just sitting right be side us. She turned and said something in Tibetan which we don’t understand at all. And pointed to the tomato and to touch her skin.. I guess is eating tomato will give you smooth skin… Than she continued talking to me in Tibetan.. Something about Yumthang Valley, beauty beauty… Than after the grandson Sonam translated for us … She asked if we went to bath in the hot spring… So we showed her, its too cold… She continued sorting the tomatoes and later she showed me her hand and held my hand and touch her face… Seems to be saying that her hands are wrinkled and mine still smooth and ‘beauty”… wahahahah I told her no mine is very dry and wrinkled too. We can feel her warmth even though we cannot understand a single word she say. She is dressed in her traditional Tibetan costume, hair pleated with pink and blue strings and tied up neatly. Her face wrinkled with 67 years of wisdom.. How we wish that we could speak Tibetan there and then..

Cant get enough

Stroll around the village for a while then headed back to the room to do some editing on the pictures while we wait for dinner!!

Anxiously waiting for dinner

Time pass so fast and it was already dinner time 1930hrs. Went downstairs and see what was prepared for this Tibetan feast… Sonam introduced to us their traditional Tibetan dish, a steam bun looking mantou hand made with stir fried cabbage and tomato stir fried with dry chillies and garlic and also a simple vegetable soup.. Dig in!! As usual dinner was great.

Chit chatted with Sudan, he told us his expedition to Mt Tallur @ 7000+m (might be wrong spelling).. He say it was so cold and near to the sun that the skin on their faces peeled and was burnt black and their lips chapped so badly… Even moisturizer wont be able to help.. Told us there is one summiter who fill up a water bag with hot water to put in his sleeping bag to keep warm, but in the middle of the night he kept shouting for Sudan cause his water bag was leaking and wet his sleeping bag.. Wahahahahahahah Sudan laughed … Than the topic change to cats, cause we didn’t see many cats in India.. There are stray dogs everywhere. Then he told us, actually in the afternoon he still have the other half of the chicken he bought yesterday… They left the chicken in the kitchen than later saw the small little cat took it and ate it all… Ooohhhh we said no wonder there is no chicken for lunch today… Wahahahha the cat was a resident of the lodge…

Elder Sis, Brother and baby sis

Arent he adorable... His eyes just melts your heart..

Family pic

After a while 3 little kids came into the dining area.. 2 girls and a boy whom we saw loitering outside yesterday.. The little boy was grabbed into the dining room yesterday night by Sonu as he wanted to give him a chappati with fried cabbage… He was real cute, his face was all dirty and his pants were dropping that we could see his butt crack… He walked out in his blue rubber boots, so cuuuuuuutee!! I’m happy to see him again today, walked over and wanted to talk to them, but the moment he saw me he ran out like speedy Gonzales… Kekekekek so I spoke with the little girl with of course a translator, the grand daughter of Tibetan Grandma… The eldest is 7 years old and she is carrying her 1 year old sister and the little speedy Gonzales was her 4 year old brother.. I looked out and see him running across the streets in the rain screaming…Ahhhh ahhhhh ahhhh and when no one was looking he ran in from the other door and tried to peep at us from behind a partition… Ahaahaaa when I stood up and wanted to approach he ran out again criss crossing the streets … So adorable la this little boy.. After running out a few times finally his elder sister manage to grab him inside but only for a while then out he went again… But Finally he mum grabbed him inside cause I said that I would like to take a photo of them… Felt bad cause the mum hit him and scolded him…

After the children came 3 police officers who was visiting Lachung from Gangtok on duty. One of them was interested in our EEE Pc so asked us some questions and we started chit chatting with them… They recommended places for us to go in Sikkim which we wish we could be able to go but due to the visa dates we had to move on.. Maybe another time we told them… They told us that to get out of India and travel Singapore is their dream… As they say to travel outside is too costly for them… So sad… : ( but told them if they were to come can always contact us… But we didn’t exchange contacts.. wahahhaha But took Sonam’s FB id so we could keep in touch…

By then it was already 1020hrs … wow time really flies here … So we retired to our rooms to get some sleep… Tomorrow we will be leaving this beautiful place….