A Twilight Saga!

Tripoto
29th Dec 2018
Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan
Day 1

I wanted to end the year doing something I like the most. So what would be better than ending the year in a new place, with some known and unknown faces, with something different to look forward to. So the plan was to get out of the hustle and bustle of city life which I often find depressing and disturbing.
All I knew was the name of the place. Its called Sri Antu in Nepal. 🏡

How to Reach :
So we left early in the morning around 7 from Siliguri and took a bus till mirik. After reaching mirik by 9, we had our breakfast over there and got fresh a bit. Then we booked a taxi for Okaity tea Garden from where we were supposed to start the trek for Sri Antu. It took us one and half hours to reach the top.

Basically Sri Antu is known for its sunrise and sunset view points. Well, that was an enough temptation for me to visit this place. As soon as we reached there, it was found that the place has quite a number of homestays recently made. So first we picked up one of our choice. A small one having a beautiful attic attached on the top. And it cost us only 900rs. Next we had some authentic Nepali lunch in the same homestay and relished each bit of it. Then we thought of exploring the nearby area so left for a stroll towards the view point.

What makes the view point most beautiful is the long walk through a pine forest which is quite dense and absolutely serene. And when the golden rays of the sun started peeping through the trees, you simply can't take your eyes off. We enjoyed the sun slowly sinking into the horizon at the backdrop of the beautiful hills. I have seen many sunsets but this was quite different. It was a very subtle crimson colour which was complementing the calmness of the hills so well! We stuffed our eyes with the beauty with  a hot cup of tea in hand. Then the chilly wind started blowing its trumpets. And the locals knew what to do next. There was bonfire in every nook and corner of the road with people making themselves warm in the flames. What a lovely sight it was to behold!

Life seemed quite simple and slow at this place. The locals are very welcoming and generous,having their own simple ways of life. The peace and quiteness of the place has penetrated the lives of the people as well. They are far far away from the so called "modern" world most of us live in. It was a beautiful feeling to see some different versions of life. 🍁
The night was quite colly I must say. An ideal ambience for those who love to enjoy cold. As for myself, being the one who loves cold weather, I simply tucked myself inside the blanket and enjoyed the ambience. But the rest of the night was damn windy to make anyone shiver throughout.

As soon as we woke up in the morning, we saw that our wooden staircases before the hut are covered beautifully with frost. There was an immediate smile on my face. The next thing was to go to the viewpoint. As soon as we approached the pine forest what caught our attention was the gorgeous ivory peaks of Mt Kunchenjunga standing majestically behind the hills! Well, our spirit was at its zenith. We climbed up the pine forest faster and reached the view point to get a clearer and broader view of the whole range. And yes, it was beautiful! From the view point tower you get to see the whole place along with the tops of Mt Kunchenjunga. What adds to the charm of the view is the greenery of the pine forest. Overall, it was a good outing for me before the ending of 2018. The smell of a new place is enough to make my heart fill with joy. ☘️

Mt Kunchenjunga!

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

Some warmth.

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

The tower of the view point.

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

Framing.

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

Our hut with this beautiful location around.

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

Some hot cups of tea. ☕

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

The twilight!

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

The pine forest.

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

Aah! The view from the forest.

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

The dusk!

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

The lake at night.

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

The lunch.

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan
Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

The frost.

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

Basking in the sun.

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

Against the pine forest.

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

Beholding the beauty.

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

The breakfast.

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

Towards the attic

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

The dining.

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

My beautiful ladies.

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan

The other Huts.

Photo of A Twilight Saga! by Puja Mahajan