Northeast India has always been one of my dream locations to visit. And ever since I made a few friends from the Northeast during college, the dream was getting bigger and better. When my friend invited me to visit her hometown Darjeeling, I finally got the courage to follow this dream. Sikkim is only 130 kms from Darjeeling; perfect for a road trip. My friend’s cousin is the owner of a travel agency called Vajraj Travels and he made the most doable itinerary for me. He recommended me to visit the most peaceful part of the state West Sikkim, stay in a small town called Pelling and travel to nearby areas via cab. The plan was set and the stay was booked. However, the trip had a rocky start. I was supposed to leave for Sikkim on 16th April and there were Lok Sabha elections on the 18th. Due to election duty the taxis from WB were not allowed to go to any other state which led to a shortage of taxis. There were no direct cabs to Pelling, and the taxi drivers in WB told me to travel to Jorethang and try for a cab from there. At this point, there were 2 possibilities, either I will get to visit Pelling and explore West Sikkim or I will end up going to Gangtok, which I did not want it is extremely crowded during the tourist season. With hope in my heart and curiosity in my eyes I left for this unknown adventure.
Thankfully I got to ride shotgun. The ticket costed me Rs. 150. After a few cloudy days it was finally sunny. The taxi was also carrying groceries for the nearby villages, so on our way to Jorethang we had to make a couple of stops. I have always believed that villages reflect the true aspect of a place. Mostly everyone spoke in Nepali around this area and they greeted each other with respect. people looked genuinely happy to see each other ;one thing that you never really get to see in the city. It was lovely witnessing this sight. After a few uneven roads and a few bridges, finally it was touchdown Sikkim. The dream was shaping up. The moment we reached Jorethang taxi stand I was just praying that I somehow get 1 taxi to Pelling. However, there were none. I was disappointed, but the man at the counter guided me to go to Geyzing and take a taxi to Pelling as it is only 10 kms from there. Well, at that moment I felt hope again. I bought a ticket for Pelling for 120 rs, sat in the car and waited for another journey to begin, 50 kms and 2 hours across the mountains. This ride was uphill and pretty musical until we crossed the road construction site. For a while it was dusty and the roads were uneven but as we kept going uphill the cold breeze started kicking in and as soon as we reached Geyzing taxi stand it started raining, mountains and rains, such a bliss. And now, it was time for the last leg of my journey to Pelling. The taxis stop running after 5:30 PM and I thanked my stars as I reached Geyzing at 5:00 PM. I took the share taxi for 50 rs and left for Pelling, a journey of half an hour. I had high hopes from this place as I travelled so much just to reach this place. And all my expectations were fulfilled as soon as the driver dropped me to the circle. Pelling, is a small town in West Sikkim mostly comprising of small restaurants and hotels, as it is station point for a tourists to stay and explore the nearby areas. No chaos, no noise, humble people and unique hospitality. The journey from Darjeeling-Jorethang-Geyzing-Pelling in just less than 12 hours was totally adventurous and memorable. The story about the next three days in Sikkim to follow soon. Stay tuned!
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