Places to Visit Near Wangdue Phodrang

And at that very moment we became sure , this trip will gonna be a great one.We spent the afternoon in Mall , had the dinner. Enjoyed the night view of the Queen of the Hill for a while and got to sleep.

We reached at Darjeeling at about 2:00 in the afternoon. Checked in the Hotel and after having our lunch we were completely in Lyadhkhor (= Bengali for being Lazy like nobody) mode. And we saw this -

We got ready by 4:30 in the morning , as we were scheduled to watch the Sunrise from the Tiger Hill. But the driver got very angry. As per him , 3:30 would be the best time to depart. And while our journey to we realized why. There were hundreds of vehicles were going from there to the same destination. The roads were filled up with cars. As we were already late, the only way to got there before sunrise was fastening our seat-belts and allow the driver to drive as fast as possible. That exactly what we did. That was heck of a driving. Never forget that. But despite of the furious drive, we actually thanked the driver when we reached at Tiger Hill 5:25 am.

"You need to come out from your comfort zone, for your career, for you traveling as well" It was a lazy morning , I got up really late. We were about to go for sightseeing at about 2:00. So, I was just enjoying the fresh morning. And then we got the news. Dipu's friend , who was told to book the returned ticket, failed to do so. There were no train for return. We were about to return on the next day. Nobody's data network was working except mine. It might not been happened if we planned it and executed it ourselves. Regarding train, there was no other option except returning in unreserved coach. But there is no point of thinking on the matters you don't have your hand. There's nothing we could do until next day. So , we moved out for sightseeing. The roads were full of cars. Most of them are narrower than the city's one way road. We forced to skip few places for traffic. We should have started in the morning. Some places we missed - Singallila National Forrest ( Famous for rear Red Panda), Tenzing Rock (offers rock climbling).What we enjoyed -

We have planned only half day for darjeeling but most of the points are to be visited early in the morning starting from sunrise at Tiger Hills, so we are hopeful that we will be able to do it.We are ready to travel while raindrops pouring down from sky. We are having only one rucksack with rain covers. Our raincoats are ready and we are planning to go slow on wet roads. Separate poly bags are packed for keeping wet clothes, wallets and mobiles. Shoes and tough to dry clothes are avoided. Gears are packed, tickets are booked and we are all set to have an adventurous, energetic and drizzling bike trip. See you on the other side of the journey. Bye Bye.

Shopping (if needed) must be done in the evening as everything shuts early night due to fog and low visibility.The best season to visit Darjeeling is from March to May or October to November. Monsoons offer wonderful experience but there are chances of landslides. Winters are chilly and it sometimes snows in Darjeeling.

How to reach Darjeeling?Unfortunately, there is no direct connectivity to Darjeeling. A general route is a flight or train from Kolkata to Jalpauguri (Siliguri). One can hire a cab from Jalpaiguri or take the toy train to Darjeeling.Places of Interest:

Located in the lesser Himalayas at an elevation of 6700 ft, lies a town famous for its tea across the globe - Darjeeling. But Darjeeling is not just tea. It is a traveler's paradise. It is located in West Bengal, India.Darjeeling lies in the shadow of the worlds third highest peak - the Kangchenjunga. The Himalayan railway here is also a UNESCO world heritage site.This place was known as the summer capital of India during the British rule. The history records date back to the early 19th century when the British established a sanatorium and a military depot in the region.

Motorcycling is special and more when you have a brotherhood to ride along and even more when the destination is itself a spectacular. I love to travel on motorcycle because it’s the best way to soak in the experience, and all of it. But what if your calling surpasses your proclivity to tour, what if you escape stretches beyond where the roads will take you well that is when you quell your urge to dominate and pick something built to work with the elements.Bhutan - A Buddhist kingdom on the Himalayas eastern edge, is known for its religious communities, fortresses otherwise commonly known as dzongs and sensational scenes that range from subtropical fields to soak mountains and valleys. The country is filled with mountains, monasteries, a treasure house of buddhist art, is a kaleidoscope of fluttering prayer flags everywhere and anywhere you go, magic, and HAPPINESS.In the year’s post world war II, Gross Domestic product or GDP became the gold standard for gauging a nation's overall health and productivity. But while most countries focused on industrial output, a tiny Himalayan kingdom created its own method to measure its worth using Gross National Happiness or GNH.It is a country that maps its progress via GNH (Gross National Happiness) bridges the gateway to the Himalayan Rhapsody, is well fabled for some of the highest bends per kilometre world over and rightfully features as a top riding destination. Once can submerge themselves into the purring symphony of pure motorcycling along deep broad valleys, rice paddies, orchards, specks of tiny villages along the roadside, just for starters this ride catapult itself into yet another unforgettable experience.Bhutan's perception as an idyllic wonderland is owed in part of it location. The small mountainous country shares its borders with India, Tibet, and China. The unspoiled nature and peaceful citizenry is why Bhutan is often seen as "a magic time machine and has long history of not accepting outside influence to protect its identity. It was said after defeating Tibetan forces and feuding warlords in 16th century, Bhutan's 4th king unified the country and cultivated a unique culture to differentiate itself from warring powers.A distinct Bhutanese identity emerged which emphasised a communal relationship with nature a lifestyle centred around Buddhism. Bhutan avoided globalization and preserved its society in isolation for centuries. As the rest of the world modernized, Bhutan still has no currency, hospitals, telephones, or even proper roads. As per the reports it wasn't until late 60's when Bhutan opened its doors to the outside world and started to focus on development and Indians were first to offer their help.But instead of hurriedly adopting western reform, Bhutan's beloved fourth king Jigme Singye Wangchuck invited GNH to guide his country's progress. GNH measures spiritual growth instead of rising incomes, and relies on four key pillars: GOOD GOVERNANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, CULTURE, and ENVIRONMENTAL CONVERVATION.Nevertheless, in the survey for Gross National Happiness survey, over 90% of Bhutanese still considered happy. Modernization hasn't shifted Bhutan's moral centre completely off balance, However, as democratic institutions are put in place, there could be more consequences if the talk of happiness persists over real progress.A special thanks to my FRIENDS Dr. Rutvik Vanamala, Abhishek Reddy, Karthigeyan Ram and Pradeep who made this dream ride come true. We are proud of ourselves and looking forward for the next adventure. Until next time ride safe and stay safe. 😊

Darjeeling the queen of the hills is famed for the splendid view of the Mt. Kanchenjunga and of course the heritage Darjeeling Himalayan Toy train ride. But a vacation to Darjeeling is incomplete without experiencing the mouth-watering food of some infamous local food joints. When you are in Darjeeling definitely give a treat to your taste buds from these delicious eateries. 1. Keventer’s You should not miss this place if you are fond of English breakfast and snacks and Keventer’s is my personal favourite. It is famous for serving traditional English breakfast with items like sandwiches, chicken salami, sausages & meat loafs, ham & pork sausages since the British colonial era. Accompany it with a pot of hot Darjeeling tea or foamed cup of coffee. The best part is enjoying the splendid view of Mt. Kanchenjunga and the mountains from the open terrace seating area while sipping your hot tea or coffee. If nothing, for the Keventer’s one can return to Darjeeling again and again. It is situated at the beginning of the busy Nehru road. 2. Glenary’s Bakery & Café Glenery’s is undoubtedly the best bakery and cake shop in Darjeeling. This British era cake shop and café which is owned by Edward family located on the ground floor of a two storied building in the Nehru road. You must try their mouth-watering cakes, pastries and patties. During the breakfast time they serve different types of sandwiches, pizza, burgers, pies etc. You will get refreshing Darjeeling tea and coffee also. The café has a wonderful seating area with the breathtaking view of the mountains and valley through the glass wall. Now they provide free wifi to the guests and also accept debit/credit cards. 3. Glenary’s Restaurant This heritage restaurant of Darjeeling which was established during the British era is situated on the first floor of the same building in which Glenary’s Bakery & Café is operating. The restaurant’s decoration and ambience is very elegant and charming. The wooden and glass windows give amazing view of Mt. Kanchenjunga and the valley during the day time. They have a bar with good collection of Indian and foreign liquors. Their specialty is in Continental, Tandoor and Chinese dishes. You must try their Grilled Chicken, Roasted chicken, Pork Steak, Pork Roast, Beef Steak etc. But they also make very delicious Tandoori, Kabab and Tikkas. The Chinese preparations are also no way less. So if you are in Darjeeling don’t miss this by any chance. 4. Kunga Kunga, a small and budget Tibetan restaurant located on Gandhi road below the hotel Dekeling just next to the taxi stand. You will get one of the best momo of Darjeeling here. You must try their delicious steamed chicken, pork or beef momo. You can also try their tasty soups and thukpas along with the momo. They serve very tasty noodles, fried rice and side dishes. The food is cheap and served in large quantities. You can accompany your meal with lemon ginger honey tea or a cup of black or milk coffee.  This is a casual restaurant and very small, hardly can accommodate 15 to 20 guests. It is very difficult to get place here during a rush hour. 5. Sonam’s Kitchen Sonam’s Kitchen is a small eatery run by a Nepali couple Sonam and his husband Puran. The café is located on Zakir Hussain Road a few minutes uphill walk from the Chowrasta Mall. It is actually a garage space is used for running the eatery but now they have an extension just on the opposite side of the road. You should visit this for awesome pancake with fruits, hash brown potatoes, porridge, cheese toast, fried eggs, and sandwiches in breakfast. Sonam is really a great coffee maker, so don’t miss the coffee. They don’t serve lunch. In dinner you will get delicious pastas and different kind of soups. You can try their Nepali dishes also. 6. Golden Tips The Golden Tips tea lounge located on the Chowrasta Mall is run by the Golden Tips Tea Company. You can get the fresh and best Darjeeling tea here along with some veg snacks like pakoda. You can order Darjeeling tea of different variety & flavours from their menu card. The seating lounge offers an amazing view of mountains through the large windows. You also can buy some packaged Darjeeling tea for your home from the counter. 7.  Gatty’s Café This is a comparatively newly made café on Zakir Hussain Road. The casual ambience with dim light and creative decoration gives a great ambience. The café is gifted with a magnificent view of the mountains. So you can enjoy your tea or coffee with a view of the mountain ranges. There is good stock of books in one section of the café for the book lovers. You will get pork and beef dishes in western cuisine or you can try fried dumplings, fish or chicken cutlet, crispy chicken etc. The café has a music room and bar also. Live music is performed in the evening. This café remains open until late night which is very unusual in Darjeeling. Note: Few images courtesy to Google