Land in the clouds - East Sikkim

I and my friend Trisha had gone for a friend's wedding in siliguri, from where we hit the road to Sikkim! We did a very small part of the state in a span of 4 days, but were left with the feeling of coming back to it. It was the time when the terrible earthquake hit Nepal and we felt the tremors occasionally over the next few days of our trip.

We took a cab from Siliguri to Gangtok, drove through Kalimpong and river Teesta..The white water of the river, the tall trees and prayer flags lined all along the road almost gives you a calm feeling. We reached in the evening, checked into hotel Fairmount near MG market. We asked for a mountain facing room put in our luggage and walked down to the market which was about 5 mins walking distance. Settled in for a take away dinner and called it an early night.

The next morning, when i woke up to the mighty Himalayan range, it was a feeling that I cannot get over. So might, so vast yet so calm, we saw the sunrise from behind the mountain, and headed out to the rumtek monastery. The monastery is one of the most beautiful and calming. We saw a ‘mandala’ being made by the monks for a special ceremony.

I had read about this little village called ‘Zuluk’ which is situated on the silk route, and one of the last villages at the India-China border. I shared my desire and luckily the cab driver had a brother who hailed from that region. Getting permissions were a little difficult, but he helped us with everything and got the papers on time. The next day we were to leave to Zuluk.

We shopped for some essential snow jackets and woolens at Gangtok that evening, and I with all vigor was ready to leave the next day. We drove through the Tsongmo Lake, and I experienced my second snow! We played in the snow, made snow angels, and admired the frozen lake in the month of April and savored maggi and momos. The journey after this was out of a postcard. Mountains of snow, and your car cutting through the sharp hair-pin turns, cluster of houses and army camps, smiling faces and the warmest people.

We were two girls travelling alone, with no network and no mobile connectivity, yet we always felt at home and welcome. Zuluk is a small village on the silk route, and it takes 32 sharp hair-pin turns to reach there. But that little village is the best place to find your calm. It is home to a few homestay’s where the host’s make you feel a part of their family. Their friends and family came that evening, and we had conversations of everything under the sun. From the grandmother to the kids, I never felt so satisfied sharing my stories and hearing theirs. We spent two days there, and got back to gangtok with stories and smiles.

The next day we were at leisure at Gangtok. In gangtok one must try the bakery food at baker’s café, and fried momos. Every little café and restaurant at MG market has scrumptious food. It is the little impromptu adventures that shape your travel and makes you come face to what you are, and what you want.

somewhere about 13,000 ft above sea level