Escapade in Himalayas

After mundane routine of office to home and home to office at Mumbai we decided to take a break and escape into geographically far away and different destination of Sikkim. I’ve been to Himalayas before but I was small then and my thinking was only restricted to sheer enjoyment and nothing else. So this time as I embarked upon this journey I was discovering a never before emotions and thinking that engulfed my mind as soon as I saw the snow capped mountains amidst the white clouds and only blue sky from the plane and I couldn’t believe my eyes. There was nothing around, only blue sky. I found a very deep and mysterious view of which I still have the photographic memory of this view.

Our first stop was Darjeeling. It was too cold for someone like me who has minimum tolerance for cold. Next day I put on layers of clothes to look fat enough. Darjeeling is a hill station where you will have great chances to catch a picturesque of Kanchenjunga’s view which is the  3^rd highest mountain in the world. Weather is unpredictable, rains one day next day it will be sunny. When we were leaving Darjeeling we got a different view of Kanchenjunga.

Pelling is such a small town but it gave us more clear and generous view of Kanchenjunga. One would lose oneself into the vastness of mountains, it then makes you realize you are such a tiny person with huge ego but not superior to this nature. And how can I miss the spicy soups and noodles? Appetite grows quite astoundingly here. Everything was simply amazing but the best part is yet to come.

A Treacherous Expedition to North Sikkim!

Lachung is a small mountain village at an altitude of 8,610ft and located about 118kms from Gangtok.  Roads are not in good condition even though it is very scenic. It can be extremely foggy. A person with mountain sickness needs to be cautious. The moment I stepped in Lachung my head started spinning and whole night I threw up. But that doesn’t stop anybody from admiring the Teesta river flowing nearby and vast greenery and snow capped mountains. Nearby is the Yumthang valley and zero point.

Yumthang valley has the snowy road and sometimes stones are covered in snow such a way that it presents itself  as  a Vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips. It is situated at 13,000 ft high altitude.

                                                                     Yumthang Valley

When you go up on the snow, trudging the way through slippery road that feeling is magical. A cloud settled on top of the snowy mountains is a kind of scenery you would never want to miss in your life. Everything stops for a second then the wind blows, your heart sings the melody of  unknown tune but beating goes faster as you chase wind and you chase your shadows with all chances of falling down really fast. Loads of people fell on snow, I didn’t even had ice shoes but with every step I took was careful knowing that snow is pretty white slaying me with its beauty but it can’t take me down.  You breathe fresh air; feel the warmth of clothes in bone chilling cold, drink a hot tea under the clear sky and forget your life back at home. You feel like you could just be there forever.