Around the Next Corner With Wendy: Four Nights in Gangtok and the World's Your Oyster...(Part 2)

We knew from our research that we should have no trouble finding a guide company in Gangtok. Because the trek we were planning to do was located entirely in the Kanchenjunga National Park, trekkers are required to enlist the services of a licensed guide. Because the permits need to be secured in Gangtok, it seemed like a logical place to start.

What we didn't anticipate was how many tour operators we would find there. It seemed like every 20 feet there was another storefront advertising guided tours and treks (though upon further examination, many of them were aimed at the tour-bus crowd). We'd gotten a few basic quotes from companies over email while we were stateside, but we were hoping that a visit in person would get us a better deal and a more personal experience. But where to start? It was like choosing a hot dog stand at the fair!

We spoke to our hotel manager, and he had a friend he recommended we speak to. While we waited for the two of them to get in contact, we visited a storefront that was just down the street from the hotel, but off of the main tourist drag called Hub Outdoor. Their street presence was very professional and they sold trekking gear inside - I figured that was a good sign. (Yup - I'm a girl - I picked the 'shiny' one). We got a quote from them, but it was over a rough cell phone call with the manager who was in Yuksom (about a 6 hour drive away). We told them we'd consider, then went to meet with our special contact.

The guide's name was Baichung, or at least he was one of the owners of the guide company, Altitude Tours and Travels. He had a fancy hairdoo and very nice clothes and shared tales of his trips to other parts of India, Asia and all over. Although he was clearly very experienced, he was also a bit spacey and given to wander off in conversation. Maybe it was a part of his strategy for selling the tour to us that we spent such a long time together - it seemed almost rude to take up that much of his time and then not book with him! In the end, we agreed that we'd start the trip in two days with a ride to Yuksom (where the trek starts). Baichung promised us a leisurely trip in the car, with stops at local monasteries and waterfalls, comfortable accommodations in Yuksom (hot showers), thick air mattresses for the trek and even a secret stash of dried meat which we would need to protect from the porters as we hiked - afterall, they'd eat it all at once if they could he told us.

Baichung was very good at promising things, it seemed! (Altitude Tour's website boasts "Book with us directly and pay local trekking prices. Our company is actually run by an trekking guide, not a professional business man." Now how's THAT for reassuring!)

It didn't take much for us to be convinced by his generous smile and the free tea he served in his office. Soon we were off to gather the needed currency to pay for our trip in advance - and get ourselves some dinner in the process. With our trek date set, we were now determined to enjoy a little of Gangtok before we left it for good as well. We returned to our hotel after dark, though we were still asleep before 9pm.

A very nice curio shop with built-in-internet cafe

Sarah demonstrates the comfort at Hotel Pandim

Our hectic schedule thus far had left us with no real idea what day or date it was. It really didn't seem to matter much at all. Therefore, I was not aware when I woke up at 3am on our second morning in Gangtok that it was Friday the 13th. What I did know was that the small scratchiness in my throat had blossomed into a full blown head cold and that the discomfort in my stomach was quickly moving into the world of painful cramps and diarrhea.

Happy Friday the 13th.

We'd planned to head to the Enchey Monastery to participate in a blessing - or puja - from a monk there. We'd read up on it a bit, and our hotel manager, Kirsan, had given us special instructions - without which we'd have been completely lost. I hoped that if I got up and moved around that I would start to feel better, so we walked up the steep hill to the monastery. About half way up I realized that walking was not going to make me feel better, but by that point I was mentally committed to the project, and I forced myself to get to the top of the hill.

As described by Kirsan, there were small shops at the base of the monastery that sold the millet beer or chang which is offered during the puja. We expected to be buying literal beer, but instead what was sold was bags of the fermented millet (later we learned that the drink itself is made by pouring hot water over the fermented millet and drinking it from a bamboo tube - but that's in another post). After a little wandering about, we were assigned a young monk to guide us to the correct spot to give our offering and receive the blessing. No photos or videos were permitted inside, so you'll have to do with my blow-by-blow description:

We were ushered into a tiny room with a monk, a statue (I think of Buddha, but I'm not sure) and another man in the process of finishing a kneel-bow-stand maneuver.
The other gentleman left without a sound, and the monk welcomed us. I think he was a little dismayed to learn we spoke only English (I don't think he spoke any).
Then, he took Sarah's bag of chang and emptied it into a brass chalice. Sarah sprinkled the rice we'd been given by our host on top. The monk motioned for me to do the same with my grain - though I must admit that he made it look much easier than it was (the chalice was very full).
We put a small token (meaning cash) on the tray in front of the monk - luckily there were many other tokens there so the meaning was obvious.
We were instructed to kneel before the statue opposite the monk and he began chanting. Just as he began, another supplicant came in, set up her own puja (very gracefully, unlike me), and began a series of kneel-bow-stand-kneel motions that I wondered if we were supposed to be echoing.
Rather than look ridiculous doing something that I had no idea the meaning of, I just knelt there. My stomach appreciated the stillness anyway.
The chanting stopped and namaste's were exchanged. Our chang was emptied into a larger bucket of the same and the chalice was emptied for the next supplicant.
It seemed we were supposed to leave at this point, so we did.

Though originally we'd hoped for a blessing for our trek, instead we hoped for a blessing for my health - which by way of default was important to our journey overall. I can't say that it didn't work, but I think maybe it might have been more effective if I'd had some clue as to what was going on.

We were up at sunrise (joy to jet lag), and I just caught an image of Kanchenjunga in the alpenglow from the roof of the hotel. Not an impressive picture, but it was neat to see.

Clouds lingering in the valley at dawn - Kanchenjunga is the bright spot over the saddle in the background

Spinning the prayer wheels heading into the monastery

Our guide turned into two, then three...soon, we had more help than we could handle!

The monastery was built in 1909, and is very ornately decorated.

I believe this is a statue of Lama Drupthob Karpa, who was reported to have the power of flight.

To the left in the image is one of the small shops selling the chang for the puja. They also sold breakfast to the monks, who were hanging out and chatting on their cell phones while enjoying their cornflakes.

I was so sick by this point that we actually paid 100rs ($2) for a cab ride back to the hotel (which was down hill, so it should have been much cheaper). However, I think that my pallor and desperation were obvious enough. We got back to the hotel and I crawled back into bed, feverish and aching, without even having eaten breakfast. Sarah came and went over the next few hours, but I spent the rest of the day between the bed and the toilet, caring very little about anything other than trying to sleep off the misery.

At some point during the day we learned that the recent rainy weather had caused a large landslide nearby which knocked out the water supply to the entire town. The loss of running water would be a tragedy under any circumstances, but when you're sick as a dog... Lets just say that I really wanted/needed a hot shower, but there wasn't one in my near future. Toilet flushing became an activity completed with a bucket, along with any washing we might have needed. The hotel management was very apologetic - even though there wasn't a thing they could do about it - and they were very good about supplying us with extra buckets of water. The rainy weather continued (water water everywhere but not a drop to drink...), and it was unseasonably cold so the management gave us a space heater as well. They even brought a pot of tea down to the room for me. It was sweet the way they were trying to take care of me, even though we'd just met and we didn't speak the same language at all.

People lined up on the Marg to get their water buckets filled

Bringing water to a thirsty town - in style!

I have to give kudos to Sarah for being such a trooper. She didn't once get frustrated with my miserably sick ass. In fact, she was very helpful - even passing on a couple of doses of antibiotics when my diarrhea turned into vomiting. Nothing like the atom-bomb of Cipro to remove any intestinal bad guys. She arranged with our guide to push our departure date back a day, which would also shorten our trek a bit. But we knew I'd be in no shape for a bumpy 6 hour car ride the next morning, let alone trekking in two days.

By Saturday morning, I felt human enough to head upstairs for breakfast. The hotel staff was very concerned for how I was feeling, and were nicely attentive. I managed to eat a half a bowl of porridge and drink some tea. We played a round of Farkle, which considering the very early hour raised a few eyebrows. One of the other guests, a Frenchwoman named Francois who we'd later get to know even better, stopped in the dining room and commented that we were starting awfully early. We hurried to make it clear that we weren't betting or anything ;)

Dice and porridge - what a way to start the day!

Sarah and I were hoping I'd be able to get around to see some more of the town, much of which she'd explored while I slept on Friday. We figured if we started out by walking downhill we'd know how much I could handle, and if it got bad we could either take a taxi or the ropeway back up.

Gangtok is famous for it's 'Flower Show', a greenhouse garden where the showcase native and non-native orchids are arranged for beautiful display.

What a chance for a collage! Or a corsage...take your pick (but don't pluck)

With infrastructure like this, I don't see how service outages could happen...

The amazing abilities of Indians to carry things on their heads...

An interesting blend of eastern religious iconography and Christian symbols - the Virgin Mary in the mountain...

A typical Gangtok alley was never straightforward...the gentleman on the right is standing in the Roll House getting yummy veg rolls!

A woodworking shop in the alley - at least they weren't trapped inside all day!

Sarah enjoys a veg roll and I tried to eat some momos...

The monkeys were cute when they were playing in the trees and generally ignoring us. Later, however, we'd learn how cute they aren't when they're approaching you boldly...

The pedestrian walk below the Ropeway (turned into NamNang road later) - lined with prayer flags and full of amazing views.

Sarah on the Nam Nang Walkway

A sign that on this turn, you should refrain from blowing your horn...it's close to the official government residences.

The Aerial Tram or Ropeway

The Institute of Tibetology - a great resource for learning more about the elaborate symbols and stories of Tibetan Buddhism.

Entrance to the museum - no photography inside.

My big purchase in Gangtok...a supposed Pashima shawl/scarf - the color was more important to me than whether or not it was genuine Pashima wool...

We ended up walking back up the hill - finding that as long as I didn't move too fast I was okay. By the time we returned to our hotel, I needed a nap pretty badly. Sarah went up to the restaurant/terrace for tea. When I'd rested enough, I joined her for dinner - just in time for a massive storm to blow into Gangtok. The thunder and lightning were just as impressive as any Tucson monsoon, and even magnified by the steep valley walls. The hotel staff rushed to bring in their potted plants, and just in time as the rain turned into hail. The power went out for almost half an hour, and we ate our dinner by the glow of the storm and a few stray candles. It was actually quite magical - and I was glad to be up in the room with the very best view in town.

The next morning, it was time to hit the road for our trek. We bid adieu to Kirsan and the rest of the staff and enjoyed breakfast with Francois, who gave us some recommendations for lodgings when we got to Darjeeling (she has a very interesting story of her own - but maybe in another post). It was time to get moving again...and with our trekking guide, Raj and our very capable driver, we set off for Yuksom at the base of Kanchenjunga National Park.