Trek Day 11: The Remains of the Trek

The cast and crew...

The next morning we awoke to another beautiful, warm day in Sikkim.  No elaborate breakfast this time, just whatever is left out of the packs: we were out of instant coffee, eggs and toast.  Our porridge was light on nuts and fruits.  It was a hardship, but we endured - afterall, we'd have a soft bed and hot shower tonight!  Right?


Right?


Ahem...I get ahead of myself once again.  First we have to hike back to Yuksom.

Loading up the animals for the final day.  I think they were glad to be heading back home, to a few days rest and plentiful eating

And people wondered why I wasn't as fast... Look at all the legs I was competing with!

On the trail below Tshoka

Raj shows us the color of the cobra lily

The pack animals crossing the Prek Chu

Along the way, we encountered this young pony who seemed lost.  If ever something looked like the embodiment of the 'My Pretty Pony' dolls from the 80's - it was this one!

Back into the jungle, amid giant trees

Sarah and the white rhododendron 

Each individual bloom on this plant was massive!

Just below Bakim

Poor Raj was not having a banner day.  I think he caught my cold - or someone's anyway - and he was coughing and sneezing the whole way.  He would stop repeatedly to clear his throat or his nose, and with my nearly 13 days of coughing, I totally felt sorry for him.  At least it made him a little easier to keep up with!

To add to the problems, the brand new tent which we had been using ended up getting damaged somehow during the trip (I swear - it wasn't me!).  Several holes appeared in the bright pink rainfly, and from all of the arguing in Nepalese, I think there was some debate as to who's responsibility it was.  Either way, Raj's brand new tent was damaged, and I'm sure that's no small expense for him.

Since our stop at Kokchurong, I'd been trying to talk one of the crew into trading with me for one of their special Khukuri knives. They were constant companions for the porters, yak men and cooks, who used them for everything from gathering food from the dzo to cleaning under their fingernails. Knowing how Gary loves blades, and the fact that these 8-10" long steel monsters were something unique to the region, I figured a well used, trail worn one would be a perfect memento to give as a gift. However, the men were more than a little hesitant to part with this essential tool of the trade.  I told our guides that I was willing to trade a number of cool things, including my own lightweight pocket knife, but I was informed that a 'trade' of cash would be more attractive.  So I offered cash.

Another yakman with his Khukuri

Honestly, I offered more cash than these things would have been worth brand new (though I didn't know it at the time).  But no takers.  I think that Raj's bad temper had more to do with my failure than anything, and since I could barely say hello and goodbye to the others without a translator, I was stuck.  It seemed that the precious Khukuri blades were just not for sale.  At least not on the trail...

The steepness of the environment was incredible

The final bridge on the way back to Yuksom

It's like walking though a botanical garden

I've had these as houseplants, but never had leaves like this!  Each one is at least 5' long!

Another example of Arisaema

Raj on the trail just before Yuksom

We got into town around noon.  It was still a beautiful day - warm and sunny with some small clouds in the distance.  Raj lead us back to our same hotel, but this time the room we'd been in previously was now torn apart in the renovation process.  There was only one room with a functioning bathroom, on the ground floor.  As we waited for our bag, we retrieved our other things (including CLEAN LAUNDRY!) from the office.  

Our room this time was not nearly as nice as our last - it lacked the nice views, the small balcony and the extra roominess that we'd enjoyed.  Considering that we'd been in a tent for ten nights, though, we thought it couldn't be too bad.  Then we realized that the toilet didn't work, and that the hot water tank was - well, if not broken than at least not REALLY functional.  

No flush toilet.  No hot shower.  Beds only slightly softer than our mats.  So much for 'civilization'!

Even Raj, who was staying in the same hotel, asked if he could use our shower, as his didn't work at all.  We gave him the key as we left the room to wander Yuksom again.  I guess by the time he got there, some hot water came out.  Lucky Raj!

Sarah walks through the outskirts of Yuksom

School yard and villager

Day's hike: 12km and 1000 meters lost (about 7.4 mi, 3200feet)


After our tepid showers (at least we're clean, we set out to wander Yuksom again.  We quickly met up with our trekking mates (it's not a big town!), and we had one last adventure together.  Although we re-visited many of the sites that we'd seen days before, it was fun to wander again with good company.

A lovely home in Yuksom, complete with a sat. dish on the outhouse...

A shifty gang of Westerners walking the streets of Yuksom

These women were tending their garden - barefoot!  Wielding sharp digging tools barefoot would probably not end well for someone like me...

  

Detail from the chorten

Strips of bamboo lashings drying at a construction site

While peeking at the shops and street vendors, I found a place that sold locally made Khukuri knives. Although the woman who owned the store tried to talk me into the less expensive, more elaborately decorated ones made in China, I was drawn to these 11" long simple blades hammered out of an old automobile spring.  It came complete with a wooden sheath similar to those worn by our guides, and though it wasn't used, it was as genuine as I could get.  I couldn't help but balk at the 120 rupees she was asking for it.  It sounded so extravagant - but I couldn't stop thinking about it.  I walked away thinking I'd still be able to get a better deal elsewhere.  Such an American, right?

The group decided to meet for dinner, tumba and one last 'championship' round of Farkle.  Although we'd been promised at the start of our trip that dinner and hotel were included on the last day, we couldn't find Raj to get an answer out of him, so we just went ahead and met with Anne-Gael, Gael, Alok and the Germans at the Dragon Inn - the very small home-stay style hotel owned by Anne-Gael and Gael's trekking guide.

Here begins the discussion of 2 important things I learned in Yuksom:

1. Tumba is awesome, even though it sounds terrible.
2. If you think it's hard going without running water, try living in a town where electricity goes out more often than it remains on.

I'll get to the tumba in a minute, but it was number two that really struck me.  As we sat at the inn, we were only aware of the coming-and-going of the electricity once it became dark enough for us to need artificial lights to play our game of Farkle.  Even though we'd lived in tents for 11 days, we were so 'hardwired' (as it were) to expect electricity that we had a lot of difficulty dealing without it.  Candles blow out whenever there's a strong wind (like, whatever!) and gas lamps are blinding single-point light sources that are very difficult to read by.  

Yet, we were being hosted by this very gracious and sweet family who operated completely as if this electrical fluctuation was not inconvenient or annoying - it was expected!  They were willing to make us tumba, cook us dinner and listen to our Western dice obsession and they didn't even have power!  (Now I understand the nationwide habit of cooking on wood or propane).  

That's the beauty of Indian hospitality right there!

So, on to tumba...

We were served our tumba, and our eyes got big

Eventually we moved the party inside to the kitchen, where we could enjoy our dice game by candlelight. 

Flash!

ah, the lights came back on...

Those massive bamboo cups before you in each photo are the traditional vessel for making/serving tumba. As I mentioned in my post from Gangtok it is the traditional beer of Sikkim (also called chang). Even so, it was only available in a few of the bars andrestaurants in town. Other Westerners we'd talked to described it as 'nasty' or 'bitter', s we were a little hesitant t try it - but the Travel Channel watcher in me just wouldn't be satisfied until I at least gave it a shot.

So, what is Tumba?  Well - it starts with the fermented millet that we gave the monks in our puja.  In order to reach this particular stage of fermentation, the grain is boiled and then left to sit at room temperature for about a week or two.  Then it's scooped into the large hollow bamboo mugs you see here.  Hot water is then poured over the millet.  You let the water sit for 10 minutes and mix with the fermented millet, then you sip it up through a bamboo straw. 

That's it!  When you've consumed most of the water, you just pour more on.  It's a one-time purchase that keeps giving all night long!  

It's not really what I'd call beer - but it's pretty close in terms of the strength of the alcohol.  It's warm, which in the Himalaya seems like a good thing.  It's easy to transport, as it doesn't become a liquid until you add the hot water.  It's inexpensive, particularly if you want to drink a lot of it (since you only buy the beer once).  And, it's actually pretty tasty.  I'd put it in the 'nutty and sweet' category, though there was a slightly bitter aftertaste (though nothing compared to an IPA).  Overall, I am quite glad I tried it and wondering how hard it would be to duplicate on a cold Tucson winter.  If there were such a thing.

The tea pot and teacup collection in the Dragon's kitchen

In the meanwhile, I talked about the stupid Khukuri knife until the group told me to shut up and go buy it.  Gary would love it, they all assured me, and it really was only like $25 American. A steal, really.  It's just, well, it always sounds like so much more when you hear it in rupees!

And, in case you were wondering, Anke won the final round of Farkle - which put her ahead of everyone else by like a dozen games.  The woman was a high scoring dice machine.  Remind me never to bet against her ;)