SIKKIM - DAY TWELVE : YUMTHANG - VALLEY OF FLOWERS


Destination cloaked in Snow
        The final day of our little excursion to North Sikkim dawned early. It was bright by 4:30 a.m. and Buddha the driver felt like starting out earlier than the 6 a.m. departure that was discussed the previous day. However, we both knew that an early departure was highly improbable, there being elderly people in our group. Anyway, we were off by 6:15 a.m. after leaving all our bags in one room as we were returning here for lunch. 

Majestic Mountains
     The drive from Lachung to Yumthang took us about three hours. We opted for the extended route up to Zero Point for an extra fee of Rs 250/- and passes were made for the same. The winding road up the mountain had some spectacular views and we stopped a couple of times to take in the surroundings and treat our lenses. We finally arrived at Yumthang by 9 a.m. and settled into one of the little hut restaurants for a breakfast of bread, butter, tea and optional Maggi. All the restaurants were renting out gum boots and gloves to tourists wanting to frolic in the snow. 

Shadow of Twin Peak
        Once warmed by the fire side, we too rented ours and set out to Zero Point, an hour's drive away. This was up in the mountains, well above the snow line. Though the roads had been cleared by Army snow movers, the snow that line the roads was several feet high in places. 

Ethereal Setting
     We stopped where the road ended at Zero Point. Dozens of taxis were maneuvering along the narrow road and we could see tourists climbing up the hillside and frolicking in the snow. That, seeming to be the touristy thing to do, had us too heading for the hillside. Little table stalls of channa, noodles and coffee had been set up even at this remote snow clad altitude.

Zero Point
     As we climbed up the small hill, we realized that hiring the gum boots had been a good idea as at many places our legs sank nearly knee deep into snow. The snow was fresh and had probably fallen overnight. As a matter of fact, it was snowing lightly even as we stood there. Half an hour in the snow saw a little bit get into my right boot and melt, wetting my sock with freezing dampness. I quickly headed back to the vehicle to rub some blood into my toes and thaw my foot. One of the other couples then came sliding down the mountain in the snow. While it did look like fun, the woman's shrill, exaggerated screams did seem a little too much. Both of them ended up with wet bottoms. With my wet sock alone causing me such discomfort, I pitied their plight in more tender areas. 

Perches on the Peak
      Buddha then went on to explain that there were Army outposts and bunkers up on these forlorn snow capped peaks. One really had to admire their grit and determination in living out a winter in these sub zero temperatures. In fact, when I did look for it, high up on the scraggy rock face of the opposite mountain, I was able to see a little hut kind of structure perched upon a cliff face, possibly one of the most inhospitable terrains to live in. 

Yumthang Valley - Devoid of Flowers
     We returned to Yumthang and walked around the valley for a while. The splendour that the Internet and other travellers had promised us was missing as the intense rain over the last few days had supposedly washed away all the flowers. Now it was just a barren valley with a tiny meandering stream running down the middle.

        Returning to the tea shop from where we had rented the boots, we returned them and spent the next half hour thawing chilled feet, drying wet socks and heating icy bottoms. Without wasting too much time, we set out back for Lachung and lunch; with me squashed between a fat grandma, cranky old grandpa and the door. I had so little space that it felt like my internal organs were rearranging themselves to accommodate Fat Grandma's bottom. We returned to Lachung for Lunch. Not eating too much, we quickly packed our bags and without too much delay, departed for Gangtok, a good five hours' drive away. 

Dangerous Roads
       It had begun raining and soon, the roads were thick with mud washed down from the hillside above. With a sheer precipice on one side and mud flowing down from the other, it did feel a little dangerous at times. By now the Grandma had settled herself comfortably down in the seat and I was sprawled like a fly against the window pane, cranky Grandpa whining away next to us. I kept asking Buddha if he was tired and wished to rest awhile while I drove (a ploy to get into the comfortable driver's seat and away from the ancient cranky couple). Buddha even succumbed to my ploy for about ten minutes and was relegated to the unenviable back seat before he almost demanded that I stop the jeep and allow him to drive again. Darn, back I was, a poor fly squashed against a cold window pane.

        Half way through, Buddha stopped at a garage to fix the silencer that had broken a couple of days earlier and was currently held together with pieces of rope tied to the suspension. I staggered out of my prison, gasping for air. The silencer had to be welded and I got a thirty minute breather before the nightmare resumed. It got dark early and in the beam of headlights, the narrow road seemed even more treacherous. Fortunately however, we had left the worst bit of road behind us and this stretch, though as narrow, was surfaced well. 

Gorge of Light
     Though the rain had ceased, our misfortunes were not over yet. Half an hour in to Gangtok, the diesel ran out. With no petrol pumps in North Sikkim, refueling had not been possible these last three days. Anticipating this however, Buddha had a jerry can of diesel stowed in the boot and together, in the light of our mobile phones, we cut a plastic bottle in half to create a funnel and then fuelled up. The jeep still refused to start and after almost twenty minutes of pumping air out of the fuel filter, it finally did. We resumed our journey, the effects of motion sickness beginning to set in. Finally, at about 7:30 p.m., we arrived back in Gangtok. Bidding farewell to my companions of the last fortnight, I made my way up to Alpha Lodge. They had no rooms vacant this time however, so I checked in to a similar hotel nearby. 

       After having a hot shower, I headed out just to get the uncomfortable journey out of my head and some tasty food into my system. I chose to go back to Chopsticks, the restaurant screening the IPL, and ordered a heavy dinner with a couple of rums. It was a fabulous cricket match too, and together, the good food, drink and match brought the spring back into my step as I returned to the hotel for a well deserved night's rest.











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