Day 5: Darjeeling to Gangtok, Sikkim

I had no preconceptions about Sikkim before this trip, and being focused on Bhutan I hadn't read anything about it. So as our journey unfolded I was treated to a wonderful surprise. The tour was called "The Last Shangri-La", referring to Bhutan; Sikkim is equally paradisal in my view. I would love to revisit at more leisure - we spent just one night there.

The drive there took us steeply up past tea plantations that gave me renewed respect for tea-pickers.





The trees are Japanese cypress, also planted by the British. We passed one lovely clearing where lots of prayer flags had been erected. They are set up in particularly windy spots.



The road then plunged down to a river valley, the natural border between Darjeeling and Sikkim, where we were able to pick up speed because the road was better. It was maintained by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and funded by the army, our driver said. We certainly saw a lot of army traffic and big, smart-looking barracks (in Sikkim it was the Black Cat Division, whose motto is "Guts, Gumption, Glory").

The BRO has a wonderful way with signage. Not for them the dull "please drive safely". Some of my favourites: "Drive like hell and you will be there", "Driving faster can cause disaster", "Smile, it is contagious", "Always expect unexpected", "Be soft on my curves" and the sublime "The journey of life is long and the path unknown".

I also liked this bit of randomly misquoted poetry:



At one point we saw lorries carrying loads of men standing up coming down the hill to join the main road. Our driver said it was a funeral; and sure enough, further along the river bank dozens of cars and lorries were pulling up, and neatly dressed people getting out and walking out across the shingle. Down at the water's edge a group of men were building a pyre, stacking logs ready for the cremation. Eventually, after we passed the border post (Sikkim is part of India but has its own immigration rules) the road started a zigzagging climb again, mostly in good condition with some patches of monsoon washout. The crop was now rice rather than tea, lush paddies in terraces climbing the hills.



Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, was another revelation. What a nice place! It was prosperous, relaxed, amiable. After lunch at the hotel we headed into town.







We were making for the market (if only Queensferry had such a good one):







The market building had a big roof terrace, where the dogs were all hanging out and the kids were playing.


Wonderful views from up there, and fresh snacks on offer:




Back at the hotel I wrote many, many postcards and we had a nice dinner - very old-fashioned, with solemn waiter service. Some people had problems with hot water in their rooms, but mine was fine and the shower was ferociously strong. Just the ticket after a hard day's travel.