Letting off Some Steam {Sikkim Trekking I}

Steam Engine, Narrow Gauge...

One of the wonders of travelling in the East is this age old toy train, between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling...

It passes through stunning scenery which thanks to the huge windows you get to see very well.... A Perfect way to let off some steam....

I miss travelling by Steam Engines...there is something very romantic about steam... The noises the engine makes, the bellows of white smoke it lets off at each station... its just takes me back in time when all we had in trains were Steam Engine... it's a slow train coming.... but invredibly fun way to travel...

It is one the great rail journeys by steam in the world and this is my second trip on this THE DARJEELING HIMALAYAN RAILWAY...it is slow but the views make up for the lack of speed...mist laden valleys and huge mountains glimpsed through the fog which settles and miles and miles of tea estates...

Toy Train...

Ghumane Aiye Hain Hum....Ghum main Dhoom

Ghum on this track is the second highest railway station in India... and the highest narrow gauge rail link in the world..... Thats the towns only claim to fame and this too attracts tourists... but there is nothing else around to see just time enough for a quick photo op and then its back on the train and onto Darjeeling...

where I hook up with my regular climbing partner Pratreek -urff - "Bhakre"...who got here from Kathmandu yesterday, he is originaly from Darjeeling and his family runs a very nice small hotel..its named THE MILKY WAY... (yes...his father too is a Hitchhiker through the galaxy..)...

A View of Darjeeling from The Milky Way Hotel..

I am freaking out on Mommo's here, it is one of my favorite things to eat...and here they make them very well..steamed mommo's....

After a day spent in Darjeeling we got going by bus and after an incredibly bumpy ride which chaffed me and bruised my spirit we got to Gangtok... Its a small city which looks like something out of a fairy tale...small houses...vivid colours...monasteries...markets...beautiful girls...and very nice faces in the crowd..people keep smiling here and that is one of the best things about this place..

If I lived here I would too smile 24/7 its such a beautiful place...

Today we went out shopping for food stuff (vegs, rice) that along with our tinned food will have to last us 1 week in camp..we head out tomorrow to YUMTHANG VALLEY..by jeep, though photography is not allowed I am going to sneak my camera in..and be a little discreet while clicking photographs cause it is amazingly scenic and the best part is that there are wild flowers everywhere...It would be such a waste not being able to capture this beauty on camera because of the nearness of the INDO - CHINESE border which is very near by..

I am delighted to here at last and each step that I take is towards the big Misty Mountains... The weather has been overcast with some light rain..which just makes everything look clean and sparkling but hampers the view of the big mountains which now and then will show a glimpse through a tear in the fog...

I hope we get some clear days of sun and clear skies to film Kanch...and other huge mountains near by....

Kanch - Kanchunjunga the third highest peak in the world..