Tuesday 21 May 2013

Day - 4 (Gangtok - Lachen)


I woke up next day morning at 7:30 AM, without having dinner last night. I found my dinner was still packed but I could not have the same and have to leave for taking the permit from police. It was a very hectic morning and finally we 2 managed to get all the permissions at 9:40 am J.

I didn’t have anything since last night and was feeling too much hungry and went to a small restaurant to have the breakfast. It took 20 mins approx. to have the breakfast and talking over phone with seniors of our club. Finally I managed to get into the hotel around 10:30 am. Now its time to clean our buddy’s (to take smiley pictures) and pack our luggage.

Finally we managed to start at 11:15 am. Still one very important job we have to do, to change the engine oil as we are heading for a very tough ride. We stopped at a roadside mechanic shop to do the same and left at 11:40 am from there.




Our next halt will be at Mangan, 70 kms. approx. from Gangtok. Our enthralling Journey continues through water falls, muddy road, landslide zone etc. We came across landslide, small or large, every now and then, due to rain for last 2 days, and took a halt as my partner Shiladitya was feeling too much ache on his leg. I thought to utilize the time taking snaps J.




After 15 mins. we started for our destination. Riding a few kms, we found the road is blocked once again as two of the trees fell down on the road due to continuous rain. It took 30+ mins. to get out of the situation once army clears the road. Soon we reach near Tung check post and have to show the permissions. It didn’t take much time, but now the road ahead of us is a fully landslide zone.



On this stretch you even should not honk as it may lead to landslide. We started driving steadily. But it was a horrible experience as every now and then buddy’s are skidding. Finally we managed to be at Chungthang around 6 pm. Army understood that we are on expedition and its too late to drive till Lachen, still it was raining. So, they even didn’t check any of the permissions. But as Shiladitya was feeling pain on his leg so we took a halt for 5 mins and started for the final destination for today, Lachen.

It was 26 kms. approx. from Chungthang to Lachen but road condition was horrible. We started driving and soon it got dark. It was kind of driving in awe through lying stones where we 2 are the living things in the darkness and ferocious sound of the river and waterfalls are coming sometimes. In addition large dogs are chasing us sometimes as they are unfamiliar of such vehicles that too driving at night. We kept our patience and finally managed to enter our hotel at Lachen at 8:25 pm.

The hotel owner was known to me and he immediately welcomes us with hot tea. We 2 were in pathetic state as we were wet and shivering in cold, driving through the rough roads where we could see only that much where our buddy’s are throwing light. Soon, we had our dinner and went to sleep. Our plan was to start the journey to Gurudongmar as early as possible before 4 am.

Please click on Day – 5 Travelogue to know our next day’s journey …

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