Kevin had earlier mentioned this Buddhist monastery that had been designed by a Japanese architect. Sophie, Kevin and I started walking to it. It was about an hour’s walk. We soon realised that we’d be walking on the main road, which had no paving. It was noisy and awkward avoiding the traffic. So we jumped … Continue reading / view photos Inomoto the architect
In search of Dalle Khursani
Steve, my US friend, messaged me. He said that our Kolkata homestay owner (in Turquiose Letterbox) had contacted him. The owner asked Steve to buy some Dalle Khursani for him. Steve told him I was in Kalimpong. Dalle Khursani means “round chillies” in Nepali. It’s grown in Bhutan and Nepal. In India, it’s grown in … Continue reading / view photos In search of Dalle Khursani
India — my journey so far
In Kalimpong, I bought a card made in a local paper factory. I drew this map to show where I’d been so far. My India journey started in South India (Kochi). From there I went to Trivandrum (1) and met up with Helene and Cath. We went to Kollam for a nice break. (Numbers refer … Continue reading / view photos India — my journey so far
Art Cafe in Kalimpong
In Namchi, taxis are parked in two places. One is for local journeys, the other for longer journeys. A few days ago, I met a driver and took his details just in case. Having extended my Sikkim permit yesterday, I decided to go further south — to Kalimpong. I arranged the trip with the taxi … Continue reading / view photos Art Cafe in Kalimpong
Relaxing in Namchi
Having spent the a couple of days being driven around Namichi district, I settled in Namchi for a few days. It’s a small town. I didn’t venture very far outside the town square, where my hotel was. Namchi may be the only place I’ve been to on this trip that has a pedestranised town square. … Continue reading / view photos Relaxing in Namchi
Ruins, birds, and a giant Bodhisattva
The drive to Pelling was hilly. The roads at times were very uneven, sometimes the result of a landslide. There were some areas that had been cleared up to allow vehicles to pass, but not enough to ensure a smooth journey. The first place we stopped at was Rabdentse Ruins. This was next to a … Continue reading / view photos Ruins, birds, and a giant Bodhisattva
Samdruptse Hill and Char Dham
After leaving Buddha Park, we headed to the district around Namchi. The first stop required a steep drive up to Samdruptse Hill. Its altitude was just over 2000m. This features another huge statue. There’s a 41m (135ft) statue of Guru Padmasambhava. Also known as Guru Rinpoche (“Precious Guru”), he was an eighth-century Buddhist master. He’s … Continue reading / view photos Samdruptse Hill and Char Dham
Inspirational Buddha Park of Ravangla
After a longer than expected time in Gangtok, I was leaving. Today’s ultimate destination was Namchi. But before that, there was a lot of sightseeing to do. Most of the places I went to had giant statues. It reminded me of going to Australia about 35 years ago. There were lots of statues of giant … Continue reading / view photos Inspirational Buddha Park of Ravangla
Sensory overload in Lal Bazaar
The drive back from Tsomgo Lake was about an hour. I spent the time talking to the taxi driver, who turned out to be a Christian. He dropped me off at my hotel. After the early start, I had a short nap before going out in the late afternoon. Very close to Gangtok’s main high … Continue reading / view photos Sensory overload in Lal Bazaar
Tsomgo Lake
Entering Sikkim is like entering another country. Sikkim has more security than any other state I’ve been to in India. Just to enter the state you require a Restricted Area Permit (RAP). This is free and valid for 15 days. You can extend it. I got mine at Darjeeling. Your passport must be stamped at … Continue reading / view photos Tsomgo Lake