Sikkim Trek; April - May 2003

05/05 Darap to Pelling

Ilana leaves today!
7:30am

Cacophony at 5am - an anthem blazes from the orphanage next door, roosters are crowing and the porters are doing last night's dishes. It is 63 degrees in the tent on waking after a hot night in the bag. Tea is served at 5:20; thought we could sleep in after a very late dinner (after 10pm).

Dawa, our cook, went all out to mark our last night on the trail. We had steamed spring rolls, mushroom soup, cucumber & tomato salad, sardine stew, paneer and mushroom stew over rice, pineapple and wild strawberries, chips and crispy tubes and sausages. There was an elaborate spice cake with everything on it, including whole almonds, strawberries and corn flakes. It was a banquet after a tense performance of waiting for godot - thought it would never come.

Pelling, 6,350 Ft, 7:00pm
Hotel Kabur, 1,250 Ft gain

Our trek ends with a 6 kilometer lazy stroll along the road from Darap to Pelling. The porters and gear have gone ahead by jeep. It is a warm sunny day with a pleasant breeze; much better than our weather over the last week. I am grateful to be on pavement. We enjoy one last glimpse of a peak on the way. Today's climb puts us well over 30,000 Ft of elevation gain over the course of the trek.

We reach the hotel before lunch, and are met by Kishore, the tour company owner. We assemble the porters and tip them Rs 1,000 (about $20), which is twice the going rate. That works out to $1.33 per day for carrying 50 - 80 pound loads over the mountains! Kishore is great - arranges everything, buys us coffee and passes the time.

The hotel is really basic; no towels, soap or toilet paper provided. We are distressed to hear there's no power in Pelling, because that means a cold shower. Happily, power is restored just in time. The shower was weak but most welcome. My entire room smells like the inside of my boots. I will need stronger plastic as a containment for the dirty clothes.

Now it's back to a more conventional tourist experience. Looking back, I have three impressions. 1) The mountains are spectacular. Not just the famous peaks, but the whole landscape of the region. 2) The trek was really demanding - just the kind of physical test I'd imagined. I didn't feel strong or masterful, but I endured. It's humbling and gratifying at the same time. 3) People have walked these hills and built trails, homes and religious sites for 800 years or more. There is a palpable sense of timelessness in the high country that is missing from the more "civilized" lower towns and valleys. The school in Darap, for example, was built in 1984 and already abandoned for a newer building next door. The character of the people and their presence in this harsh land is as magnificent as the land itself.