Travel Diary: A trip to the Ghat, Land of Thunder Dragon, and Icy Peaks

Areas Covered: Kolkata; Bhutan (Paro, Thimphu, Dochula); Darjeeling, Gangtok (& Nathula)

Total Duration: 16-29th April 2017 (13 days)

Snapshot of the trip:

Total cost incurred by me: Rs. 22,000 (approx.)

Currency of Bhutan: Ngultrum (g is silent). 1 Nu = 1 Re

_________________________________________________________________

Ishan: Want to go to Bhutan?

At this precise moment, my brain conjured .....................

up an image of a paper which was divided by a line running through the middle of it. On one side, I had trips which had happened/will happen successfully. On the right side, as you might have guessed by now, were the plans which will NOT see the light of the day. But the most important thing is that you can't say no to any plan on the right side lest you be considered 'less adventurous'. However, most of the plans on the right side of this paper fail not because of lack of adventurous spirit but due to lack of planning. But that's where I come in - ZE PLANNING. I am good at it. Now all that was needed to be done was to push Bhutan from right side of the page to the left side.

Me: Ya ya, let's go.

After much deliberation and planning and excitement and ricocheting of BC 5 days left!!, BC 4 days left!! on Whatsapp, the day hath arrived - 16th April'17. Oh by the way, we got our MBA degrees 3 days before the trip began!!

Leg 1 of the trip - Kolkata (16th-18th):

The good thing about our trip to Kolkata was that we didn't have to bother about a place to stay as our friend Devika had agreed to let us crash at her place (God bless her and her family). We took a flight from Mumbai to Kolkata (via Hyderabad -> unfortunately, we did't have time for the Biryani so had to make do with KFC) and reached her house. After treating ourselves with pasta and SONDESH (yessssssss!), we dozed off.

View from casa de Devika

The next morning I had decided to meet my friend ~~Trisha~~ Dr. Trisha who had agreed to check out some places in Kolkata (that even she hadn't been to :P ) with me.

I met Trisha at Shyambazar street and we straight away headed to Kumortuli (Potter's market) where numerous clay idols are made every year. Read more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumortuli

From here, we went to the Kumortuli Ghat where I got a glimpse of the 'launch' (ferry)

The next stop on my list was the Marble Palace which unfortunately remains closed on Mondays. Somehow I managed to click at least one picture of the mansion which is one of the best-preserved and most elegant houses of nineteenth-century Kolkata. Read more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marble_Palace_(Kolkata)

I was a bit disappointed because I had read a lot of blogs which mentioned that this is a must visit in Kolkata (c'est la vie. sigh!!). The next TO DO thing in my list was to have lunch at Peter Cat in Park Street. We had the really famous Chelo Kebab and Bhetki (fish) here and headed to Mirza Ghalib Street to check out the graffiti scene of Kolkata. To be honest, it's nothing comparable to wall art of Mumbai, Delhi, or even Gangtok/Darjeeling for that matter. But something is better than nothing, I guess :)

When you are in Kolkata, it is an imperative to have a glimpse of the art and cultural scenes here. So we headed to an art exhibition in Rabindra Sadan. Read more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabindra_Sadan

From Rabindra Sadan, one can get a brillant view of St. Paul's Cathedral which was our next stop. Read more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Paul%27s_Cathedral,_Kolkata

The architecture of this building is amazing so we spent some time here to admire the structure, and enjoyed the silence that the cathedral had to offer.

Now it was time to have a tête-à-tête with the Princep Ghat which was built in 1841 during the British Raj along the Hooghly River. Read more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prinsep_Ghat. The thing is that I had visited Kolkata almost a decade ago and had fallen in love with the simplicity and charm of this place. As I saw the sunset from this ghat, I got a bit nostalgic (and poetic) and penned something down - an ode to ~~Kolkata~~ Calcutta:

"Calcutta is a confounding chaotic conundrum (I like alliteration) standing tall on its dilapidated (almost) structure. It is not at all fast paced and yet messy. It is widely considered as the intellectual capital of India; that brimmed with the literatis and the individuals who shaped the Indian history and yet, it is an epitome of bricolage. Veiled by a mask of blue and white, its truest identity, at the core of which lies something peculiarly beautiful seems hidden to the naked eye.

While you can easily fall in love with Mumbai or Delhi at first sight, it would be foolhardy to expect such a thing in Calcutta. It is a city which demands your full attention. You see, there are times when you feel the absence of the sun, and then you notice that as clouds begin to shift you can feel the sun rays tingling your skin. Such is the love for Calcutta! One moment you are devoid of any such feeling and the next moment you are in love with the city....all of a sudden.

And when your soul has been intoxicated by this love, you will realise that the truest and deepest desire of your heart is but to return to this land; like a lover earnestly seeking his beloved."

It was serene.......like really serene. So peaceful that I didn't want to move on the next TO DO thing which was taking a tram ride to Gariahat (yayyyyyyyyyy!!!!). Ultra cheap, ultra slow but fun max :)

My sincerest aplogies for I couldn't get a good shot of the tram

And now came the sad part - saying good bye to Doctor ji. Come to Mumbai soon, please?

Now it was time to head to The Grid which is one helluva restaurant in Kolkata. It has a microbrewery of its own, amazing ambience, and great food. To top it all off, The Grid is owned by Devika's aunt because of which..............OUR CHEQUE WAS TAKEN CARE OF (sweet!!! God bless you masi ji)

And thus ended our day 1 of Kolkata. 2nd day was all about hogging different types of street food. The breakfast was done at the Calcutta Stock Exchange.

We had a bunch of lip smacking stuff at CSE but the more interesting aspect of eating out here was this ingenious way of converting a bonnet into a table using an empty bottle of Coke.

Some other eateries that we headed to were Arun Tea Stall (for samosas if I remember correctly), Kusum Rolls, and Chauhan Victoria Vada (Apparently David Cameron visited this stall :O )

Having White Jamun (never heard of this before)

The famous Rosogolla at Vien

After having a bit of everything, we headed back home and packed our bags as we were supposed to catch our train to Hasimara. However, Devika insisted that we have the famous Aloo Puchka of Kolkata and we happily obliged. As we reached the train station, we were a bit apprehensive about our 14 hour journey as Ishan and I had RAC seats. But then we met a jolly TTE who was more than happy to take care of things (no we didn't bribe him). If you ever meet him on this route, don't forget to say hello!

The train got delayed by 6 hours. 6 BLOODY LONG HOURS. But somehow we made it to Hasimara. Leg 2 of the trip was about to begin. The Land of Thunder Dragon, here we come...

Leg 2 of the trip - Bhutan (19th-23rd):

1. Phuentsholing:

Once we reached Hasimara, we took a share taxi to Phuentsholing which is the entry point of Bhutan. The entry gate remains open from 6am-9pm and one can enter or exit freely through this gate without any kind of permits.

We wanted to get our permits the very same day from the immigration office but by the time we reached Phuentsholing, the office was already closed (thank you Indian Railways). We had no other option but to spend the night in Phuentsholing itself.

However, this aberration was a blessing in disguise. On 10th April, the Bhutanese government came up with a new regulation that permits won't be issued unless the individual has booked a hotel (at least for 1 day) in Bhutan, and we had no clue about this. So we contacted an agent who booked a hotel for us and we also paid her Rs. 200/pax for getting the permit (this is totally optional but really saves a lot of time). You can get in touch with Ooma didi (the agent) at http://bhutantrouvailletours.com/index.php/trouvaille

With Ooma didi and her assistant

The following day we went to the immigration office at around 8:30 am and thanks to Ooma didi, we got our permits within 45 minutes. Please ensure that you carry either your passport or voters id.

With our permits in hand (and B-Mobile SIM card at the cost of Rs. 170 in our mobile phones which we had purchased a day earlier), we headed to the taxi stand.

1st checkpoint where permits are verified

2. Paro:

It took us approx 7 hours to reach Paro (tyre repair and other nonsense were the cause of this, otherwise we would have reached much earlier).

Airport in Paro

We were dropped at a particular location in Paro where we met a bunch of NMIMS seniors (small world huh!). From there, all of us were taken to Hotel Taktsang Paradise by Mr. Rinzin Chopen who is the president of the taxi association of Bhutan. He used to be a teacher once and explained quite a few things about Bhutanese culture (quite a jolly fellow)

With Mr. Rinzin Chopen

Hotel Taktsang Paradise is close to Taktsang Monastery (Tiger's Nest) and is one BIG PARADISE. Let me show you some pics which I clicked near the hotel.

We met a bunch of bikers who had travelled 1400kms from West Bengal to Bhutan. RESPECT

3. Taktsang Monastery / Tiger's Nest:

The next morning we began our hike to Taktsang Monastery from our hotel which is situated around 1.5 kms away from the base of the trek.

The hike to Taktsang begins

Encountered a monastery en route

You have to purchase an entrance pass for the monastery at the very beginning itself (Rs. 500 is the usual price but it is Rs. 250 for students). You can ride on a horse up to a certain point in the hike after which, you have to climb on your own. Read more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paro_Taktsang

As we purchased the entry coupons and moved ahead, we enocuntered this maze of trees and the sound of flute wafting through the air. SURREAL

At the very beginning of the hike

Getting close

Almost there

Taktsang / Tiger's Nest

This is the place where monks meditate and we aren't allowed to have a peek. Damn!

Once you reach the monastery, you will be asked to deposit your mobile phones since photography is not allowed inside the building. Please ensure that you actually have a look at the Tiger's Nest which is a cave sort of a structure situated between two buildings (the place where butter lamps are sold and a temple)

While going back, we went to the Taktsang cafeteria (too costly)

View of the monastery from the cafeteria

Prayer Wheel

The hike is certainly not easy but it's worth the effort. We were pretty tired from the climb and decided to rest while we eagerly waited to go for sightseeing in Paro and Thimphu the next day.

4. Kyichu Lakhang:

This temple is one of the oldest temples in Bhutan, originally built in the 7th century by the Tibetan Emperor Songtsän Gampo. It is considered to be one of the 4 border taming temples he built. In the 8th century the temple was visited by Padmasambhava and it is believed he concealed many spiritual treasures here. Read more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyichu_Lhakhang

5. Jangtsa Dumtseg Lhakhang:

According to a local legend, the Lhakhang was built by the saint Thangtong Gyalpo to subdue a "serpentine force" that was located at the foundation of the chorten. Read more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jangtsa_Dumtseg_Lhakhang

6. Rinpung Dzong:

Rinpung Dzong is a large dzong - Buddhist monastery and fortress - of the Drukpa Lineage of the Kagyu school in Paro District, Bhutan. It houses the district Monastic Body and government administrative offices of Paro Dzongkhag. It is listed as a tentative site in Bhutan's Tentative List for UNESCO inclusion. I meditated here for about 10 mintues and the calm that I felt is something which I can't describe in words. Read more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rinpung_Dzong

Then we headed to a shop owned by an ex-lama Tshering Dorji for purchasing souvenirs. We bought prayer flags, bracelet, and a locket post which we headed to the capital of the country - Thimphu.

En route Thimphu

7. Druk Wangyal Chorten:

Our next stop was Dochula Pass which has 108 chortens (stupas) known as the Drug Wangyal Chorten. Please note that a permit is required from Thimphu office to visit this place (as a matter of fact, permits are required from Thimphu office in case you need to visit any place other than Paro or Thimphu like Haa Valley, Punakha, Bumthang, etc. The Thimphu office is closed on weekends). However, the officer was at the check point was kind enough to let us go through without a permit. Read more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dochula_Pass

From Dochula, we made our way to Thimphu city.

8. Buddha Dordenma Statue:

The statue houses over one hundred thousand smaller Buddha statues, each of which, like the Great Buddha Dordenma itself, are made of bronze and gilded in gold. Read more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha_Dordenma_statue

9. Memorial Chorten:

This stupa was built in 1947 to honor the 3rd king, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. It is an extremely peaceful place and is a must visit. Read more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Chorten,_Thimphu

10. Simply Bhutan:

It was time to get a better understanding of the Bhutanese culture and the place to do so was the Simply Bhutan Museum.

Having the traditional wine - Ara

A 400 year old box

Tools, and bag made of yak hair

Sichu festival where monks perform

Madman of Tibet (Ya! that's exactly what you think it is. Read more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drukpa_Kunley )

This is used to make noodles

11. Motithang Takin Preserve:

Our driver, Mr. Dorji insisted that we have a look at the national animal of Bhutan - Takin which looks like a mix breed of a goat and a cow. Read more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motithang_Takin_Preserve

12. Tashicho Dzong:

It is a Buddhist monastery and fortress on the northern edge of the city of Thimphu. It has traditionally been the seat of the Druk Desi (or "Dharma Raja"), the head of Bhutan's civil government, an office which has been combined with the kingship since the creation of the monarchy in 1907, and summer capital of the country. However, it was not possible to have a close look of the place as visitors are prohibited from entering the grounds. Read more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tashichho_Dzong

After this, we had reached the Norzin Lam street in Thimphu where we looked for a hotel (which was not going to burn a hole in our pockets :P ). Once we did that, we said goodbye to Mr. Dorji (who is a big Amitabh Bachchan fan and wishes to visit Mumbai one day). If you are looking for a taxi, please do contact him at: 17885505 / 17591617 (Bhutanese number) or paropdorji1976@gmail.com

13. Norzin Lam Street, Thimphu:

There wasn't much to do in the main city itself so we just headed out and explored the streets and explore we did! Trust me ;)

After a night stay in Thimphu, we headed for Phuentsholing by a bus the next day. Let me tell you something about the punctuality of buses in Bhutan (thank god our driver Mr. Dorji had warned us about this). Ours was supposed to leave at 7 am. Driver enters the bus at 6:58 am; engine is started at 6:59 am; bus leaves at 7 am. NO, THEY WON'T WAIT FOR YOU. Respect.

Throughout Bhutan, we encountered numerous clay stupas called Tshatshas. They are small prayer stones which may or may not contain certain mantras inside them. These are used for warding off bad luck, and bringing prosperity and wealth in one's life.

Cuteness of Bhutan:

Foods & Beverages of Bhutan:

Aze, Ema Gondo, Jaju

Kewa Datshi

Chicken Datshi, Chicken Thukpa

Chicken Marru

Aze, Chicken Paa, Asparagus Datshi

Chicken Momos

Try Druk 11000 & Druk Supreme beer

Special Courier Bhutanese whisky

Ara wine

Suja (Butter tea)

Dawai (or atleast that's what I heard. It is a wild herb and has medicinal properties)

Wild mushrooms from the mountains

Once we reached Phuentsholing (we had to submit our permits at the 1st check point), with great difficulty we bid adieu to The Land of Thunder Dragon (have to visit Bhutan at least once more). We followed the similar route and reached Hasimara from where we boarded our train to Siliguri Junction. It was time to have a look at the icy peaks. Third leg of the journey was about to begin...

Leg 3 of the trip - Darjeeling, Gangtok (& Nathula) (23rd-29th):

Once we got down at the Siliguri Junction, we decided to reach Darjeeling via taxi but since it got quite late (and the driver was supposedly drunk), we had to spend a night in Siliguri itself. We took a share taxi to Darjeeling the next morning.

Well, to be honest, there isn't much to do in Darjeeling. We strolled at the Mall Road, and had some delicious momos there. We had a look at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (nothing to do here) and the Darjeeling Zoo. There were 3 highlights of my visit to Darjeeling:

a. We went for a tea tasting session at Nathmulls

Gopaldhara Black Tea

Giddapahar Black Tea

Rohini Green Tea

View from the store

Nathmulls said it right

b. Got to see the shooting of some south Indian movie of which Ravi Teja was the hero

c. Got a taste of the art scene of Darjeeling by visiting Glenary's, and having a look at wall art of Mall Road

After spending a day in Darjeeling, we headed to Gangtok the next day by a share taxi.

M.G. Road is a wonderful place to stroll

When in Gangtok, make sure you visit Khan Uncle's Restaurant.

Gangtok has some really amazing wall art

The next day I headed to Namgyal Institute of Tibetology as well as Do Drul Chorten (which is right next to the institute)

We got in touch with a tours and travel agency and paid Rs. 800/pax to visit Nathula (which means the Pass of Listening Ear), Changu Lake (also known as Tsomgo lake), and Baba Mandir. Once we reached Nathula (14,140 feet above mean sea level), it started snowing. The Indian Army insisted that all of us leave quickly lest the weather turn really bad (and it eventually did). The roads got covered with snow and it was extremely difficult for the driver to make his way back (but somehow we did. Thank God!)

Changu/Tsomgo lake

A difficult (and dangerous) ride back to the hotel

Snow......everywhere

We profusely thanked the driver for getting us back to Gangtok alive. After such a chilly day, we headed to Khan Uncle's once again. The very next day we left for Siliguri by a share taxi and I shit you not, we watched Bahubali 2 in Siliguri INOX. It wasn't as bad as I had expected. Anyway, the next day we left for Bagdogra airport. It was time to head home...Mumbai

The End:

Throughout Bhutan, we encountered these small triangular piles of stones. The locals informed us that it is a way of thanking the God for enabling the successful completion of a journey.

The best part about this trip was that we had done minimal amount of planning in advance. All hotel reservations, taxi bookings, sightseeing, etc. were decided upon once we reached the actual place. As they say, if everything is uncertain, anything is possible. Was it easy? Hell no! Was it fun? Hell yeah! At the beginning of the trip, Ishan had asked me about my expectations from the trip. I didn't have an answer for that, and that's how I would want every single trip of mine to be. I do not want to travel with an expectation in my mind. I do not seek anything when I go in the 'travel mode', I am not running away from anything nor do I want to reach anywhere because sometimes, the wrong train takes you to the right destination.......