Tumling

Trip Start Jun 11, 2005
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Trip End Dec 22, 2005


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Flag of India  ,
Saturday, September 24, 2005

Darjeeling is famous for fabulous views of the Himalayas, especially Kanjanjunga (the world's 3rd highest mountain) and even Everest on a clear day. We arranged a 3 night/4 day trek through our hotel using the hotel manager's brother Gyabo and one porter Himon. We delayed our trek start by one day, due to the ongoing monsoon weather, which had hung over Darjeeling since we arrived bringing perpetual mist and some rain.

Gyabo was a keen football player (supporting Manchester United with Ryan Giggs being his favourite player) and asked if we minded if he played a match for a village called Dhodrey, which would delay the start of our trek by a couple of hours. We didn't but when we got to Dhodrey visibility was so bad, you couldn't see both ends of the pitch. Play commenced nonetheless with the mists rolling in and out giving mixed visibility of the match. Gyabo scored a good goal but his team lost 3-1. After a warming thukpa (Tibetan noodle soup) we set off steeply up through the forest to Tumling our 1st night's destination. The fog was thick by now so we had no views, which was rather disconcerting, but after 2 hours arrived at a very comfortable lodge run by a lady teacher. The route of the trek followed the Indian/Nepal border so we actually stayed 10 yds inside Nepal that night. Being in Nepal we had the best dhal bhat, including a local cheese curry and spicy cucumber pickle. Delicious. The rain set in so we weren't hopeful of any mountain views the next morning.
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