Travel through north India VI.

11th day (Monday, 16th February 2009)

Despite the fact that I looked forward to, I have no intention to admire the sunrise, and I have many troubles to leave warm sleeping bag. When I finally got out, it is too late. No wonder that American-Swiss group appears even during breakfast time. The tea and Tibet bread tastes good, anyway, hunger is the best cook, of course. From a cottage, where we take our breakfast, there is wonderful view to Kantchendzanga and surrounding mountains. So, I take (now,with full stomach) a couple of photos, as the weather is ideal.

Our next target is small village of Moley (distance 15-16 kms) where we shall be wandering, going down or following isohypse, table-land, the mounting will be minimal. However, also this minimum is for us, after two days of continuous walk, quite unpleasant. We meet many animals and birds - horses, cows, yaks, eagles. Even lovers of flora find their places of interest here, such as rhododendrons, fir-woods, pine-trees, etc. We have a small stop to take tea-refreshment, in distance of approx. 2 kms before the village. We arrive to Moley and see police outpost and one bigger chalet – it is the smallest village I have ever seen. If somewhere the time remained unchanged, it was just in this place. We cannot get some room for accommodation, we receive a place with four beds in a hall only (price INR 300,- per 1 night). Some glass window tables are broken and covered with fixed pieces of wood only, so we can expect cold blizzard again.

The manager offers us one meal only - Chinese soup from a bag. So, this evening will be, owing to local conditions, without bath, as it was just in the course of last two nights. Our hygiene consists of  teeth cleaning (water missing) and face and hands washing in cold streaming water. To tell the truth, the word hygienics is impossible to be done in such conditions.

12th day (Tuesday, 17th February 2009)

Today, we have to overcome 18 kms long way up to the place of Rimbick, mostly on table-land or downstairs from the hill. We enjoy last views on Himalaya mountains. We walk, for couple of minutes, through real „European“ forest, but most of way is presented with dusty path. Today, I do not feel too tired, the body became used to the regime of whole-day walking with loading on back. It is a pity that our trek could not be prolonged, however, we have lack of time. So, we descend to the altitude of 1900 metres above sea level, where we take a lunch in small village of Shri Khola.

Pasta, in form of spaghetti with vegetables, is excellent meal. Directly from our table, we have a view on streaming river, flowing nearby under wooden bridge. We follow the isohypse and pass wooden chalets, being observed with curious local inhabitants. It is obvious that we approach civilization places. Rimbick is a tourist village with one main road, where all traffic is concentrated.

The guide shows us military base, where we have to go and present our passports. The officials put us into „trek-book“ and control our documents. The bill, proving payment of the guide, is not their target of interest. However, as this is just our fourth day of our stay here, and we have paid for three days only, we pay the balance INR 500,- to guide Nayang (we paid him INR 50,- more, he deserved well of it, of course). We came in Rimbick at two o´clock p.m., so, we decided to transfer back to Darjeeling, instead of taking of accommodation in this village. However, this became later as a great problem. The buses leave the village in the morning only, at any other time period, you can leave the village by very expensive taxi only. So, we try to bargain taxi-rate (from INR 2000,- we got the price to INR 1800,-, even our guide pleads in favour of us, however, the lower price level we did not managed). Local people know very well that other possibilityof transfer is totally excluded. So, we say bye-bye to Nayang, thanking him for his efforts and excellent „guide“ (frankly speaking, we knew a lot of information, regarding nature and inhabitants of this area) and start our foot-walking to the next village, in order to get somebody who would be willing to take us with a car downstairs. Nevertheless, we see a jeep, parking in front of one chalet, however, a family, working in a field nearby, is informing us, that the driver is not available for the time being. Our bad luck was proved in case of other three carriages, parked in the surroundings. We start to be aware of the fact – so called „travel maffia“ has all carriages under full control here. So, at last parked jeep, we let to call the transfer from Rimbick – one girl hands over mobil phone call: one driver, very bad speaking English, offers us his service. He informs us about the price – INR 2500,- this is too much, we refuse it, and inform that the only price offer - INR 1800,- is inflexibely acceptable for us. There is a silence for a while, but we hear finally, „O.K.“ It is a pity that we did not met the other foreigners here, we could reach more favourable final price-level. We go slowly and violently descent in direction to Darjeeling, we do not speak in the car at all, and fully enjoy the views into valleys (these are too deep, from time to time, indeed!). In the evening, we are finally on spot, we go immediately to the hotel, where our pieces of luggage were left, and here we spend our next night. We receive our rucksacks on good order. We reserve the same room at the same price (INR 450,-) as before the trek. We button up the water - reservoir, and we enjoy a shower, after four days of absence. Warm shower, it is wonderful feeling, this is a thing which could not be bought at all. Nevertheless, in order to sleep well and comfortable, I myself make an offering, pack up my sleeeping bag and lie mysxelf on the earth, as „double bed“ for three persons is too depressed. Anyway, this spot is too luxurious for us. And finally, at 10 o'clock, we fell asleep deeply.

Text/photo: Jakub Štantejský, Infoglobe redactor