Day 102, Sirikola, Sukhiapokhri [Thursday 13th March 2008]
Previous day: Day 101, Sandakphu, Kanchenjunga [Wednesday 12th March 2008]
Next day: Day 103, Kalimpong [Friday 14th March 2008]
After a breakfast of Tibetan porridge and huge, circular Tibetan fried breads we walk the spectacular, scenic route along the path of the river, back to Rimbik. The steep land on either side of the gorge is increasingly heavily farmed here, with narrow terraces cut into the hillside growing potatoes, sweet peas and other local vegetables. We pass lots of pack horses weighed down with goods — usually bags of rice or cement. We get some momos in Rimbik and then climb into a shared jeep back to Darjeeling. It's packed in the vehicle, we're crammed in with about a dozen people, plus a couple more on the roof, some baskets of chickens, children's bikes and several sacks of vegetables.
Along the way we stop at Sukhiapokhri, which has the police station for the entire Singalilla park area. There we have to write a letter, addressed to the officer in charge, explaining about our lost passports and money. He then stamps the letter and writes a reference number on it. It's all fairly straightforward and tedious, while Santosh translates the officer's Hindi for us. Remarkable, the jeep has waited for us all this time, still full of people. They seem to take these kinds of delays as part of the normal service.
Back at Darjeeling Santosh and Lakba take us to the Foreigner's Registration Office, where a helpful man explains that we should call the High Commission in Kolkata and also go to the District Magistrate to get a duplicate Sikkim permit, which we lost along with our passports.
After meeting Santosh's wife at the shop she runs, and where Santosh hands over the quantity of yak butter he bought in Nepal, we go back to the Bellevue Hotel. We have a big meal of noodles from Kunga for dinner and have an early night, fretting somewhat about our passports and permits.
Next day: Day 103, Kalimpong [Friday 14th March 2008]
Previous day: Day 101, Sandakphu, Kanchenjunga [Wednesday 12th March 2008]