Day 117, Yuksom [Friday 28th March 2008]
Previous day: Day 116, [Thursday 27th March 2008]
Next day: Day 118, Tashiding [Saturday 29th March 2008]
We trek from Khecheopalri Lake to Yuksom, the first capital of Sikkim. It's steep downhill again — it's all hills around here! — steeper than yesterday, and hotter too. But there are gorgeous views of the river valley and the terraced farmland all around. We have lunch again with the remainder of the bakery bread, plus some honey and pineapple jam we bought.
We arrive in Yuksom earlier than expected, and get a room in a trekker's hut — a simple wooden house, but clean and warm. We visit the Coronation Throne, where 3 monks ('Yuksom' means '3 monks') crowned the first King of Sikkim in 1641. A man sees us and invited us into his school to meet the children he is teaching. It's a Buddhist school, a simple one-room stone building. They are learning to write English numbers.
We visit the Holy Lake, then have an early dinner of Sikkimese food, which tends to be less spicy than plains Indian food. We get rice, dal, chips, sabzi (vegetables) and a delicious Chutney made with green chillies, mint and yak cheese!
Back in the hut a raging thunderstorm confines us to our quarters for the rest of the night. Lightning flashes and the rain clatters against the corrugated iron roof.
Downstairs a card school operates by candlelight.
Next day: Day 118, Tashiding [Saturday 29th March 2008]
Previous day: Day 116, [Thursday 27th March 2008]