[Had this in my drafts...dating this post back almost a year... Nov 2008]Ok, I'm back after a long time! A lovely vacation done, back to office. But being back in office has just made me even more nostalgic about my trip to the Himalayas. Yes! Sikkim it is! Cannot begin to describe it. Have been gushing over it ever since I came back. Kalpana and Ruksha must be quite sick of it right now. But I just felt like describing the heaven that I've been to!
Our first day in Sikkim. Our arduous drive from Siliguri to Pelling, in West Sikkim. The place you go and end up belonging in the foot of the Himalayas. Yes, an arduous 6 hour drive through rough terrain, ghats, and numerous hair pin curves.
We covered a bend, and then it happened. Amongst a very many green mountains of the Himalayas, three magnificent peaks of snow soaring majestically above us. It seemed like she was saying, here look at me...I'm the Kanchanjunga! At sunset, the sky looked perfect, pink and orange. My heart skipped a beat. My stomach did a complete 360 degree somersault. I grabbed Kannan's hand and pointed. Unable to utter a word. It was perfect. He looked at me, smiled. We looked at the peaks. Hoped that we would be able to see it from our resort.
We didn't have to wish too hard. Remember, all this while, I have this first image of the Kanchanjunga frozen in my head. I'm worried that I might not be able to see it from my resort. We go into our room. I'm super happy. Our room has a french window that opens up to the ranges. Kannan says, hold on, and he opens the door. We step out. It's the most beautiful sight I've ever seen in my life! Beautiful mountains, but no, what stands out? Again, there she is. The majestic Kanchanjunga, the third highest peak in the world. Just a few centimeters short of the second. But who cares. All I knew was that I was there. Amidst pure beauty. I needed nothing more.
Sikkim was much more than that. But that sight is something I will never forget in my life. The sun rising over her. The four out of the five peaks turning into pure gold. We woke up at 4 in the morning just to see it. Was worth every moment of my life. Tears poured down my face, ended up 'singing' the Sound of Music, but those two days, I will never forget in my lifetime. I would recommend everyone to go see her. At least once.
