Sleeping Buddha

This 16 km trek [Sabargram-Phalut-Sabagram] starting from the early morning sunrise was refreshing. Witnessing the unique moment of sunrise on the top of the Himalayas together with Trekmates can be fun.The sleeping Buddha appeared in the morning for a while before it went behind the blankets of cloud. The route stretched along the border of Nepal where you can see both India & Nepal on opposite sides of the trail. Since the trekkers were given Eco Bags to collect recyclable wastes from the track, one of our members found a gambling card. It showed that Nepal is on the way to start the game of LIFE. 

 

This route was one of my best experiences to witness the scenic surroundings full of Valleys, Mountains, Greenery, Flowers etc. The view from the top of Phalut was amazing but the sky was not so kind to us that day to make the visuals even more iconic. The Himalayan mountain range can surpass many things even behind the clouds. I came across many wild flowers, plants on the way which I'm not aware of & there are so much to learn about their habits of survival over centuries especially Pine trees. With frequent changes of the harsh weather on the top, these species have adapted with the climatic condition of the planet to prove their strong survival nature. Climate change is real & can be felt both at the top of the mountain with the melting of glacier & underwater sea with the bleaching of Corals. 

 

With trekmates

                                               

                                                

 

 

Sleeping Buddha

The trek to Sandakphu is not only a physical challenge but a spiritual experience, as trekkers pass through lush forests, charming villages, and experience the unique cultural heritage of the Sherpa and Bhotia people. We got a small luck to witness Mt. Everest for few minutes on our way to Phalut & Arjun the trek leader gave us an info about an app called PEAKFinder which can be helpful to identify the peaks like Kanchanjunga, Lhotse & others.

 

Though I survived without a padded jacket by layering up with clothes that I was carrying, one thing helped me on the way. "Churpi" which is hard Yak Cheese. Initially one needs to keep it in the mouth for an hour so that the saliva can make it little soft by detaching the outer layer & the size keeps reducing. It's very healthy but don't expect it to be very tasty & strong like the chewing gum that we are used to. It is very mild in taste which keeps your mouth wet all the time. With altitude gain our mouth tends to become dry. "Churpi" is good for heart & joint. While trekking everyone feels the joint pain which can be distracting at some point to enjoy the trip. Hence "Churpi" supports Joint health, strengthens Jaw muscle & is a good source of Vitamin B12 for maintaining healthy nerves & blood cells.

It was very foggy after sunset & it is highly recommended to carry good head lamps as visibility can be a challenge at night. Extra fog lights can be helpful.

Key points I learned from the trek:

• Breaking Self Imaginary Limit
• Clarity
• Close 2 Nature
• Overcoming Challenges

 

Though I didn't carry Padded Jacket (Note: Everyone should carry even though the weather updates might play tricks on you), I didn't forget to carry Patta (cards) ;p. All well that ends well & on our last day at Gurdum where we ended up bluffing each other by playing games. I was happy that whatever I carried came into play in some way :) 

   

   

Sustainable trek

While the world is transitioning to sustainable practices & renewable energy, sustainable tourism is traveler's responsibility to keep the nature untouched without filling it up with trash.

 

Some portion of our Mother land should be spared as it is in places like Sabargram & Phalut situated at Bengal & Nepal where over tourism can destroy the current majestic realm of nature. Tent is a good option to stay & explore the grassland & rugged rocky formation. Another alternative option is simple sustainable home made of bamboo. 

 

                                                

2nd day Lunch in da mid Forest

Lunch @Rammam

Nature is enormous, beautiful & unpredictable. It changes it's form in every minute. Everyone must trek. It transforms lives in a positive way by facing & overcoming challenges. Just like scuba, trekking is another added activity of my travel. It's not a solo journey & at the same time I encourage everyone to trek (especially the Genz).   Through various activities & games during the trek, it creates bonding among the travelers. Everyone has their own uniqueness to behave & adapt to the environment which is important to be visible & interactive as much as possible.

 

As you climb higher, the alpine flora becomes more resilient—hardy plants cling to the rocks, enduring the harsh climate where only the most tenacious species thrive.

Bamboo Forest

Palm oil production is the biggest threat to the existence of Orangutans. I came to know about this fact while on my professional trip to corporate jungle. Orangutans is one of the endangered species of 21st century. Similarly, Red Panda, a small and elusive creature with its striking reddish-brown fur and masked face is facing numerous threats, including habitat loss, poaching, and the devastating effects of climate change. It is listed as endangered & more than 50% of RED PANDA have disappeared in the last 18 years. I was wandering to spot RED PANDA inside the lush Bamboo forest of Sandakphu. They feed mostly on Bamboo trees & are native to the temperate forests of the Himalayas.

Spotting RED PANDA while trekking along the route of Sandakphu can be an unique experience similar to encounter Bengal Tiger in Sunderbans. As we strive to protect the Red Panda, we must also look to preserve the lush forests they inhabit, ensuring that future generations can enjoy the sight of these endangered wonders.

 

Thanks to the initiatives of IndiaHikes [Booking details: https://indiahikes.com/sandakphu-phalut ] for sustainable trekking by maintaining Green trail where trekkers are given ECO Bags to collect recyclable as well as non recyclable wastes like plastics, bottles leftover by some other irresponsible tourists. Why don't we have this system in India? (Watch: Garbage Recycle MONEY shorts video. Won't take much time & will motivate U. I personally don't want to witness in coming decades that these vast ridges getting transformed into a Hill station full of shops, hotels & pollution.

 

It's our basic responsibilities to protect nature & wildlife if we follow minimalist habit of consumption while traveling to mountains & forests.

 

Credits goes to our trek leaders for guiding us throughout the 6 days trip from Sepi to Sepi (via Sabargram - Sleeping Buddha Next blog...). Without their experiences & help this trip would not have been fun enough 2 nJoy. 

Note: Offline "Gaia GPS" app is very useful as there is no mobile network after SEPI. There's another offline app called "Maps.me" which I came to know while on my first hike to Triund in Himachal (Blog)

 

 

Crypto Tripping

Cryptocurrency is currently in a state of confusion among the Global population. Those who have no idea what is crypto or have some vague idea about this decentralized digital world, visiting Thailand can bring some experiences to connect with the then utopian concept which is functional in reality. One can walk around the street & encounter bars, cafes where Bitcoin payment is acceptable.

We are still in a world where traveling to other countries can be complex when it comes to local currency & the exchange rates. 

Local ATM Bangkok

While withdrawing money in Bangkok from Krungthai ATM, I had the only knowledge of per transaction fees which is 220 Baht & 4% mark up fees of the whole amount but later I got the notification of an EXTRA amount DEDUCTion from my account which had no break-up point given in ATM slip.

I requested the local bank for the break up points of the EXTRA amount & I'm still waiting for the updates after a month... (Hopefully I will get it someday)

So be updated & informative about the fees before you withdraw money from your respective bank cards. 

Hence if you run out of money, What will you do in a Foreign country?

Should you travel with enough Cash, Forex Card or emerging e-Wallets like Binance 7Eleven MetaMask  in Thailand?

7Eleven has launched their payment wallet app recently Click here

 

A shop in Koh Tao where they accept Bitcoin

 

 

One can book ferry rides & buses in advance using this website (https://12go.asia/en) Surat Thani Airport to Koh Tao costs 1100 Baht

Koh Tao Ferry View

                                                               Ferry Ride to Koh Tao

 If you use your bank cards in any shops, diving center, bars,...there is a 3% fees per transaction of the amount you are paying + there can be an additional fees (which can be vague or updated with time).

 Is Crypto Wallet an option to pay for your expenses locally? Kindly comment & share valuable info

When you walk across the street of a tiny & beautiful island called Koh Tao which is 413 KM from Bangkok, you will find cafes, pubs accepting Payment in Bitcoin.

 

While looking for some videos to update myself into this parallel cycle of crypto world, I came across an YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@TheBitcoinfamily]. He call himself Didi & the most interesting thing is he has converted every bit of his assets into Bitcoin & currently traveling around the world with his family leaving behind the bank payment system. He is educating people by frequently uploading videos in his Youtube channel.

 

I'm that old school guy who still writes blogs. I'm not used to shorts or reels or Insta kind of thing. Is there anyway to reach out to decreasing attention span teenagers & young travelers? May be something better is on the way into the Blockchain world... Stay tuned for more ^^

No Internet? Still you can navigate with this app

Amidst the turmoil going on in our country, we are facing problem in some places where internet connectivity has been shutdown. What we can predict in future is our golden era of free access to information through search engine will soon be history. As per the optimistic point of view there will be something alternative to Internet for communication around the world & outside in future.

Without going further into space & future, let's go to Triund in Himachal Pradesh. I went for a quick visit from Delhi during the first week of December 2019. I didn't have any fix plan to go there but luckily I started my trekking with Triund. It was an experience that I enjoyed throughout that can be expressed through the following pics that I clicked while doing 10 km trek.

Halfway View

I started walking early in the morning at around 9 a.m. from Macleodgunj where my net connection helped me to locate the way using GPS till Gallu Devi temple. After reaching the temple (starting point) there's a straight trek of 6 kms where there's no connectivity of mobile tower. After showing my Government id I started going up towards the peak following other travelers on the way. I came across travelers mostly from Europe & Israel. Some travelers are exploring places for more than 8-9 months or even a year.

While trekking anywhere, a continuous conversation with someone (friend, stranger, traveler) can help anyone keep going without getting exhausted. If you are traveling solo or with friends it can distract the mind from getting tired and will help to complete the path easily. Triund trek can be done in one day if one starts early in the morning. I completed it in one day as I had to return to Delhi. Those who wants to see the sunrise from the top, they have to book the tent online in advance to stay at night. You can book here : https://www.booking.com/hotel/in/mcleodganj-camping-resort.en-gb.html

Trekking route

Top view of Triund

Fortunately I came across some travelers on the way who had the same plan to complete on the same day. When I was almost 1 km below the final destination, the view was getting better with frozen ice on the path & the hour long conversation in Portuguese language with an European traveler made the journey more interesting. I noticed that she was constantly looking at her mobile phone to track the location. I asked her " Você tem cobertura ou internet?" She replied "Não" My response was "What's the point of looking at the GPS if you don't have internet connection!" & then I was introduced to this app called "Maps.me" where internet is not required after installation and you can navigate & see the location.

Download this app on Google Play or Apple Store

It's not a very new app. You can download by clicking here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapswithme.maps.pro&referrer=mt_click_id%3Dmt-xuhg85-1577005389-679605027

Those who don't know they can find it very useful especially during traveling & network connectivity problem.


Finally we could enjoy at the top & finished the trek before sunset. There's a sunset cafe where you can enjoy this colorful skyline after Triund trek.

It's near the starting point of trek roughly 15-20 mins by walk through forest.

Sunset cafe - Chillax zone

After sunset if your mobile ph is out of battery then returning from this place can be difficult or adventurous. Make sure you have power bank or follow other travelers because it's completely dark out there in the forest apart from sound of animals & ... 


          

Darjeeling Jomjomat

If I visit Darjeeling for 1000 times & any1 says "Hey let's go 2 Darjeeling"-- My response would always be "Yes". That's what my view on  "THE QUEEN OF HILLS".

This was my second visit to Darjeeling without any plan. Initially we thought of visiting Sikkim & come back to Kolkata. But travelling has no fixed plan and that's how it should be. So I decided on the way having momo @ Gangtok that we are travelling to Darjeeling before going back to Kolkata.

Those who have read my blog on Sikkim can continue reading below or else I recommend you to read my previous blogs on Sikkim because there is a mystery connected there that I am going to narrate while having hot chocolate @ Keventer's.

Keventer's is one of the popular restaurant with an open rooftop & beautiful views of the Himalayas. It is one of the place where Satyajit Ray used to visit frequently and bring solutions to the mysterious puzzles through our favorite detective character FELUDA. This is the place where I feel like sitting I don't know for how long & may be write or enjoy the nature.

Well I was talking about a Mumbai guy right? Who was travelling with us @ North Sikkim? Who was trying to act like a mysterious guy? What happened to him finally?

He was suppose to come back to Gangtok with us before we headed here. But he didn't. He chose to get down from the car while coming back.

Now coming back to Darjeeling it can be sometimes tiring to walk if we compare with Sikkim because Darjeeling is situated on the slopes of the mountain. So the roads are stiff and for the city people it's like mini trekking. But I enjoy walking around here watching the beautiful buildings, Mall, Tourists etc. One thing I haven't mentioned yet that when people come across the view of Kanchenjunga for the first time in the morning, it really takes one's breath away. WOW. Let's have a look @ it...

Sunrise @Tiger Hill where almost everyday Kanchenjunga appears with golden reflection

One never forgets his/her first encounter with KANCHENJUNGA

Who is She??...

So stay tuned for my next blog to have the flavor of best Darjeeling tea &  untold mysteries surrounding this trip .....