Pujo Vacation,2018 to Kalimpong & Chamong
This year, travel plans were being postponed, shelved and deferred very frequently. Apart from the Chadar Trek in January, we had travelled only to Shanitiniketan, Jhargram and Tajpur. Usually every monsoon we drive to one or two nearby places but even those plans got shelved. The work situation too was giving hell and was swamped with work all along. So, something had to be done!
Sometime in the blistering heat of May, figured out that the Durga Puja leaves this year were just apt for a short getaway. Zeroed in on Kalimpong and a Tea Garden Bungalow in Darjeeling. And throughout the summer and monsoon waited for the days to pass as killing work took its toll.
And then I was rewarded. Almost on a week’s notice got a prized trek to Rupin Pass in the last week of September. Returned on 2nd Oct and the Durga Puja spirit was in the air.
The plan was to leave on Ashtami (17th Oct) and return to Kolkata on 24th Oct.
Itinerary:
17-Oct: Hop towards Bagdogra and spend the night.
18-Oct: Bagdogra to Kalimpong. Spent 2 more nights
19-Oct: Around Kalimpong
20-Oct: Around Kalimpong
21-Oct: Kalimpong to Chamong
22-Oct: Chamong
23-Oct: Chamong to Malda
24-Oct: Malda to Kolkata
Day One: Calcutta to Bagdogra [560 kms, 13 hours]
We did some pandal hopping for the first 3 days. Didn't want to strain myself on Saptami night, so the outing was deliberately kept short.
And on Ashtami set sail in our nine year old Swift. The streets decked with lights. Even at 4 AM, Rash Behari crossing was flooded with the crowd. For a moment pinched myself to check that whether it was evening 7 PM or the crack of the Ashtami dawn.
As others have described, this year Farakka bridge was closed for repair for truck traffic from 7 AM to 5 PM and all the trucks were stranded on the north bound flank of NH-34 and was quite anxious as to what the situation will be. But the journey to Bagdogra (we usually stay the night at Marina’s Motel) was a breeze.
Apart from tea breaks, we stopped at the BP Moregram for a heavy breakfast of Aloo Paranthas and that stuff was good enough for the entire day. Checked into the hotel around 5.30 PM, freshened up and when we headed to the restaurant it was around 8.00 PM. Had Roasted Chicken for dinner and slept off early.
Day Two: Bagdogra to Kalimpong [70 kms, 2.5 hrs]
The day we hit the hills!
I had lost 3 kilos of weight after the Rupin pass trek and so wanted to relax, have good food and generally stroll around at a leisurely pace. We started from Bagdogra around 11.30 AM. Our destination - Kalimpong.
The weather was great and as we are wont to, rolled down the windows to let the fresh air hit our face.
The NH 10 has deteriorated at several places and in a hatchback it can quite uncomfortable at times. Stopped at a point for some vegetable momos and by 2.30 PM we were at Sinclairs, Kalimpong. The resort is located 5 kilometers before Kalimpong and is on the road to Chibbo village.
Check in process was smooth. The room that we had booked had a balcony attached to it overlooking the valley. The missus reckoned ‘just as we wanted’ – away from the crowd, yet has all the amenities and is supremely comfortable.
The weather during all the three days that we stayed in Kalimpong was mild. In the mornings you would require a light windcheater till nine, a t-shirt would suffice from then to around four in the evening, after which you would again require a windcheater.
Had a hot shower, ordered for some Chowmein and Chilli Chicken from the “all day menu” and sat on the balcony reading a recently purchased, yet old book – Ruskin Bond’s A Room on the Roof – and whiled away a cool two hours.
The sun had disappeared into the haze by then and the air got cold in the remaining light.
The trees at a distance rustled in the evening and my son, who had slept off after lunch woke up fresh and was happy and excited.
The balcony was too enticing for me to resist. So, I made some tea for ourselves and sat for a while. We debated on – should the dinner be ordered from room service or should we help ourselves to the restaurant? Our discussion then shifted to the plan for the next day. Our son was happy getting up and down the attic. And spent some time drawing the trees and forests and hulls. At the end, room service won over walking over to the restaurant. By 11 PM we were fast asleep.
In the hills there was hardly any feel of Durga puja – but we had found solitude!
Day Three: Around Kalimpong
Woke up late - so late that the breakfast time was almost getting over. So hurried to the restaurant where after a sumptuous breakfast we deliberated on “What to do?”. Checked a few websites on “What are the things to do in Kalimpong?” – the idea was to leave the hotel before noon and reach by sunset.
A rough itinerary was made – visit Dr. Graham’s Homes, Delo Park, the market and return. The sun was very bright, and it was getting hot as we wound through the hill slopes. Lost our way a few times and finally reached Dr Graham’s homes – basically a school – closed due to the Pujo vacations.
The Delo hill is further way up, along the same road that passes beside the school. And by the time we were back on the road, the sun had disappeared, and fog caught up with us. It was all – dark, foggy, wet and cold – in no time. We stopped for Maggi at a road side joint. Later we reached the park, strolled around, had some ice cream. Parking was a problem because of too many tourist vehicles everywhere, but all is well that ends well.
On the way down from Delo, we found a sweet place to park the car near Kalimpong bazaar. The wife bought some bakery stuff: cream rolls, biscuits; son bought a balloon and I had a beer at Gompu’s and tasted some beef momos at a road side spot. We were back at the resort by the time darkness had fallen.
An anecdote here about parking my car. That day was Vijaya Dashami and the car parking space (which is located at the rear of the resort) was full. So the security guard asked me to park my car inside the resort – near to the reception. But when I tried to take my car inside, the other security guard – who didn’t know I was hotel guest – told me to park my car outside. Saying that he will look over it and it won’t be a problem. Since the parking space was insecure, so I called up the reception and told them about the incident. Thankfully, the resort folks promptly responded: not only they apologized but they parked my car inside the resort. That night we dined at the restaurant and called off the day soon after.
Day Four: Around Kalimpong
Since this would be the final day to spend in Kalimpong, I had planned a short excursion Chibbo village which was nearby. Hence woke up earlier than usual – the wife and kid were sleeping.
Started the car and in no time I was meandering the curved, steep but well paved roads. Terraced fields, small houses, rooster’s call – all part and parcel of a hilly village life – appeared.
There were a few little shops where I had hoped for a cup of tea – to be denied every time. Asked the locals where the road went and was told that it ends at a football ground beside the Durpin monastery. Since we had time to explore later in the day, so thought that we can visit Durpin monastery later. Instead tried my hand, very poorly, at car photography.
By the time I was back in the resort, wife was already awake, but kid was sleeping. So made a cup for coffee for ourselves and sat on the balcony for half an hour soaking in the fresh air that came off from the forests.
After breakfast made the day’s plan – visit Morgan house, the Army golf course and Durpin monastery and on the way down visit the market. All these “touristy” places were nearby and by 2 PM we had completed the “circuit”. So, went to Gompu’s yet again.
This time we ordered for Chowmein and chicken with vegetables. After lunch we strolled around the market place. Gompu’s is located at the center of the town and whereas the food and environment are average – yet there was a positive vibe about the place that came from the buzzing customers.
We went for dinner around 9ish. And ordered for Kebabs, Tandoori roti and the Bengali styled Kosha Mangsho with Potato chunks. Had a few drinks too. Overall great food, accentuated by great ambience and service. Had Gulab Jamun as dessert. Loved every bit of it.
Day Five: Kalimpong to Chamong Chiabari [Around 65 kms, 4 hours]
The hospitality at Sinclairs had left us impressed. The service, facilities, ambience, infrastructure, food – it was value for money redefined. In fact, both of us felt, that it was better than the Elgin hotels where we had stayed earlier. Plus the weather too had been great and everything combined to make the stay just as we had thought it would be.
So, we started around 11 AM from Kalimpong in anticipation of an even greater experience at the next place of stay: Chamong Chiabari – which is a resort located in one of the tea gardens operated by the Chamong tea company.
Down we went through the Kalimpong road to Teesta Bazaar and took the Peshok road. Stopped mid-way at a tea shop amidst beautiful tea gardens sloping up and down hill. A light breeze was blowing all along and sitting on a bench we were enjoying the cup of tea. But then tea led to lets have some maggi and so we had maggi once again.
The clouds and fog started gathering thereafter and not for a moment in the next (almost) thirty-six hours could we see the sun. Went up till Jorebungalow and then took the road downhill till Sukhia Pokhari. The road to Chamong is on the left of Sukhia Pokhari and as we went for a couple of kilometers, the road deteriorated badly. After quite a bit of miscommunication and bad roads we finally reached our destination Chamong Chiabari – cold and hungry.
We were upgraded to a “Suite” room that was great and sandwiches, Darjeeling tea were provided as evening snacks. Here too there was a small balcony from where twinkling lights of the villages nearby could be seen. Dinner call was at 9.30 PM and after a nice dinner we were off to sleep.
Day Six: Around Chamong Chiabari
The next day when we woke up it was cloudy. Initially we had planned to go to Darjeeling. But the bad roads put us off. Instead, we spent the day walking around the tea garden, photographing a nearby temple and going to Pokhriabong for some errands.
The most interesting among all of these activities were obviously the photo shoot in the adjoining tea garden , but was later warned that the tea gardens are infested with poisonous snakes. Far beyond, through the view finder zoomed, I could see small and colourful houses that dotted the slopes; mist that came down from the top. A valley floor also could be seen at a distance – a river snaking its way through forest lands and sandy shores.
Whereas the experience at Sinclairs was rewarding, the same cannot be said of Chamong. Chamong was pretty expensive and not value for money, service isn’t upto the mark. But the location of the resort is scenic and the rooms are good.Also very interesting was the food. Dosas and omelettes being whipped up for breakfast, Darjeeling tea available ‘on tap’.
Day Seven: Chamong to Malda
That day was bright and sunny and after breakfast in the lawn, started the car. And it was a usual run to Golden Park, Malda where we stayed the night. Next day we started for home and except a 45 mins hold up at Farraka we had a smooth run towards the city.