The Only Road is Sikkim

The overnight train from Kolkata wheezes its way into New Jalpaiguri, at the foothills of the Himalayas, with the strain of someone at the end of a marathon. With a metallic shriek the train jerks to a stop and collecting my backpack I hop off the 10-hour “Darjeeling Mail” and wonder what the hell I am going to do. Darjeeling is closed.

“Closed?” I exclaimed an hour after sunrise, stretching away the aches of a rotten nights sleep in the corridor. The man in his safari-suit pauses in his conversation to look at me. How could a city be closed?

“Yes. Closed,” he affirms with a smile. “The military have blocked the roads. They are not letting anyone in.”

“But I’m supposed to catch the Toy Train.” The UNESCO heritage-listed train to Darjeeling is world famous.

“I am sorry my friend. Closed.” It was the matter-o-fact dropping of a bomb. Apparently the fruit-sellers were angry about a new tax. Strikes and demonstrations were commonplace in India –but did they have to close the whole damn place?

“Very unhappy,” my new friend says. “I am government minister. Even I cannot go up there.” His phone rings and as he answers it he adds, “you should go to Sikkim. Very beautiful.” He turns away and leaves me.

I knew nothing about Sikkim.

Luckily I was not the only one whose plans had been affected by fruit-sellers – a German named Michael was in the same boat, or train as it were. Between us we managed to locate the Sikkim tourist office and a visa, or ILP (Inner Line Permit), is in our sweaty hands in surprisingly quick time. And just like that I am going to Sikkim.

I’d been reading up on it as we waited for our permits. Wedged up between Nepal and Bhutan and bordering on Tibet, Sikkim was a melting pot of various cultures, its beauty world-renowned. The permit is needed -and another still to go higher up to the mountain lakes- because of tension with China over the area. Tensions have since eased but restrictions are still in place, particularly near the border.

Gangtok, the capital, and my destination, is a rather scary four hour jeep ride from New Jalpaiguri. The scenery is magnificent enough as you wind up into the foothills to distract you from all the reckless daredevilry of the driver and the distinct lack of guard-rails on the edge of the narrow roads. Just hold on and enjoy the view.

Nestled high in the mountains the colourful buildings of Gangtok make you forget for a minute you are still in India. The air is chilly as we drive in and I risk putting my head out the window for a look down and then up and then back down again to where we’ve come from. Smiling I resolve that the Toy Train can wait – for this is an unexpected adventure. I don’t even wonder anymore if Darjeeling really is closed…