Trekking in the mist
The Sandakphu (or Singalila Ridge) trek is a multi-day hike through the Singalila National Park, the ridge separates the mountain ranges of West Bengal from other Himalayan ranges and the trekking path crisscrosses between the Indian and Nepalese boarder. October is supposed to be one of the months with the clearest skies and views which include 4 of the 5 highest peaks in the world (Mt Everest, Makalu, Kanchenjunga and Lhotse). Before I left for India I was very excited to tell anyone willing to listen that I was doing this trek and claiming that I would see Mount Everest. As usual with India, this trek was a humbling experience of expecting the unexpected as well as a reminder that Mother Nature’s plans cannot be guaranteed.
I was informed as I arrived in Darjeeling that I would not have a porter (as advertised on the trekking company website) but I would have to carry all of my own stuff. I didn’t mind, in fact, I thought a porter was a bit over the top. But I still had to mentally shift gears, to only pack the bear minimum in my 26l day pack, not an easy task (and a rather disgusting one after 6 days).
Day 1 started from Manebhanjan (2,150m) it continued and ended in mist and drizzle in Tumling. It was steep with absolutely no views due to the mist, which made it quite disheartening. Day 2 was a tough one with a massive ascent to Sankalphu at 3636m. Starting out sunny, we caught glimpses of Kanchenjunga at 5:30am, however the last few kilometers were in mist and rain again. Each overnight stop along the way brought different accommodation experiences; what were once home stays are now more like little mountain lodges, most of which are still family run. Food was simple but delicious and accommodation varied widely, but we were generally always content.
On day 3, despite the sunny morning I felt grumpy. Only half way! Why on earth did I think a 6 day trek was a good idea? I was struggling with the altitude, I was cold and stiff, my clothes were smelly and damp…My thought was: “Right now I can’t even blame my husband for dragging me to do this… it was my choice and my choice only. What the heck was I thinking? It all seemed quite lovely booking it from the comfort of my clean, warm, dry couch a few months ago.” Also, we had continued to walk on a jeep track for a large portion of the way and would get hooted at by the jeeps transporting non-trekking tourists to each endpoint (wtf?). Can I not even get away from hooters and noise in the mountains? That day’s trek ended in us walking the last few kms in hail and rain… (maybe Mother Nature decided to give me something proper to be grumpy about :)) We arrived at Phalut, drenched and cold, and this was the most basic accommodation we had in the trek (dorm rooms and 2 eastern toilets for everyone to share). Phalut is the meeting point of Sikkim, West Bengal and Nepal. Unfortunately the misty and cloudy 5am start on day 4 prevented us from seeing the famous mountains in all their glory.
For the first 3 mornings we were woken up at 5am, jumping out of bed to race up a hill or viewpoint to see if the mountains were clear. It is quite a shock to the system to be trudging up a hill at high altitude straight after waking up. Sometimes I felt like my lungs only woke up by the time they were sitting in my throat! (And this was pre-tea!)
Whenever I felt a low moment I would remind myself of the Tibetan prayer flags and painted rocks at the start of the trek, with the mantra “Om Mane Padme Hum” – briefly meaning “The jewel is in the Lotus” (“the wisdom is in compassion” – it is quite powerful and it was exceptionally symbolic).
It is tough trekking in that kind of constantly changing weather, often we couldn’t appreciate the views at the end of a steep climb, what is the reward for doing this if I can’t see much? However, there is something quite magical about arriving somewhere drenched, tired, disorientated in thick mist and being given a hot cup of tea and some dhal bhat. Then waking up at sunrise and seeing the grandeur of Mother Nature all around- green valleys, grassy hills, glimpses of snowy peaks between clouds and well as seeing the long winding path below that we had climbed the day before.
The last 3 days were more what I imagined the trekking to be like. The jeep track ends in Phalut, so finally our treks were through bamboo or other moss covered forest pathways, arriving at much nicer, less crowded little mountain villages. So many houses were brightly painted and such care and pride taken in the flowering gardens surrounding the houses.
Trekking in mist, hail, rain and sunshine really helped me be quite present and appreciative of the small things; The colorful wild flowers, finding berries to eat in the forests, the bamboo and rhododendron pathways and moss covered trees. The yaks, cows and horses. And of course the occasional bucket of hot water to wash with – oh how luxurious hot water and soap can be. I have become appreciative of my body’s ability to trek like this, post lower back/sciatic injury. Time and time again, my body and my mind reminded me just how resilient I can be.
But the most memorable moments are actually with the people. When I booked the trek, I thought I would be in a group. But it was just my guide, Rajen, and I. I was actually content with being alone. But then I was reminded of the warm and fuzzy feeling I get when I’m around amazing people. From the first evening, I met an awesome couple from the UK and a fantastic Polish couple from Ireland. Along with their brilliant guides Tenzin and Vivas. We then formed a group and trekked together. We laughed and laughed, shared travel stories, and stories from home. We kept each other going through the rain, hail and slippery, muddy paths, laughing at a few of our own misfortunes, like slipping in the mud. Chatting along the way made it much easier to push through the tough parts. We ended our last evening together sitting in a little village kitchen, singing along as Vivas played the guitar while the others tasted local millet beer.
We parted ways with the British couple and Tenzin on day 5, and continued from the lovely village of Gorkhey to Timburey, where the highlight of the day was discovering that they had en suite, western toilets! We also had a great time learning to make momos (Tibetan dumplings), and chatting around the fire, but, wow, the simple pleasure of a western toilet was the biggest treat.
On day 6, I parted ways with the Polish couple and Vivas; I had the last day on my own with my guide Rajen. Rajen is a quiet and calm guy and so we spent most of the 3 hour trek walking in silence. It was actually quite magical, to take in the final moments of being between pine, bamboo and rhododendron forests and reflecting on the past 6 days; The sights, the sounds and the fresh air. I kept up a mindful walk, saying the words of the Loving Kindness Mantra to loved ones and family members. An interesting observation was that Rajen placed a few leaves on the pillar of each bridge that we crossed. I have tried to find out why, but I still don’t know. Anyway it made me feel safe crossing each river, like a little blessing
So we didn’t see Kunchedzonga, Everest or the other grand mountains in full sight, due to the mist and clouds, so my clothes were damp, muddy and smelly, and some of the climbs were exceptionally difficult. I take with me some incredible new memories, sights, experiences, knowledge, gratitude for Mother Nature and most of all, a full heart from spending time with such incredible people.
