[SS-Traveller]

Compared to our metro cities, Sikkim is indeed a Utopia of sorts. With the North Bengal hills on fire (once again) with Gorkhaland protests even as I write this, SK appears to be the perfect getaway from the heat and humidity of the plains. Having never driven through Sikkim yet, your photos and log are tempting enough for me to do it ASAP - but, alas...

I therefore console myself by rating your thread with 5 stars. Thank you for sharing in so much detail and so quickly.

[smuniswami]

Thanks to shri mi2n for the visual treat - in the form of spectacular photographs.

[mi2n]

Originally Posted by Samba

Awesome will be an understatement. Excellent pics and great narration.

Thanks Samba! Your brilliant photos have spruced up this log.

Originally Posted by VaibhaoT

Beautiful travelogue! Rated 5 stars.
We were amazed to see the driving discipline observed by the locals in Sikkim & specifically cab drivers. Sikkim has been added to my bucket list of road trip destination.

Thanks! Yes, we all admire the etiquette, courtesy and helpfulness shown on the roads in this part of the country.

Originally Posted by PapaBravo

Lovely Travelogue Mi2n. Seeing your TL, I think my next trip will be to west.
Mithi looks happy being on a road trip !!

Thanks! West Sikkim is like a weekend trip for you anyways. Yes, I'm blessed that my daughter shares my enthusiasm in cars and road travel. She not only enjoys her road trips but also livens up the cabin with her antics. Here's hoping that someday she'll take her old man on a road trip!

Originally Posted by A.G.The Rambler

Due to the road widening from Tarku, they have redirected to an alternate route through the villages which turns left about 5 kms before Tarku. It’s an awkward turn with a small signboard with an arrow with Namchi written below it. It is very easy to miss the signboard. This road is narrow but mostly tarred and takes you directly to Temi bazar. We took this road in December 2016 while visiting Temi. Its a shorter route and takes half the time.

Thanks! Yes, the Swift in our team discovered this route later.

Originally Posted by dhanushmenon

Wow!!
By the way, I guess there is not a single location North or East of Kolkata where the legendary BlackPearl has not set his foot on, and not a location left where he hasn't written a log of.

Thanks! Glad that you liked the log.
Blackpearl might not have set his foot in too many places, but he surely has left tyre tracks all over this region. No wonder that he's known as "monk" in his circle.

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

This is nostalgic! Sikkim is where my heart lies and every place brings back lovely memories. Superb narration and pics @mi2n. Thanks for sharing this travelogue!

Thank You!

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

We had made it all the way up in 2014 August as well. It was pure 4WD territory due to the slush and mud.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post3530495

I was totally unaware about the nature of that trail. I was steadily moving till I saw the stuck Sumo. Now, I realize that the stuck Sumo was a blessing for me. If not for the Sumo, I would have surely ventured into the slush and most probably got stuck as well.

Originally Posted by ARAY

Yet another blockbuster tblog. There is so much left to explore up East. Eastern Himalays has its own charm altogether. Lovely pictures as well. Bong Duster needs to do all these trails. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Thanks! Eagerly waiting for stunning photos of the Bong Duster on these trails.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Compared to our metro cities, Sikkim is indeed a Utopia of sorts. With the North Bengal hills on fire (once again) with Gorkhaland protests even as I write this, SK appears to be the perfect getaway from the heat and humidity of the plains. Having never driven through Sikkim yet, your photos and log are tempting enough for me to do it ASAP - but, alas...

I therefore console myself by rating your thread with 5 stars. Thank you for sharing in so much detail and so quickly.

Thanks da! Please plan a trip to Sikkim and allow us to follow you. Most of us would love to get featured on a Hawk-On-Fours® travelogue!

[siddarthab]

Fabulous travelogue with mesmerising photographs mi2n. Rated 5 Stars.

Warm regards,

Siddhartha

[sayakc]

Hi Mithun,

Refreshing travelogue makes me remember good things in life. Rated 5*.

I had the opportunity to stay at Red Palace when I had gone for the Dzongri/Goecha La trek. Lovely place and since I traveled as a backpacker got a very good deal too. The hotel owner was a lady and owned a Toyota Fortuner

The peaks you photographed are Goecha Peak (shaped like a saddle) and Kabru South & North (AFAIK) from the resort.

Regards,
Sayak

Originally Posted by mi2n

The road up to the monastery is basically a rocky trail used by trekkers venturing in to the Khangchendzonga National Park. We encountered some trekkers making their way up with horses leading with the luggages.

[AkMar]

What a brilliant travelogue! Beautiful narration with scintillating photography of the sights you saw on the trip. Your selection of hotels too looks wonderful! North East is so beautiful, my heart yearns to experience the beauty. I will surely be there some time in my life.

[adg_andy]

Wonderful narration and fantastic pictures. It was as if I was doing the trip with you !!! Rating 5 stars

[gmhossain]

Originally Posted by mi2n

... This story is about magical Sikkim, about friends and about family. A leisurely vacation conceived over a casual chat between friends united by a common passion for cars and road travel...

It's a brilliant travelogue, Mithun! May be, I was among the first few to start reading your travelogue within few minutes of it becoming public and I completed reading it in the first sitting itself. Nevertheless, I could not stop myself from reading it for the second time today. It's superbly written with mesmerizing pictures. Specially, the pictures of the snow capped mountain peaks are marvelous.

Originally Posted by mi2n

... After dinner I went down for a stroll and spotted BHPian gmhossain's steed at the hotel parking. It was too late to knock, so I went back to our room and dozed off!

It's my bad to have missed the opportunity to have a Team-BHP mini meet at Raiganj Tourist Lodge! You had checked out early in the morning, when I went down there.

Anyway, keep driving and keep writing!

[mi2n]

Originally Posted by smuniswami

Thanks to shri mi2n for the visual treat - in the form of spectacular photographs.

Shri mi2n sounded wierd, but thanks!

Originally Posted by siddarthab

Fabulous travelogue with mesmerising photographs mi2n. Rated 5 Stars.

Thank you.

Originally Posted by sayakc

The peaks you photographed are Goecha Peak (shaped like a saddle) and Kabru South & North (AFAIK) from the resort.

Thanks for the information and correction. Much appreciated.

Originally Posted by AkMar

I will surely be there some time in my life.

Thank you, yes, this part of our country never fails to amaze.

Originally Posted by adg_andy

Wonderful narration and fantastic pictures. It was as if I was doing the trip with you !!! Rating 5 stars

Thank you Andy!

Originally Posted by gmhossain

It's my bad to have missed the opportunity to have a Team-BHP mini meet at Raiganj Tourist Lodge! You had checked out early in the morning, when I went down there.
Anyway, keep driving and keep writing!

Thanks for the appreciation da! Means a lot. We will meet soon.

[shashanka]

Excellent travelogue/photologue, mi2n - great narration & attention to detail without getting bogged down by non-essentials! And wonderful crisp photographs add to the total experience. Your travelogue is a also an endorsement of the TUV300(100bhp) & should put to rest all the carping one came across earlier on various fora! Thanks once again for this treat.
Shashanka

[TheStranger]

Superb TL, Mi2n with awesome photography and to-the-point narration. Your daughter looks thrilled to be in the "driver's seat".

[vijayols]

Mi2n wonderful log.Sikkim definitely remains one of our best trips ever.Smrithi my daughter just loves Lachung and Lachen and the wonderful Barsey trek.

Breathtaking photos.

[mi2n]

Sikkim from the driver's seat

Sharing some dashcam snapshots. Apologies for poor image quality.