25th June 2024, 14:28
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| Newbie Join Date: Sep 2023 Location: Kolkata
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| A Road Odyssey Serenity And Scenic Highways And Himalayas Last October, 2023 as we were so excited for an unforgettable road trip in our trusted Hyundai new i20, BS-VI Phase-2. We decided to venture towards Himalayas, that is Darjeeling from our home town Serampore. Date 29th October, 2023, A Road Odyssey: Serenity and Scenic Highways Embarking on a road trip is always a thrilling adventure, basically it was inherited from my father, and the October 29, 2023 we been for the road trip with my family—myself, my wife, our enthusiastic son and our loyal pet Coco (a rabbit). We set off at 5:40 am from our hometown,Serampore. Serampore to first stop at Bethuadahari The initial part of our journey took us through familiar lanes, cruising over the Delhi Road, Mogra Flyover and onto the STKK Road till Hematpur and then Gourango Setu connected us to the highway at Krishnanagar near Nabadwip More Bus Stand after covering a distance of 110 Kilometers, marking the beginning of our highway adventure. As we traversed through Krishnanagar, hunger spasms made us to give a pit stop at Bethuadahari for breakfast. Bethuadahari to second next stop at Raiganj Tourist Lodge After having breakfast from the local road side motel we resumed our journey for another 292 Kilometers, passing through towns and villages. We crossed Palasey then Baharampur, we were lucky to find the new Baharampur Bypass open and we proceeded towards the Birbhum district connector - the famous as Morgram Crossing. Thereafter we crossed iconic landmark, the Farakka Bridge, it reminded me of our first school trip, when the teacher in charge asked us to count the 109 lock gates. Further, we passed through the historical place Malda. On our way we called the Raiganj Tourist Lodge and asked for lunch for 3 people, reached the Raiganj Tourist Lodge at 2 pm, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch. The tourist lodge provided a beautiful green surroundings adding up energies to us for the next leg of our adventure.  At Raiganj Tourist Lodge Raiganj to ultimate destination for the day at Siliguri After a small nap we set out for the last leg of our journey that is another 179 Kilometers to reach towards our last destination for the day at Siliguri. The route unfolded through Dalkhola, Kishanganj, and Islampur, the sun settled down for the day as we approached Bagdogra, after facing a huge traffic entered the city of Siliguri, and the drive culminated at 7pm at Hotel Insta 18 (pet friendly). Immediately we checked in and got fresh. After having dinner were dead tired and immediately went to bed. The odometer displayed the total distance covered of 558 Kilometers. Date 30th October, 2023, Hills and Tea gardens As the first light of dawn I got up and gave my car a fresh bath with the help of the caretaker to make her glow again, generally I carry all my car makeover items along with me, so it was again back to her beautiful glows, after a fulfilling breakfast we bid adieu to Hotel Insta 18and embarked on our next leg of our journey, heading towards the hills and our destination for the day – Golpahar Homestay, near the Gopaldhara Tea Garden in the district of Darjeeling. Journey to the Hills Before setting out finally, we purchased snacks, mineral water bottles, and ensured the car's tank was brimmed with gasoline. Our drive commenced towards the hills, a total uphill distance of 59 Kilometers which unfolded with breathtaking views when we crossed famous Darjeeling More and veered right onto the Darjeeling Heritage Toy Tracks. The road passed through Sukna Forest, army areas, and lush green forest areas. Enchanting stop on the way at Tingling View Point The route took us past through Garidhura, Dudhia, the Singbulli Tea Garden and Phuguri Tea Estate. At an altitude of 4100 feet, we found Tingling View Point which offered spectacular views of the tea gardens sprawled through the entire down hill areas till the eyesight visions. We stopped for a coffee break at a cafe near the "I Love Mirik" inscription which was actually a perfect stop.  Tingling View Point  A stop in front of the "I Love Mirik" inscription Sumendu Lake Continuing our drive for another 9 Kilometers, we arrived at Mirik Lake, also known as Sumendu Lake, a haven in the Darjeeling district. The 1.25-kilometers-long road, surrounded by a green park and tall pine trees, boating on the lake and relishing the views of Mount Kanchendzonga at the farthest corner glorified the beauty of the place a lot. Parked the car in the parking lot and had a stroll there crossing the bridge to the other side of the lake. It took time to cover such a huge spacious place and thus being already late for the lunch hours decided to have our lunch here. Today’s night halt at Golpahar Homestay, Gopaldhara Tea Estate Post-lunch, our journey continued to Gopaldhara Tea Estate, for another 10 Kilometers from Mirik Lake. The drive towards Gopaldhara tea estate was full of several tea gardens on both the sides of the road, the lush greenery, the fragrance of the leaves and the mountainous created a perfect scenic postcard. By 3 pm, we reached Golpahar Homestay, located right in front of the Gopaldhara Tea Estate garden. Immediately the homestay person took out luggage helped me parking my car in a steep downhill and we checked in our homestay.  While parking near the homestay After checking in, the homesaty owner greeted us with warm flavoured tea, and after that we ventured out to explore the Gopaldhara tea garden. Climbing small hills with tea orchards, we went atop the Gopaldhara Tea Garden. The fresh air and the sight of the road from Mirik to Golpahar from the hilltop was awesome. As dusk settled in, we returned to the homestay. We retired to our beds after the dinner, outside it was pin drop silence.  The Gopaldhara Tea Garden  View from the homestay and my car resting Date 31st October, 2023, Tea gardens and International Border then Hills again The next early morning left bed prior to sun-rise, got fresh and came out of the homestay. The sun was yet to rise, the locals were busy with their regular lives, some of them were jogging on the roads and some of them doing exercises. After sunrise returned to the homestay got ready and left for our next destination, though nothing was fixed we thought of staying anywhere we would feel like. The road was a bit difficult, stiff climbs with hairpin bends and sharp rise, didn’t engage more than 1st and 2nd gear, started to measure the power of my new car, and it glided smoothly. After a drive of 8 Kilometers we reached Pashupati Gate and stopped, we got down and went around the Nepal border till the gate. After talking to the officials of the Nepal Government, learnt that one can take own car by obtaining a permit from the Nepal Government and its they were calling Vansar.  In front of the Nepal Border After a few clicks we started and immediately and after deriving for another 7 Kilometers we reached Simana View Point, located at an altitude of 7,500 ft., the Mane Bhanjan, the villages of Nepal, parts of Singalila National Park and the mighty Kachendzonga far away from the valley is indeed a spectacular view point.     Few snapshots from Simana View Point Stopped there for few minutes had tea and then again started, on the way after 4 Kilometers we crossed the Jor Pokhri connector, then after driving for another 2 Kilometers we passed through the market of Sukhiya Pokhri and we moved ahead further for 3.5 Kilometers, reached the Pine View Spot or the Nature Park just ahead of a small hamlet called Lepchajagat, so it was an obvious stop. We scaled up a little bit, it is area surrounded by tall pine trees, clicked few pictures and then had Momo from the local road-side vendor and started again.  Father and Son at Pine View Spot or the Nature Park near Lepchajagat  Pine View Spot or the Nature Park near Lepchajagat One by one, we passed through Lepchajagat, Ghoom Railway Station, Sonada, and Kurseong Railway Station, finally arrived at Dow Hill. The entire 33-kilometer route was remarkably smooth, although the last segment from Kurseong Bazaar to Old Chapel, Dow Hill, had a steep incline.  On the way to Dow Hill. After visiting Dow Hill, we descended the Hill Cart Road to Kurseong Railway Station, planning to stay at a hotel near the toy train line. About 5 kilometers downhill from Dow Hill, we discovered "The Kaiser Valley" Hotel, owned by the famous actor Mr. Mithun Chakraborty.  Parking in front of The Kaiser Valley Hotel.  From our hotel, we watched a toy train pass right in front of us. We checked into the Valley View Suite, which featured an open glass-window dining space at the far end of the room. Seated there, we gazed out at the distant city of Siliguri. As the sun set, the city's lights began to flicker on and cars slowly ascended the Rohini Road, their headlights glittering like stars towards Siliguri.  The night view from the room We sat there engaged in conversation and the beauty of the scene, losing track of time. Regained back to senses when the door bell rang, the hotel boy arrived and intimated about dinner being served ("nou baaj gya Sirji kahna ready hai"). After our meal, we retired to our beds, content and ready for a peaceful night’s sleep. Date: 1st November 2023 - Tea Gardens, Hills, Zoo, and Hill Queen The next morning, we woke up early and stepped out of the hotel to take some pictures.  The morning view After getting fresh, we embarked on our last leg of our journey to the Hill Queen, Darjeeling. About driving for 10.5 kilometers we stopped at Tea Pot, the renowned Margaret's Deck, where we enjoyed our breakfast sitting at the deck with a pristine scenic view of the tea gardens and hills and the rolling over of the clouds.   At Tea Pot, Margaret's Deck parking After breakfast, we continued our journey, passed through Sonada, Ghoom and Batasia Loop and reached Darjeeling. My son expressed his desire to visit the zoo first, so we carefully drove past the congested bus and jeep stand and the bustling marketplace. After a drive of approximately 24 kilometers from the Tea Pot, we reached the multi-level car park near the zoo. The parking rates were Rs.50 for the first hour and Rs.20 for each additional hour. After exploring the Zoo and the Mountaineering Institute, we made our way to "The Little Tibet" (93330 71717), our cozy home for the next few days near Raj Bhavan which is also a short stroll from the Mall. Parking our car in their private parking lot, we checked in and freshened up. Without wasting any further time we came out of oyr room and rush for the breathtaking views of Kachendzonga, barely two minutes walk from the hotel to reach the vantage point near Raj Bhavan. The sun settled and we walked leisurely through the bustling Mall area, we couldn't resist indulging in Momo from the road side eateries and Softy ice-cream at Kaventor’s.  Iconic Darjeeling Clock Tower Returning to our hotel, we ordered a delicious dinner and spent the evening planning our adventures for the upcoming day. Date 2nd November, 2023, Sunrise, Batasia Loop, Heritage Steam Vista Joyride and Tibetan Dinner We began our day early, rushed towards the view point to witness the sun kissing the Kouchendzongha in the early dawn drawn, witnessed the changing of colours over it as the sun complete rose. The breathtaking spectacle filled the morning air with the sound of countless camera shutters capturing the magic.  Mighty Kanchendzongha  The Church, Darjeeling near GTA Bhawan  My Son and his pet "Coco" at the balcony of our hotel. After returning to our hotel for a refreshing bath and breakfast, we left towards Batasia Loop. Despite the congested road, drove for an hour to cover a mere 6 kilometers reached Batasia Loop. A bustling scene resembling a fair, the local vendors tempted visitors with colorful displays of sweaters, shawls, and caps ornamental stones.  At Batasia Loop My son's excitement was very much palpable as he spotted the diesel toy train, we decided to go for joy ride of a steam locomotive, if tickets were available. Leaving Batasia Loop and a visit to Ghoom Monastery, we returned to our hotel for lunch and kept our car at the hotel parking lot. We left the hotel and booked a cab for the station, within 15 mintues we reached the platform and we were fortunate enough to getthe tickets for a steam joy ride, we boarded a heritage steam locomotive train.  Train Time Table  The Steam Engine which chugged the train. The journey was a delightful, the train whistled and chugged past the roads, bustling markets, and finally halted at Batasia Loop. Thereafter a brief stop at Ghoom, recent pasts housed a fascinating Railway Museum, showcasing antique equipment touching the affairs of the Himalayan railways and their histories, and then it chugged back to Darjeeling Station. Venturing up to Chawkbazar and after some marketing, we planned dinner at Kunga, renowned for its Tibetan and Nepali cuisine, but we were disappointed to learn the restaurant's operational hours - the restaurant opens from 10 am till 6 pm, and were further sad to hear that we cannot dine in at that time and they would deliver the food after 7.30 pm, ordered our dinner and strolled back though the Mall Road until to our hotel. At the delivery time been bought our dinner and we enjoyed the famous cuisines -mixed Nepali and Tibetan and retired in our beds. Date 3rd November, 2023, Again Sunrise, Packing and Car Checkup We woke up early and rushed out of the hotel to catch another glimpse of Kanchenjunga. We noticed several activities of the police personnel preparing for the Governor's visit, some of them even occupied the view points. Some how we managed for a bench and after spending a couple of serene hours we reluctantly returned to our hotel. For the remainder of the day, we chose to stay in, feeling a mix of emotions as the realization that our journey was coming to an end settled in. The heaviness in our hearts was palpable as we packed our belongings, each moment tinged with a quiet sadness. In the evening, we decided to have our farewell dinner at Glenary's, a place filled with memories of our time in Darjeeling.  My master enjoying his drink After completing our dinner we strolled for a few hours more at the Mall area and ultimately came back to the hotel in complete silence, each of us lost in our thoughts how journey's inevitably drawn to a close, leaving behind memories that would stay with us forever. Date 4th November, 2023, Hill Cart Road and back to abode After breakfast, we set off for Serampore at 10:40 in the morning, despite encountering a bit of traffic near Kurseong, my son insisted on taking the scenic Hill Cart Road instead of regular Rohini Road. Accordingly passed through Gidda Pahar, Gayabari, Tindharia, Sepoi Dhura, Sukna and finally descended to Darjeeling More, needless to mention that we were astounded by the smoothness of this part of the road too. Continuing our journey, one by one we crossed Islampur, Kishanganj, and Dalkhola before reaching Raiganj. We made a pit stop at Badsha Hotel, where we enjoyed rotis, curries, and cold drinks, fueling up for the road ahead. Post Raiganj we passed through Malda, Farakka, and Baharampur bypass before deciding to turn back again onto the Gauranga Setu road just before Krishnanagar around 10:45 pm. Unfortunately, our smooth journey came toa sudden halt as we encountered a traffic jam on the Gauranga Bridge due to a broken-down truck. Despite the delay and the ensuing hour-long wait, we eventually crossed the bridge and continued on our way and reached our place of abode at 2 am. Throughout the trip, our new car proved to be more than just a vehicle—it became our companion for discovering scenic landscapes and especially through the hills and mountains. Further it achieved a mileage of 19.5 kilometers per liter despite the hill drives and even with the air conditioning on on the high ways. Entire trip I maintained a steady speed of no more than 80 kilometers per hour on flat roads and a cautious 18-20 kilometers per hour in the hills.  Odo at the end of the trip Last edited by GoodMorning : 26th June 2024 at 15:52. Reason: Reported AI languages, so modified my inscriptions, still if it feels like AI please delete |
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27th June 2024, 06:09
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28th June 2024, 11:06
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| BHPian Join Date: Jul 2021 Location: Kolkata
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28th June 2024, 11:58
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| Newbie Join Date: Sep 2023 Location: Kolkata
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