We live for too long and do many things over and over again. It is unlikely that we can recall in vivid detail, for example, each cricket game we played, or the start of each school term, or each movie watched, or even each vacation we enjoyed so much! However, there are a few special memories which time struggles in vain to scratch and shatter.
Soma, is a close friend and the instant she mentioned at a friends’ meet-up that Soma’s Camps was organizing a trekking trip to Phalut in North Bengal, I believe we all felt it was going to be an epic trip if our group signed up together! In fact we all had come to know each other at one of her previous adventure camps at Panchalingeshwar, Orissa. We all signed up for the trek many months in advance with childish enthusiasm.
As the departure date of the trek neared, I could hardly wait to turn off that PC at work for the last time and head home and pack my backpack. { Mishal, Arjun, Pratyay, Aditya, Anupam, Saher, Juhi, Sanghamitra, Kathakali, Soma2, Manisha +1, Nandini, Sanjucta, Rishi, Nilanjana, Rajdeep, Suparna, Tathagata. } people had signed up for the trek, plus 3 trek assistants including Soma. Most people were from Kolkata and travelling by train while some were planning on reaching by flight from Kolkata and other cities. The train bookings were made on two separate trains starting from Sealdah station a few hours apart on a Saturday night. All groups were to sync up after reaching New Jalpaiguri. Our group assembled at Sealdah that night, coming from various parts of the city. The backpacks bumped into each other and the adventure began.
Upon reaching NJP we began syncing with the other group at a breakfast place close by. And once we got all of the heads in, we began our long ride to the first destination called Okhrey by Jeep. Okhrey is a well-kept secret for a place of its substantial beauty and peace. We stayed in a hut which was beside a big rectangular field with neat columns of plants, overlooking a valley in front and a slope with pine trees behind. There were many such small huts to accommodate the group. Each hut was capable of housing 3-4 people comfortably. And across the field was the owner’s hut which was large enough to accommodate many guests at once for meals. That was where we met the whole group for dinner once everyone had arrived. While most people knew each other, there were still a few new faces amongst us. After a meal, we introduced ourselves and were briefed on the plan for next day. After some adda, everyone eventually entered their huts.
As morning touched Okhrey, it turned into a flowery dream. The colorful flowers all around complimented the sunny morning with clear blue skies. Fellow hikers were sipping tea, brushing teeth, taking photographs and chatting while soaking up the lovely morning sun. Some of us took off for a short unplanned hike around Okhrey. Pine trees surrounded the place. We got to personally meet the ‘Somas Camps’ team responsible for planning the logistics and all aspects of our trek and know them better. After a breakfast we had some time at our disposal before we started our ride to the starting point of our trek called Bhareng.
After a short jeep ride, we reached Bhareng. After a few minutes of reaching, we began our 5km hike to Gorkhey. It was the first time the trekking shoes were doing what they were bought to do and the trekking poles were digging into something. First day is always a little grey because we wake up amidst civilization, make phone calls, hop on/off a vehicle and then suddenly we are walking, slowly moving out into a trail and out of motorable range. The terrain on day1 was not very challenging which was great because it was the first day and we had people from many age groups and fitness levels. Everyone seemed to be making good progress. As we neared Gorkhey, we stopped for lunch beside a water stream. Everyone had been given packed lunch. We dipped our feet in cold water and spent a lot of time at the stream, knowing that Gorkhey was a stone’s throw away.
During one of my previous treks I had spent time at Gorkhey and it was a place I was excited to re-visit. Imagine three grassy hills converging into a valley, and an establishment of huts starting at the lower slopes and reaching all the way to the base of the valley. A snaky trail connected the huts. Homes to the locals of both West Bengal and Sikkim, it was a border village. Beautiful flowers were in bloom everywhere in this village which is only reachable by foot. Two water streams passed through the village at its base. Large steps all around make it perfect for long quiet walks. And there were dense pine forests visible all around which looked like it could house imaginary creatures and magical worlds. It is peaceful to know that a place like Gorkhey exists and that I know how to reach there. Once we chose our beds inside the trekkers hut, we ganged up in the courtyard outside and sipped hot tea over casual discussions. The day was getting cloudy and soon it began to rain. An enthusiastic set of people decided to take a hike around Gorkhey with ponchos, led by one of the trek leaders who knew a good short hike route. Some of us stayed back enjoying the rain. It had become customary among all trekkers to gang up in a common room after nightfall and play singing games and share stories till time permitted. That night as we went about our fun, none of us knew what challenge lay ahead the next day.
The next day we knew was going to be the longest and most difficult hike. It was 11km hike which would take us to Phalut, our highest destination in the itinerary at roughly 11812 ft. As we walked out of a cloudy Gorkhey, we could feel the difference in the difficulty of the hike immediately. The terrain was constantly steep. It was a beautiful hike where the flora and fauna changed with the rising altitude. There were many places where we rested along the way. Everyone was pushed towards their limits. As time passed, the large group was getting segregated into smaller groups. Everyone found a group right for their comfort pace. The trails around North Bengal advertise no milestones as to how much distance remains to reach a destination. You may get a rough idea from someone you meet along the way, and the guides can give you a ball park figure sometimes. So there were some who were pushing their pace to reach faster while some were taking it easy early on. It was getting colder too as we climbed, mostly because of the cloudy weather and also the high gain in elevation. After the first group reached Phalut, which was around 4pm, it was quite a while before the second group arrived. As darkness fell, other groups were suspected to be quite far away. The falling temperatures, darkness and a growing concern caused some of the expert guides to trace back in search of these groups. In the end everyone made it but it left some members in extremely exhausted state. The whole experience was overwhelming to see. Dimly lit trekker huts with caregivers of Soma’s Camps helping the cold and tired trekkers recovery procedures and keeping them warm. In the end, all was well and probably some found new strength in them that helped them push it through till the end that day. I believe it was the most memorable day of the hike, though not the fondest one in general.
The next day everyone was in good spirits. Early morning someone floated the idea to hike to a spot called Phalut ‘top’ to possibly catch a glimpse of the snow covered Kanchenjunga range. It was cloudy but yet we ventured in search for a good spot. And we did manage to get a glimpse of the snowy peaks ! Many trekkers around North Bengal consider this a mandatory glimpse to consider the trek a success. Later that day we left for Molley. The 9km trail was mostly straight with few ups and downs. It was a relaxing walk through cloudy hills. We had company of some relaxing music in a small speaker we carried. Everyone covered the distance surprisingly quickly without any hiccups. Probably everyone pulled up their socks after the last night’s harrowing experience. Hot ‘wai wai’ noodles awaited us in the large round dining area in the Molley trekker hut. It was in Molley that we really chilled out finally, knowing that the difficult segments are all over. Soma’s camps opened up the party with large stock of Jam and Sweet bread to dig into with ample coffee. The hut had a very cozy dining area which was always buzzing with people and stories.
The next day was a steep down-hill to Srikhola. We played an awesome game along the way where we decided to be quiet for long segments and then were allowed to talk for a few minutes. And we repeated this cycle. It was funny for some weird reason as we all saw the desire to talk in each other but just couldn’t as per the rule. While we went downhill all the way, it took a toll on the legs of many. Fatigued legs meant people struggled to walk fast and stopping or slowing down was extremely painful. Everyone reached Srikhola at their own pace. Upon reaching, many were content to stop walking and sit as long as possible. Srikhola is a large settlement and there are plenty of stores and people to make one feel like they are back in civilization finally.
The next day was planned as a rest day in Srikhola. Some of us decided to spend the extra day in Darjeeling, and enjoy some pampering by restaurant food and hotel style comforts. Both the groups then merged back in New Jalpaiguri to catch the train back home.
Many people connected on the trip like they may never again. We all became a bigger friends group. It was the best trek I have been on so far because of us friends being all together. The right crowd matters in making a deep memorable impact. I cannot wait for the next instance of this group venturing out together again.