must have patience.....
Lets just say things don't always go as planned. It is the nature of traveling.
Well, they did go as planned until I arrived in Bagdogra yesterday. From there I was on my own for every ounce of plans were thrown out the window. Patience took me far. Good too since I still had another 4-5hrs of traveling ahead of me.
~ I had no idea where I was sleeping last night.
~ I had to figure out how to get to Gangtok for the 'free shuttle' and heli were not operational. Heli due to the weather (very cloudy and overcast) and the 'free shuttle' because the tourism desk at the airport had no idea I was coming.
~ Found out I needed a permit to get into the state of Sikkim. No permit and no passport photos on my person. Had to go to the Sikkim tourism office in Silliguri (20km away from Bagdogra) and obtain a permit. Luckily I had a photocopy of my passport so that made due for a photo.
~ Luck is on my side... A tourism office offical needed a lift from Silliguri to Gangtok so he hitched a ride with me. His english was good too and he also helped me with the little nuiances along the way.
~ Long, windy, dusty mountain drive up to Gangtok. I was wearing thin. Very tired, cranky and hungry. I later found out the taxi could only take me to within 10km of Gangtok. Hmm.
~ By 7pm we were within 10km of Gangtok and we have to find a local taxi. The tourism office offical found a taxi for us and we then preceeded to the Sikkim tourism office in Gangtok.
~ No hotel room for you. What? Turns out the tourism office is not hosting us until the 17th. I was on my own with my sleeping arrangements prior to the 17th. Where I got the patience from this point until I fell asleep? I have the slightest idea but there was some present despite being very tired and cranky. Found a hotel room within 100ft of the tourism office for around 400rupees a night (around US$8). The close proximity was key seeing as I have two heavy pieces of luggage in tow.
Asleep shortly thereafter.
The time change is killing me. I woke up at 2am and was asleep and awake on and off until around 7. Been wandering around town aimlessly since 7pm (its 3:30pm now). Found an internet cafe for around US$1 an hour. By this point in the day I have been getting very tired. I want to take a nap but am holding off and wanting to force myself to stick with the local time (sleep at night) rather than where I came from...
Well, they did go as planned until I arrived in Bagdogra yesterday. From there I was on my own for every ounce of plans were thrown out the window. Patience took me far. Good too since I still had another 4-5hrs of traveling ahead of me.
~ I had no idea where I was sleeping last night.
~ I had to figure out how to get to Gangtok for the 'free shuttle' and heli were not operational. Heli due to the weather (very cloudy and overcast) and the 'free shuttle' because the tourism desk at the airport had no idea I was coming.
~ Found out I needed a permit to get into the state of Sikkim. No permit and no passport photos on my person. Had to go to the Sikkim tourism office in Silliguri (20km away from Bagdogra) and obtain a permit. Luckily I had a photocopy of my passport so that made due for a photo.
~ Luck is on my side... A tourism office offical needed a lift from Silliguri to Gangtok so he hitched a ride with me. His english was good too and he also helped me with the little nuiances along the way.
~ Long, windy, dusty mountain drive up to Gangtok. I was wearing thin. Very tired, cranky and hungry. I later found out the taxi could only take me to within 10km of Gangtok. Hmm.
~ By 7pm we were within 10km of Gangtok and we have to find a local taxi. The tourism office offical found a taxi for us and we then preceeded to the Sikkim tourism office in Gangtok.
~ No hotel room for you. What? Turns out the tourism office is not hosting us until the 17th. I was on my own with my sleeping arrangements prior to the 17th. Where I got the patience from this point until I fell asleep? I have the slightest idea but there was some present despite being very tired and cranky. Found a hotel room within 100ft of the tourism office for around 400rupees a night (around US$8). The close proximity was key seeing as I have two heavy pieces of luggage in tow.
Asleep shortly thereafter.
The time change is killing me. I woke up at 2am and was asleep and awake on and off until around 7. Been wandering around town aimlessly since 7pm (its 3:30pm now). Found an internet cafe for around US$1 an hour. By this point in the day I have been getting very tired. I want to take a nap but am holding off and wanting to force myself to stick with the local time (sleep at night) rather than where I came from...
posted by dougyfresh at 5:54 AM
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