Motorcycling across Sikkim | Day 4 | Okhrey to Pelling

PREVIOUS PART: Day 3 - Okhrey to Hilley Varsey

For every day ends with an admiration... (View at the end of day from Pelling)

It was the 4th day amidst the mountains. As usual, I woke up before others to finish up the chores in time. That included cold starting my motorcycle, inspecting it closely, prepping the cameras, packing up and finally tying the saddle bags for the day's ride. Yes! I was a little bit jealous of how luxuriously my friends woke up, had their breakfast and got into a warm 'n' enclosed vehicle. But, then I remembered my hands on the grips and the curves of the hills. And, that... kept me smiling throughout the day.

"The toughest leg of the journey is still 4 days away", I counted.

Motorcycling across Sikkim | Day 3 | Okhrey to Hilley-Varsey

PREVIOUS PART - Day 2 - Siliguri to Okhrey

As I opened my eyes, the gleaming sunlight had filled the room with warmth and a positive aura. I was a little skeptical to open the glass windows at first, remembering last night's cold winds but, the rays gave much hope.

It was as lively, bright and splendid as it could be. The cold and eerie Okhrey had now turned into a warm sunny quaint little village amidst the lap of the Himalayas. A Vodafone 3G connection still kept you connected to the world outside.

I did not think twice and ventured outside in my trousers.  The first view was amazing.

Motorcycling across Sikkim | Day 2 | Siliguri to Okhrey

PREVIOUS PART: Day 1 - Kolkata to Siliguri

Although, a 600 km ride resulted in troubled bones and muscles, a good night's sleep over a few drinks ensured a fresh start for the day. Three of my friends (Sumalya, Ipsita and Duti) were to reach Siliguri by train at around 9 am. They had a car booked and the plan was to ride along with the car. Meanwhile, Siddhartha kept planning his route for the day. He was still unsure whether he would be heading to Gangtok or Mangan directly for a permit to Gurudongmar.

Starting from Siliguri
After a quick breakfast, I started off early to reach NJP Station and head to Okhrey with my friends. It was a packaged trip for 4 of us, apart from the car, since I would be riding my 'Black Beast'. A 2nd breakfast for the day with friends was always welcome and we stopped at Salughara for the same, just before leaving the boundaries of Siliguri.

Motorcycling across Sikkim | Day 1 | Kolkata to Siliguri

As they say, '4 wheels move your body but 2 wheels move your soul'.

Nonetheless, being an avid motorcycle enthusiast, the 'The Black Beast' was to be ridden across the Himalayan state. It was going to be the longest ride till date. 2300 kms over 10 days. After many drafts and discussions, 18th November, 2016 became the date when I would be leaving from Kolkata. There were a lot of suggestions coming in, most of which you can guess. 99.99% of them consisted of advising not to go on a motorcycle because they cared for me. The remaining 0.01% turned out to be soulful motorcyclist like me who encouraged, suggested and helped identify the priorities. My parents were nervous as touring on motorcycles is not yet that common in our country. But, I thought of this tour as an opportunity to gain their trust.