Countdown Starts

With exactly 10 days to go, the countdown to the Gangtok-Darjeeling tour has begun. Led by Hari Singh Shekhawat, 25 intrepid travelers from Big Laaf will set out on March 28 for Siliguri (Bagdogra Airport) and there onwards, by road, to the Sikkimese capital.

Shekhawat: Chugging to Darjeeling

After three nights they would drive to Darjeeling where, among other sights, Mount Kanchenjunga, Ghoom Monastery and Batsia Loop shall await them. The toy train ride from Darjeeling to Ghoom is also included.
The highlights of the Sikkim leg of the tour are Rumtek Monastery (naturally), Dodurl Chorten, Orchid House Flower Show, Ganesh Tok, Bakthang Falls and Tashi View Point, followed by a trip to the Tsongo Lake on the Indo-China Border. Gamboling on the snow, yak rides and a trip to the famous Baba Harbhajan Singh Mandir are also part of the itinerary.
Funnily, most members in the group have no clue what to expect in the high altitude terrain and have only now begun scrambling for warm clothing.

Siba Prasad Maitra (in turquoise tee) produces a rib-tickler

Even Shekhawat was taken by shock when told that temperatures there could dip to 5 degrees at this time of the year – but this has only prompted him to double his stocks from the Navy canteen. The detailed documentation required in the army-controlled area is also a major irritant, not to mention the medical dos and don’ts for those prone to breathlessness. An emergency meeting has now been called to brief members on how they should prepare themselves for the trip.
Meanwhile, on a happier note, the Club discovered a new raconteur of jokes in Siba Prasad Maitra today. After Santosh Tyagi and Jagmohan Papneja, he is emerging as the next go-to person after the exercises for an extra laugh. This morning he narrated a hilarious conversation between father and son, behaving like complete strangers, which had everyone in splits. Such variety in our morning routine adds spice to life.