MAY 2018 | NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA 81
TAKING THE HIGH ROAD
WEST BENGALthe country and beyond. I, however,
decided to go to Sandakphu by road.
I flew to Bagdogra airport, where
a flaming orange jeep lay in wait at
noon. Behind the wheel sat Hero,
my companion for the next few days.
I clambered in and we drove out,
whizzing past lush tea gardens. As we
drove to the hamlet of Tumling for
the night, I had no inkling about the
adventure that lay in store.
Three hours from Bagdogra airport,
we stopped at Manebhanjan for some
repairs. I took the opportunity to walk
about the market. And there, in thismodest transit town, I witnessed a
prime example of jugaad.
Tourists were boarding old Land
Rovers by the dozen. Brought to the
country by British planters to navigate
the inclines of the tea gardens, these
vehicles have been in this region since
the 1930s. Once the colonisers left,
locals souped them up to use them as
local transport to and from Sandakphu
(Manebhanjan is the gateway to the
ridge). It fits—not much else can take
on the roads that time and tarring
have forsaken. And these ancient Land
Rovers make for an unforgettable drive.Tumling is around 13 kilometres
northwest of Manebhanjan, but
the (lack of ) road took us nearly
two hours. The route runs almost
completely on Nepal’s side of the
border—but don’t reach for your
passport just yet. This line between
the two friendly neighbours sets no
limits on the passage of its people.
In fact, Tumling lies in Nepal, which
meant I spent the night in another
country without having to even show
ID. That night, I pondered over this
fluidity of borders at our homestay,
Shikhar Lodge, over several glassesTravellers flock to Sandakphu to spot
Everest, Makalu, Khangchendzonga
and Lhotse peaks, but it is the
Khangchendzonga (i n p h oto) that
dominates the landscape. Known as the
Sleeping Buddha (due to its silhouette),
the massif looks particularly fetching in
the morning light.PALLAB SETH/MOMENT OPEN/GETTY IMAGES