PART Two – aka continuing…

Why the security? We are actually driving right along the Napel/India border. As in – one side of the road is Napel and the other side is India. There are signs everywhere that explain that folks who are NOT citizens of India or Napel can not cross the border without an appropriate Visa.

This is a lot harder to avoid than it sounds by the way. All the homestays, all the tea shops, and the tiny tiny stores are on the left side of the road (Napel) because the right side (India) is basically a vertical drop!

The only flat portions on the right side have been ‘claimed’ by the India Military Border Patrol as secure military encampments. The MBP are mainly responsible for catching smugglers – but they also keep track of who comes into these mountains.

Rio stops at the first check-point, and since this is our first trip in – we must fill in forms and sign. Think registering for a hotel with armed security and you have the picture.

On tiny issue – I had sent our amazing Travel Agent – Cristina – both my US and Canadian Passport. But when I filled in the India Visa – it required me to use as my country my place of Residence. So I used my Canadian Passport. When I pointed this out to Rio – his comment – don’t worry – they don’t know that Canada and US aren’t the same place.

Ok then… In any case – I signed, and they seemed happy. At least they waved us thru.

We continue the bumpy curvy hilly drive up and up and up – there are 3 more check-points – again requiring a copy of my passport and Visa – again not worrying about the US/Canadian thing – and finally we reach the Singalila Park Entrance.

A quick comment on Jeeps. Wow. I never appreciated those adds where they show the Jeeps climbing up rocks – but I do now. We are taking almost vertical 170 degree turns every few seconds – What the jeeps lack in cushy comfort they more than make-up in their ability to get up this road.

Turns out that there are only 140 guys certified to drive this road.. No surprise there. Rio says he’s won’t do it – he had a crash. Only the jeep was hurt – but he lost his confidence. And trust me – you need nerves of steel and incredible reflexes to do this kind of driving – on the left, with a gear shift, on a one lane road with 170 degree turns and traffic in both directions.

Our driver explains that there are rules… You must honk before every blind corner (that’s like 90% of them), you must judge who of the passing jeeps has the better place to pull over enough to let the other squeeze past – and you have to be polite.

I’m basically gasping at every turn, and after trying the left hand seat for one drive – have stuck to the inside seats! The sheer drops terrify me.

We finally get to one of the two ‘major’ villages – Gairibus. On the India side is a large military encampment – on the Napel side are two ‘tea shops’, a few homes and up a rocky short road – a ‘Homestay’ that features proper seat-upon toilets! Heaven. Beyond that we’re told not to wonder as we’ve already strayed into Napel.

After our break – we continue on to the next ‘major’ village – Batasi – and from there we are going to walk to a frequent Red Panda Sighting location. I’m game, although I might be sorry later. The hike is almost 2 Km round trip – and we’re following an old Jeep track that has been long abandoned. There are muddy sections and while the path is relatively flat – it’s also headed down hill! We descend about 750 ft in vertical (which we’ll have to climb back up), and get to the ‘we see Panda’s’ here location. Nope.

The spotters check around – Nope. Panda are all curled up in trees – impossible to spot.

We hike back up – get back in our Jeeps, and head back to Gairibus.

We are going to have to try again another day – the clouds have rolled in, our view is gone, and it’s gotten cold.

Lunch is served at the HomeStay with that lovely toilet – it’s a typical Indian repas – so lots and lots of dishes served separately so you mix and match in your rice. There’s what we will discover is mystery Chicken with bones – lots of bones, several different sauces, lots of Rice – and Bottled water.

Helmut gleefully eats his share, and then finishes off what is left on my plate. This is going to be a repeating pattern. They simply won’t let me ‘help my self’ – so there’s always a lot more than I can consume. Helmut is very happy to help!

With no chance to see the Red Pandas – we head back down the Mountain.

It’s 1.5 hr up, and 1.5 hr down – that’s a 3 hour round trip.. which we will be repeating daily trying to find the elusive Red Pandas.

Once back at our HomeStay – we’re told that dinner is at 7:00 – and we can rest. I go back to my room, turn on my Mattress heat to max – and try to warm up. I didn’t bring the right gear – that’s obvious. But tomorrow I’m definitely putting on more layers.

Dinner is lovely – again traditional India – starting with a Ginger Soup, then the main course which is more Chicken with bones in a delicious sauce, vegetables, sliced cucumbers and onions (yum), Dal, and some pickles that Abi warns us are a bit spicy. Helmut loves them.

Dinner done – it’s early to bed. Tomorrow we’re getting an earlier start in hopes of getting up the Mountains early enough to spot those Red Pandas.

I sure hope we do!

Signing off – The Soup Lady