Monday, May 21, 2007

Mirik Revisited


Mirik; the weather has cleared so make instant use of the fine spell and head high to the Buddhist monastery for a vantage point. Looks like plenty of scope with tea gardens everywhere so polish up me running shoes and ready myself for a big day tomorrow of run trekking. Morning still clear so hoick up the main road to the highest point about 8 km to see if there are any paths down. Friendly bunch around here and take breaks twice during the day in peoples houses for free tea, biscuits and route advice. Meet one lively character in one of the houses who appears to have a speech impediment and a large hole in his chin. On his departure the house owner informs me that he was a high ranking police officer in Calcutta but had a big problem with the drink, such a problem that in an armed chase with local "goons" the drunk copper shot himself in the chin by mistake with the bullet departing through his nose.
Find more trails down to the river which again become unrideable but at least got a good view of the terrain to launch myself for two more days of route finding which at last finds a decent days riding on the soon to be famous Sukhia-Pokriabong-Rangbang river-Mirik route . Thrilled with the days work. Walking back on the stiff climb back up to Mirik the clouds lift to give me a view of another town and ridge about 40 .m away with a forested top and myriad tea estates, looks like the perfect place from here so will move on to the vision that is Kurseong tommorrow.


More ludicrous road safety signs. 5 and 6 in the series.

Hurry burry will ruin the curry.

If you are keen on survival then don,t believe in early arrival.

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