A Visit to Bokar Ngedon Chokhor Ling Monastery

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Breakfast at Territi Bazaar

Recap of/Reliving last Sunday's breakfast at this hidden gem in Territi Bazaar, Kolkata. The Chinese breakfast market (read: about five indecisive tables placed less than a feet from each other) begins at 6am, and just as quickly as it was set up, is closed by 8am. 
The vendors, once used to be only people of Chinese descent, but now are mostly manned by hired helps who are migrants from within the state. The patrons, are a motley of students and parents on their way to school, hungover college students, working professionals as well as more than one enthu photographers like me.
Aside from the regulars like steamed and fried momos, thukpa and soup, the must tries here include something called the Laal Maas Bun which is basically a gigantic MOMO the size of a regular sized burger, stuffed with a filling of fiery red fried pork. And for those more daring, try the mixed fish and pork momo. You get it for 30 rupees a piece. It is an acquired taste, this last one!
Try it out the next time you're in the 'City of Joy'. And for those who are already in the city but haven't been there, 'What are you waiting for?! let this be the motivation!'.

 

  

  

  

   

  

 

I've shot video clips and interviews as well for this.

For those interested in watching the video, do become my Patron at Patereon.com.

Getting to Ziro

 

Car Sickness

And she fell asleep on my shoulder. When we reached Hapoli, she bought me a bar of chocolate for the inconvenience caused.

The two officers of the Indo-Tibetan Border Security Force who helped us get a local shared passenger car that cost about eight times less than what the touts and drivers standing outside Naharlagun Station were charging.

TIPS FOR THE JOURNEY

1. Carry your own tiffin box, spoon, waterbottle, hand towel, hand sanitiser, first aid kit, Newspaper that can be reused. Carry light snacks like biscuits and fruits.

2. Have your ID Card, the travel permit, money and phone on you at all times.

3. Be respectful of the local culture. Do not stare, do not harrass them for photos. Respect the privacy of the locals.

4. Dress for the weather - it can get pretty chilly, and its raining most of the times, so carry a raincoat and a pair of gumboots.

5. If you're a smoker and need a specific brand of cigarettes, then carry packs of them too. Shops in Ziro and surrounding areas do not keep brands like Classic or Marlboro.

Jaldapara Wildlife Santuary Park

No sooner was I back from the Sandakphu Trek when my school mate invited me to a trip to Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary. This place is of significance importance as it was the place where we were brought once on a school field trip. Contrast to that winter trip of 2008, this time around, better equipped and wiser, the elephant ride felt a little cruel. But the journey itself with two childhood friends made things easier.

While we had hoped to stay at the lodge within the sanctuary, the impromptu nature of the trip meant that all the rooms were already taken. Instead, we settled for this cozy little 'hotel' right opposite the gate of the Park.

The Elephant Safari (Jaldapara gives you the option of choosing between this and an open-air jeep) takes place in batches of around ten per hour. We took the comfortable second shift where it was still daybreak but light enough to be able to spot the animals. A local tout (resembled Nawazuddin Siddique, I swear) helped us book the spot for 800 per head.

With friends Tripti and Sangha, the generous sponsors of my trip!

By the Torsha river, we wait for the first batch of tourist to come back from the safari.

Torsha River.

The first spotting - a rhino grazing in a grassland across the river.

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've shot video clips and interviews as well for this.
For those interested in watching the video, do become my Patron at Patereon.com.