The excitement of aloneness

My solo sojourn in North Bengal … at Sonada in Darjeeling district

To be a traveler is to find yourself. And to be a solo traveler is the scariest yet most liberating experience. 

Despite a lot of apprehension and fear, I set out for my solo trip to North Bengal. To make things odd my flight was at 5.30 a.m. and to catch that I started from home around 3.30 a.m. and that was overwhelming enough to convince me right at the beginning that I don't need to do this at all! However, there is this heady intoxication of a sense of freedom that was already setting in and I kept moving ahead with my plan.

There was no direct flight and the layover was tedious. I landed at Bagdogra airport around 11.30 a.m. and the moment I sat in the cab, driver Denis's huge welcoming smile triggered my sense of happiness. And soon the mountain range, the clear blue sky, and the soothing air started nurturing me,  and I was already looking forward to my tour.

My stay was at Tieedi Forest Garden. They say 'take it easy, easy do it'. Tieedi follows the principles of permaculture and it takes you to the lap of mother nature, making you grounded, humble, and simplistic. My little room along with the adjacent balcony made of mud and wood, overlooking the deep green forest was something with which I fell in love deeply.

The mountains are calling and I must go!

And then the forest spoke to me, whispering, caressing, its innocent wildness pulsating like a new life. The unknown errors of my life merged with the scent of the forest. Trailing clouds, the unassuming flower, the silence of the starry sky, the moss green leaves, and the trickling brook taught me the music of humanity. 

 And hey, your solo trip becomes vibrant with joy if you get to meet your close friend after 8years.

 I went to Darjeeling, and the British aura of the mall and the continental tone of the breakfast at Keventers still can be felt unmistakably. 

By the way, if you wish to taste local cuisine then you must hop into this tiny little joint, nestled amongst the crowded marketplace of the mall for some out-of-the-world Nepali food. 

As Tieedi endorses a waste-free clean environment, I too came back from my tour with cleanliness in my soul. May the forest be with me forever, may the mountain brook be my guide always!

“Then my heart with pleasure fills
And dances with the daffodils.”