Far and Away Cycling

by David Houghton
Biciklo

In fact, most of the nine riders on Far and Away’s Last Shangri-La tour knew almost nothing about Sikkim.  It was a journey of discovery.

The land’s earliest inhabitants called it Nymae-el, Heaven.  The Tibetans called it Denzong,Land of Rice. The Nepalese called it Sukhim, TheNew Place, and somehow the name stuck.  After India declared independence from the British in 1947, Sikkim was recognized as a protectorate of the nation, and then in 1975 became the 22nd State of the Indian Union.

Sikkim is a tiny bump in northeast India, less than one per cent of the country’s total size.  With only half a million residents, it’s the least populous state in India.  Nonetheless, it contains incredible diversity, soaring from 270 meters (885 feet) above sea level to 8,589 meters (28,180 feet) of Himalayan grandeur.  The land rises from subtropical to alpine, blessed with holy lakes, tumbling waterfalls and ancient monasteries.

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