Trailing Off....: India Hill Stations: Part 1

view from hotel room

Darjeeling

The vision we had for this part of the journey was sipping tea or gin + tonic on the veranda of an old colonial house or strolling down a promenade, sun umbrella in one hand, ice cream cone in the other, all the while gazing at the Himalayas in the distance. So entranced were we by the thought of cool mountain breezes and genteel excursions, we decided to go to two hill stations: Darjeeling and Shimla.

morning view

The famous tea town is located in the north east and has a mix of Bengali, Nepalese, and Tibetan culture with hints of British colonialism in the surrounding architecture. I have to admit that one of my main motivations was because I liked the quirky film with Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray called "The Darjeeling Limited". And I wanted to ride that famous toy train. But that damn famous train was broken down.

walking street

The ride from Bagdogra airport was spectacular. Goat farms, tea plantations, small villages, the occasional waterfall, and a few jolly looking people here and there. The air became cooler and fresher, and I could feel my Kolkata laden lungs clearing. The beauty of the place transcended the fear caused by the narrow windy roads and sheer drops. Thinking there would be more stunning views like this, I just sat back for the ride and didn't take any pics. This may or may not have been a mistake.

on the road to Ghum

We arrived a few hours late due to a traffic jam on the tiny twisty road and I was welcomed by our hotel owner with my first of only two pots of Darjeeling tea. With enough sugar and milk, it was wonderful, but unfortunately I just didn't get addicted.

room service tea

Highlights

The First Fog

A thick, cosy grey fog enveloped everything the first day we were there. It felt as though Darjeeling had been lifted off the earth and gently placed into another world.

dog in the fog

Tibetan Culture

I haven't read any books on Tibetan Buddhism, but I always feel a sense of joyful serenity when I'm near a temple or monastery. Maybe it's all the bright colours.

The Cable Car Ride

It seemed rather silly to take cable car ride in the fog, but after two days of walking through the grey, I thought we might as well have a seat and be dragged through it. Luckily, after the car had descended a bit

descending from the fog

there were some lovely views of a small village.

Happy Valley Tea Estate

My favourite excursion was to a tea plantation. The factory was at the end of a long winding road and there were no people there except for a nice guy who gave us a free tour. He explained the entire process and how the final product is sorted into green tea, black tea, whole leaves, fanning, and dust. I think he could tell from our glazed over expressions and lack of questions that we don't know the first thing about tea. I know it's not coffee. But this particular tea is only sold outside of India in places like Harrod's so we bought some for The Clarkes.

The Long Walk to Ghum

Most people who go to Darjeeling, using it as a jumping off point to go trekking in the Himalayas. Because we just wanted a sample of India and planned to see a lot in the month, we chose to see them from afar. We walked the 7km through tiny villages and past temples. What I will always remember about the trek were the people getting ready for the day. Brushing their teeth on the street, stomping on basins of wash, singing along to music, and the cutest little girl sitting in a doorway, eating a giant steaming bowl of soup.. Again, I didn't take pictures, just smiled, said 'Good Morning' and walked on by.

The Brief Glimpse of Everest

We took a different route back from Ghum and ended up on some road that ended at a military base. The extra 2-3km mistake resulted in a peak at Mount Everest-I think.

Everest

Lowlights

The Second, Third, and Tenth Fogs

Most of the time we were surrounded by fog. What was once cosy quickly became oppressive. It started to remind me of the winter smog of Nanjing, China.

there are mountains in there somewhere

No Pubs

If you want a beer in Darjeeling, you can find one at a hotel restaurant or go to the fancy Windermere Hotel for a Honeybee brandy.

Horns
All the roads in Darjeeling are tiny, pothole-ridden, and full of jeeps taking tourists to and from various places. Indians love honking their horns even more than spices. It's maddening.