After farewelling to our travelling companions, we departed from Delhi airport for our flight to Bagdogra and our connection to Siliguri where we were to spend the night in readiness for our next adventure to Darjeeling.
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR)
This was to be one of the highlights of the trip – the eight hour journey in what is affectionately known as the Toy Train. This is a narrow, 2 foot gauge railway that was constructed by the British during the late 1880’s to transport ex-pats to the cooler altitudes of Darjeeling. The journey covers a distance of 88 km with an altitude increase of 2200 m.
We arrived at a rainy New Jalpaiguri railway station in plenty of time for an on-time departure. The carriages are not the most comfortable – the limited width meant passengers were tightly packed. Being in the non-airconditioned section, we had opening windows – great for taking photographs, but not so good in the rain.
From the train, we saw roads that snaked precariously along almost vertical mountain sides, past colourful houses and stalls clinging to the steep slopes. The distant hazy green mountain sides dotted with the ruby red, amethyst blue and diamond white roof tops of clusters of houses sparkled in the sun as the clouds parted and the rain stopped.
With the train track crossing the road 177 times (without level crossings), the train sounded a constant piercing whistle to warn of its progress. Depending on which direction it was heading, the brown smoke and steam from the locomotive wafted through the carriage.
We decided to skip the last section in favour of joining our driver and guide in the car which safely delivered us to the hotel at a reasonable time.
The first night in our hotel was a shock to our systems – given the altitude and lack of heating in the hotel, it was very cold. We ventured out into the heaving mass of visitors in a successful search for a fleece to replace the one I had left on the plane to Singapore. On returning to the hotel, we shivered until layers of bedtime blankets beckoned and eventually warmed us.
Darjeeling Zoo and Mountaineering Institute
The first day of our guided stay in Darjeeling started early with a visit to the zoo. It very quickly became clear that there were no straight or level roads in the town and walking anywhere involved climbing up and down narrow walkways or along busy roads.
The big attractions at the zoo were the magnificent Royal Bengal Tiger and very rare Red Pandas, both proving popular as the crowds of visitors started to arrive.
The Mountaineering Institute is located within the grounds of the zoo. Anyone planning to conquer Mount Everest and other Himalayan peaks must demonstrate that they are properly prepared – the Institute offers a series of courses in support of this. The adjacent museum celebrated the essential role Sherpa Tensing played in the successful 1953 ascent of Mount Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary.
After a hearty lunch of a local Tibetan dish called Momo, a kind of dumpling noodle soup, we descended through narrow passageways between tiered houses to a tea garden well below the zoo. On arrival we were given a tour of the tea processing areas and the welcome chance to sample a few varieties of their delicious drink. From there it was a strenuous climb back to the car and the hotel. After such a good lunch, we only had a quick snack for dinner, a routine that we repeated during our stay.
Tiger Hill Sunrise
Tiger Hill is a major visitor sunrise attraction. As the sun rises in the east, it catches the snow capped peaks of the distant Himalayas. Our second day started at 4 am with a drive to Tiger Hill (along with hordes of others). Of course, the sunrise is only a spectacle if there are no clouds which unfortunately was not the case for us, with only the slightest tinge of orange to be seen.
Toy Train to Ghum
After breakfast back at the hotel, our next outing was a short 9km return trip on the toy train to Ghum, back down the line we arrived on. Having walked down the hill from the hotel, we were entertained by the shuffling around of the locomotives huffing and puffing in and out of the engine shed. This commotion was caused by the first locomotive selected to take us on our journey being turned back due to some unknown mechanical fault. The resulting delay in departing pushed our schedule out such that we elected to skip the final planned visit to the observatory.
In the meantime, the train stopped for 15 minutes at the Batasia Loop, one of three active loops on the line (the other two having been removed), where we were able to alight for some great views across the town and suffer the gauntlet of the insistent street traders.
There was about a one hour turn around at Ghum during which we explored the immediate vicinity of the station and watched the locomotive crew clean out the ashpan of red hot burnt coal and top up with water. The return journey was as equally thrilling as before, with the train passing within an arm’s length of houses and the steam whistle echoing off the vertical faces of the buildings as we continually crossed the main road.
After a late lunch at a local restaurant, we were taken to the Tibetan Refugee Camp. This really opened our eyes to the plight of the Tibetan people following the Chinese invasion and subsequent annexation of their country in 1959 and the persecution of their population since. On the tour of the Camp, we spent some time in the museum looking at photographs and reading about Tibet and its people. In the workshop we watch a few of the residents weave an assortment of brightly coloured rugs. These were being sold worldwide to help fund their new home in India.
The day was rounded off with a walk up the hill behind the camp to a monastery where we learned more about Buddhism and its many appealing beliefs and practices.
Lake Mirik
Getting out of bed for breakfast and throwing back the curtains we were greeted by one of the most breathtaking sights I have ever experienced. In the foreground lay the colourful buildings and roofs as the town dropped down to lower levels and, in the distance, the cloud had cleared to reveal the icing sugar capped peaks of Kachenchunga, the third highest mountain in the Himalayas. It was with extreme difficulty that we had to pull ourselves away to start another day of informative sightseeing and more delightful glimpses of that awesome mountain.
A two hour drive to Lake Mirik was next on our itinerary.
The drive took us very close to the border with Nepal. In fact, we stopped and walked to a lookout in Nepal, crossing the border that would otherwise have required permits and border checks.
Lake Mirik is a manmade lake that was created specifically to boost tourism. As we walked round the southern part of the lake, wisps of clouds in the blue sky started to appear and within a couple of hours accumulate to become totally overcast.
Before returning to Darjeeling, we visited one more monastery high on the hillside above the lake.
On the train journey from Siliguri at the start of our tour, we met a couple from the UK and stayed in touch with the promise of catching up for drink. So, on our last evening, we decided to walk to their hotel rather than taking a taxi. By the time we arrived, we felt we had climbed Mount Everest, such was the steepness and twists and turns of the roads. Understandably, I enjoyed a refreshing beer, great company and interesting conversation
Back to Delhi
We were driven back down the mountain and delivered to Bagdogra airport in plenty of time for our flight back to Delhi. Highlights on the way included a Buddhist funeral procession passing the front of Ghum station (learning that these funerals last for 49 days) and a number of tea pickers working on the lower slopes.
Although our hotel was on a very busy New Delhi street, our room at the rear very peacefully overlooked a square of dull green trees.
On our next and last day, we set out to walk to one of the many markets close by, after being advised to take a tuk tuk. Before too long we wished we had taken the advice. A local Indian latched on to us and, following us down the road, chatted as if we were the best of friends. He suggested we visit a different market, but, when we declined for the tenth time, he all but pushed us into a tuk tuk. We were taken to a very expensive tourist trap where K feigned being sick to engineer a quick exit. We eventually found the market we originally intended to visit and enjoyed the noise, the colours and the smells that engulfed us as we slowly wandered in the general direction of our hotel. After a rest back at the hotel, we ventured out briefly for one final experience of India before returning to pack and catch our transfer to the airport.
Returning home
And so ended our varied, informative and fascinating tour of India. Our visits the tombs and temples educated us in the country’s history and the beliefs of the different religions that seem to live amicably alongside each other. Although disappointing from a wildlife spotting perspective, the safari outings were a great opportunity to experience the Indian countryside. With Darjeeling being located in the north eastern corner of India, it was like visiting another country and a different culture.
The tour was made all the more enjoyable by the engaging, friendly and knowledgeable guides who helped us along the way. However, India is not one of the many countries I have visited that I would wish to rush back to, but a great experience nonetheless.
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