Got to Bikaner yesterday after the hottest bus ride ever. Imagine sitting in a small box with 20 hairdryers continuously aimed at you, mostly on a low setting but on occasion cranking up to high, for 7 hours straight. What a relief to finally get off the bus, driven by unhappy mad man who must have been a terrible driver judging by the other females on the bus giving him what for, and the motorcyclist and autorickshaw drivers pulling up to his window after he tried squishing them to get more room. I guess I don't blame him, it is a crap job with crap pay, but still, killing people isn't the way to go either.
Checked into a clean hotel, showered up and spent the evening wandering around booking onward bus tickets and getting goosed by 7 year old boys who got THIS CLOSE to having their ears boxed. Got up early this morning to go to the rat temple. I'll say this, it wasn't as big a deal as I thought, 2000-4000 rats in one place at one time. And when they run across your feet, because that is what they do, they don't stop and they move pretty quickly so you barely even notice it. It was a temple however, which meant removing shoes, which also meant I have never wanted to clean my feet so badly afterwards.
The rest of Bikaner was a nice surprise considering I was only checking in for the rats. Spent the rest of the day at a beautiful fort around the corner from the hotel, and then headed off to Asia's only camel breeding farm where I saw 150 camels coming in from the fields for feeding time. It's not mating season right now but my guide showed me a video of two camels getting down. While my neighbours upstairs are loud, these camels beat them hands down, although I suppose if the apartment folk weighed 750 kg each they might be that loud as well. Not attractive but highly entertaining.
I'll catch the 9pm bus to Delhi tonight, the last of my long-haul journeys before two long flights back to Canada starting Tuesday night. It's been a great trip and surprisingly I have not been annoyed by any of it. Well, that's not entirely true. Salman Rushdie's 'Midnight's Children' spoiled the 6 hours I tried reading it before I finally gave up in misery. What a grind, like everything needs a symbol, and then repeat that symbol OVER and OVER and OVER. This is the written tradition, Mr. Rushdie, not the oral, we don't need things retold TEN TIMES to get the point.
Apart from that, it's been great. Will probably need another two years to recharge before doing something like this again, I do love my creature comforts. Thanks to everyone who checked in and dropped lines along the way.
That's all, she wrote...
May 24, 2009
May 22, 2009
I'm In Heaven
Heaven = airconditioning, TV, soft bed, and clean bathroom
After the grossness of Hotel Maria in Kolkata and getting Delhi Belly there and having to spend way too much time in that disgusting place, I am now in the most beautiful place on earth. And it's pretty swank by western standards as well, all this for $15/night.
I totally princessed out for this part of the journey, flying from Kolkata to Jaipur in 2 hours instead of a train ride of about 32. This hotel was listed under budget, still costs more than anywhere else I've stayed but what a difference it makes to a traveler's psyche, especially one who lay in state for most of yesterday because she dared to eat the chowmein at the street stand. I knew as soon as I did it that my illness-free run was over and the runs were beginning. It's always a weight-loss opportunity though, so no complaints.
Still love Kolkata and found even more things to like about it. There's no way I can accurately describe the feeling of the city, but for all the people and traffic and beggars and size, it's remarkably laid-back and easy going. The people seem happier there - maybe I'm just imagining that - but it might have something to do with all the wonderful green space. I walked to the Victoria Memorial through a field inhabited by herds of goats, cricket players, horses, trees and green grass everywhere. It's one of the largest city parks in the world.
The highlight had to have been my sunset walk over the Howrah Bridge, the largest cantilever bridge in the world. Packed packed packed with pedestrians on either side sandwiching in about 8 lanes of solid traffic. As I walked over the river, I noticed ferries running back and forth between the banks, so I made my way down to a stand and got a ticket to who knows where. It happened to be close enough to the giant park again, so I was able to stroll leisurely back to my dungeon.
James and I found a great Swiss patisserie, "Flurys", and had the most amazing almond macaroon and rumball. Top notch bakery and still cheap by anybody's standards. But I ended up eating most of my meals at the Blue Sky cafe where the waiter flirted with everybody and gave great service. That is until I tried the street stand and then there was to be no more eating for about 36 hours afterwards.
The difference between outside the airport and inside was night and day. I grabbed a cab to the airport and asked my cabbie tons of questions on the drive over. He rents his cab, has no home, sleeps in the backseat when no one else is parked in there. All the cabbies in the neighbourhood I was in were like this, poor, skinny, and rotten teeth from chewing paan all day. Then I get to the airport where the middle class people are. They queue up, they have nice clothes and all their teeth, and a large percentage of them are overweight. The airport was one of the more efficient ones I've been in, but maybe it was just the sheer luxury of it all. And the best part, I didn't have to wrestle anyone for my seat.
Tomorrow the luxury ends when I have to take a local bus to Bikaner, a 7 1/2 hour ride without a/c in the desert. Speaking of desert, a sand storm has swept in tonight and during the ride back from the Monkey Temple (yes that's monkey temple #2, 2000 monkeys milling about waiting for peanuts to be thrown at them) a brown haze descended on the city. Reminds me of when I was living in Damascus and I'm glad I don't have to clean up after it.
That's it from Jaipur and probably it til I get back to Delhi for my last day there. Bring on the rats...
After the grossness of Hotel Maria in Kolkata and getting Delhi Belly there and having to spend way too much time in that disgusting place, I am now in the most beautiful place on earth. And it's pretty swank by western standards as well, all this for $15/night.
I totally princessed out for this part of the journey, flying from Kolkata to Jaipur in 2 hours instead of a train ride of about 32. This hotel was listed under budget, still costs more than anywhere else I've stayed but what a difference it makes to a traveler's psyche, especially one who lay in state for most of yesterday because she dared to eat the chowmein at the street stand. I knew as soon as I did it that my illness-free run was over and the runs were beginning. It's always a weight-loss opportunity though, so no complaints.
Still love Kolkata and found even more things to like about it. There's no way I can accurately describe the feeling of the city, but for all the people and traffic and beggars and size, it's remarkably laid-back and easy going. The people seem happier there - maybe I'm just imagining that - but it might have something to do with all the wonderful green space. I walked to the Victoria Memorial through a field inhabited by herds of goats, cricket players, horses, trees and green grass everywhere. It's one of the largest city parks in the world.
The highlight had to have been my sunset walk over the Howrah Bridge, the largest cantilever bridge in the world. Packed packed packed with pedestrians on either side sandwiching in about 8 lanes of solid traffic. As I walked over the river, I noticed ferries running back and forth between the banks, so I made my way down to a stand and got a ticket to who knows where. It happened to be close enough to the giant park again, so I was able to stroll leisurely back to my dungeon.
James and I found a great Swiss patisserie, "Flurys", and had the most amazing almond macaroon and rumball. Top notch bakery and still cheap by anybody's standards. But I ended up eating most of my meals at the Blue Sky cafe where the waiter flirted with everybody and gave great service. That is until I tried the street stand and then there was to be no more eating for about 36 hours afterwards.
The difference between outside the airport and inside was night and day. I grabbed a cab to the airport and asked my cabbie tons of questions on the drive over. He rents his cab, has no home, sleeps in the backseat when no one else is parked in there. All the cabbies in the neighbourhood I was in were like this, poor, skinny, and rotten teeth from chewing paan all day. Then I get to the airport where the middle class people are. They queue up, they have nice clothes and all their teeth, and a large percentage of them are overweight. The airport was one of the more efficient ones I've been in, but maybe it was just the sheer luxury of it all. And the best part, I didn't have to wrestle anyone for my seat.
Tomorrow the luxury ends when I have to take a local bus to Bikaner, a 7 1/2 hour ride without a/c in the desert. Speaking of desert, a sand storm has swept in tonight and during the ride back from the Monkey Temple (yes that's monkey temple #2, 2000 monkeys milling about waiting for peanuts to be thrown at them) a brown haze descended on the city. Reminds me of when I was living in Damascus and I'm glad I don't have to clean up after it.
That's it from Jaipur and probably it til I get back to Delhi for my last day there. Bring on the rats...
May 20, 2009
Poverty
You can't really write about India without writing about the poverty. I haven't written anything so far, not because I don't see it, but because I'm trying to process it all.
In the Paharganj in Delhi where I first stayed, it's so visible it's painful. I call a lot of the kids 'spiders' because of the way they move around on their misshapen limbs, or what's left of them. Everywhere you go there little kids accost you with hands outstretched asking for food. "Please madam, one rupee". In Varanasi there were many as well but I don't think I noticed them as much, possibly because when I was out I was usually in a rickshaw or down on the ghats. Barely any in Darjeeling, except for one man I noticed on more than one occasion. He was probably somewhere in his forties, bent and crooked legs, missing his left arm. He was fairly quiet as far as the begging goes, but I noticed him especially because of his turqoise eyes, the exact same colour as Lake Louise in the Rockies. I must have passed him two times up on the ridge towards the zoo and back, but the last day I was shoveling some Dairy Milk into my mouth when I passed him again with his hand outstretched. It felt absolutely cruel to walk by someone in need while I have more than he could ever want, so I walked back and gave him the rest of my chocolate to be rewarded with the most beautiful smile. You wish you could do more, but what?
Down here in Kolkata it's bad once again. Yesterday I passed a boy who might have had polio, his legs twisted out at weird angles behind him while he scooted past on his arms. Another young woman lying in the gutter dragging her useless legs behind her. Then in the evening I saw a man who had no legs below his knees. We passed him on the way to the book store as he shuffled along on his arms, trying to keep his scarf from falling down and getting in his way. Later on we passed him again, sitting with his back to a bank building, and when he saw me he reached out both hands pleading for money or food while his stumps wagged in the air. That one was the worst, and again, what can you do?
Then there are the ones that make me chuckle for the sheer weirdness of it all. Just around the corner from the hotel there is a woman who I don't think can walk at all. She's missing most of the teeth on the right side of her mouth and the ones on the left are huge and fit poorly in her mouth. She reminds me of those mechanical witches at halloween or santas at Christmas, the ones that stand there and wave back and forth. She's the same, she lies on her left side and with her right hand joins her fingers lightly together at the tips and bring them towards her mouth and then back about 6 inches before doing it all over again, again and again in rhythm. The one time I didn't see her doing that was when it looked like her hand had stalled in front of her mouth while her left hand tapped her begging dish, almost like her system had shorted out.
It's hard to see this and I understand why people don't want to know about it. At least in Vancouver most of the worst of the worse is contained in the East Side so if you don't want to see it you just avoid the neighbourhood. But here it's everywhere and it doesn't take long to start blocking it out in one way or another. Once in awhile it breaks through again and you're overcome with a feeling of total hopelessness. A bunch of us were discussing it one night, we can't fix what the country's government won't fix. I guess the best you can do is behave responsibly in your own country and try to right the wrongs there. It's frustrating and it's sad. How on earth could you ever repair something like this?
In the Paharganj in Delhi where I first stayed, it's so visible it's painful. I call a lot of the kids 'spiders' because of the way they move around on their misshapen limbs, or what's left of them. Everywhere you go there little kids accost you with hands outstretched asking for food. "Please madam, one rupee". In Varanasi there were many as well but I don't think I noticed them as much, possibly because when I was out I was usually in a rickshaw or down on the ghats. Barely any in Darjeeling, except for one man I noticed on more than one occasion. He was probably somewhere in his forties, bent and crooked legs, missing his left arm. He was fairly quiet as far as the begging goes, but I noticed him especially because of his turqoise eyes, the exact same colour as Lake Louise in the Rockies. I must have passed him two times up on the ridge towards the zoo and back, but the last day I was shoveling some Dairy Milk into my mouth when I passed him again with his hand outstretched. It felt absolutely cruel to walk by someone in need while I have more than he could ever want, so I walked back and gave him the rest of my chocolate to be rewarded with the most beautiful smile. You wish you could do more, but what?
Down here in Kolkata it's bad once again. Yesterday I passed a boy who might have had polio, his legs twisted out at weird angles behind him while he scooted past on his arms. Another young woman lying in the gutter dragging her useless legs behind her. Then in the evening I saw a man who had no legs below his knees. We passed him on the way to the book store as he shuffled along on his arms, trying to keep his scarf from falling down and getting in his way. Later on we passed him again, sitting with his back to a bank building, and when he saw me he reached out both hands pleading for money or food while his stumps wagged in the air. That one was the worst, and again, what can you do?
Then there are the ones that make me chuckle for the sheer weirdness of it all. Just around the corner from the hotel there is a woman who I don't think can walk at all. She's missing most of the teeth on the right side of her mouth and the ones on the left are huge and fit poorly in her mouth. She reminds me of those mechanical witches at halloween or santas at Christmas, the ones that stand there and wave back and forth. She's the same, she lies on her left side and with her right hand joins her fingers lightly together at the tips and bring them towards her mouth and then back about 6 inches before doing it all over again, again and again in rhythm. The one time I didn't see her doing that was when it looked like her hand had stalled in front of her mouth while her left hand tapped her begging dish, almost like her system had shorted out.
It's hard to see this and I understand why people don't want to know about it. At least in Vancouver most of the worst of the worse is contained in the East Side so if you don't want to see it you just avoid the neighbourhood. But here it's everywhere and it doesn't take long to start blocking it out in one way or another. Once in awhile it breaks through again and you're overcome with a feeling of total hopelessness. A bunch of us were discussing it one night, we can't fix what the country's government won't fix. I guess the best you can do is behave responsibly in your own country and try to right the wrongs there. It's frustrating and it's sad. How on earth could you ever repair something like this?
May 19, 2009
Kolkata - First Impressions
We arrived this morning at the Sealdah train station just after 7am and the first thing we saw leaving the station - hundreds of yellow ambassador taxis. Even that early in the morning the city is moving; taxis, human rickshaws, beggars, fruit & vegetables sellers, and everything else.
We left Darjeeling at about 3pm yesterday for another hair-raising trip back down the mountain this time. Views were spectacular and we could feel the temperature rising as we descended. We stopped for about 15 minutes when we reached the plains and the most beautiful scents were coming out of the bamboo forest. We had one slight traffic delay when the driver pulled over so we could look at the wild elephant in the forest. Then all of a sudden all the jeeps behind us started backing up super fast, and we did the same. Apparently the elephant was about to cross the road (no joke intended) and no one likes to be in the way in case it charges. Two minutes later it was all clear and when we started moving again we could see it moving off on the other side of the road. I think I might have a better understanding now of why the German tourists get all excited about black bears on the sides of the highways.
Ten hour train ride was uneventful if it rocked a little. This morning I started talking to the gentleman on the bunk across from me and he turned out to be the director of the Darjeeling zoo, or "joo" as they say here since there is no sound for "z". At first I was wondering what he meant by "Did you visit the joo in Darjeeling?" Ummmmm, yes? Then Yes! when I figured out it was an honest question and not a semitic one.
Checked into the hotel, more like a prison block actually, complete with bars on the windows. But it has a shower and you can't ask for much more for $5/night. After I showered I went for a longish walk to the Victoria Memorial which was well worth the price of admission, 15 times the local price for foreign nationals. And as it was hot hot hot and sunny sunny, my farmer's tan is now gone and replaced with a purse strap across my back tan. Tomorrow I'm off to the Kali temple since it sounds rather grotesque and interesting, and apparently they sacrifice goats in the morning so we may just try to catch that. Don't know what else I'll do but there is tons to see and I think I love this city so there won't be any boredom for the next three days.
We left Darjeeling at about 3pm yesterday for another hair-raising trip back down the mountain this time. Views were spectacular and we could feel the temperature rising as we descended. We stopped for about 15 minutes when we reached the plains and the most beautiful scents were coming out of the bamboo forest. We had one slight traffic delay when the driver pulled over so we could look at the wild elephant in the forest. Then all of a sudden all the jeeps behind us started backing up super fast, and we did the same. Apparently the elephant was about to cross the road (no joke intended) and no one likes to be in the way in case it charges. Two minutes later it was all clear and when we started moving again we could see it moving off on the other side of the road. I think I might have a better understanding now of why the German tourists get all excited about black bears on the sides of the highways.
Ten hour train ride was uneventful if it rocked a little. This morning I started talking to the gentleman on the bunk across from me and he turned out to be the director of the Darjeeling zoo, or "joo" as they say here since there is no sound for "z". At first I was wondering what he meant by "Did you visit the joo in Darjeeling?" Ummmmm, yes? Then Yes! when I figured out it was an honest question and not a semitic one.
Checked into the hotel, more like a prison block actually, complete with bars on the windows. But it has a shower and you can't ask for much more for $5/night. After I showered I went for a longish walk to the Victoria Memorial which was well worth the price of admission, 15 times the local price for foreign nationals. And as it was hot hot hot and sunny sunny, my farmer's tan is now gone and replaced with a purse strap across my back tan. Tomorrow I'm off to the Kali temple since it sounds rather grotesque and interesting, and apparently they sacrifice goats in the morning so we may just try to catch that. Don't know what else I'll do but there is tons to see and I think I love this city so there won't be any boredom for the next three days.
May 17, 2009
Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe One
That is the name of the tea we tried yesterday. Orange Pekoe is easier. Today was the last full day up on the Darjeeling stair master. After 4 1/2 days I now have calves of thunder. Apparently it's not uncommon to get charlie horses in the middle of the night and last night I woke up a few times needing to pop extra strength advil to help stop the burning. All of us have also developed a strange scratchy throat with cold-like symptoms. I think it's from the altitude and breathing in jeep fumes through hairless nasal passages.
It's a good time to leave, not because it's bad but because of the following:
1. always leave on a high. Darjeeling is awesome - the time here was worth every minute of the journey up.
2. saw one of the girls I met puking in a gutter today. The shopkeeper who's store was on the gutter came out to say "Vomiting is bad, it's not healthy." Couldn't tell if he felt sorry for her or was telling her that puking in public is unhygenic. She could have used some of my VomitStop tablets. I like that they call it what it is here, what does Gravol tell you it does? Whenever you see the white people puking in public it's time to move on.
3. feels like I'm cheating my trip up here. It's not conventional India, it's rather modern and not nearly as dirty or hot as down below. It's great but I need the grit again.
4. really looking forward to Kolkata now that I've had my break. Want to see the masses of people again and check out the sites down there.
5. I have a farmer's tan from wearing t-shirts. Those have never been attractive, need to even it out for a new look.
The one sad thing about leaving tomorrow is that me and my two little brothers will be separated. The guys will head north to Sikkim and then onto Nepal from there. They've been great fun to travel with, very entertaining and they certainly made the journey up here almost bearable. From here to Kolkata I'll be with James which is nice since he's been there before so I won't feel so totally out of it.
One more quick walk/hike tomorrow to find some monasteries and then sucking back the rest of my VomitStops for the 3 hour jeep ride back down to the plains to catch the train.
That's it from Darjeeling, one of the finest places on the planet.
It's a good time to leave, not because it's bad but because of the following:
1. always leave on a high. Darjeeling is awesome - the time here was worth every minute of the journey up.
2. saw one of the girls I met puking in a gutter today. The shopkeeper who's store was on the gutter came out to say "Vomiting is bad, it's not healthy." Couldn't tell if he felt sorry for her or was telling her that puking in public is unhygenic. She could have used some of my VomitStop tablets. I like that they call it what it is here, what does Gravol tell you it does? Whenever you see the white people puking in public it's time to move on.
3. feels like I'm cheating my trip up here. It's not conventional India, it's rather modern and not nearly as dirty or hot as down below. It's great but I need the grit again.
4. really looking forward to Kolkata now that I've had my break. Want to see the masses of people again and check out the sites down there.
5. I have a farmer's tan from wearing t-shirts. Those have never been attractive, need to even it out for a new look.
The one sad thing about leaving tomorrow is that me and my two little brothers will be separated. The guys will head north to Sikkim and then onto Nepal from there. They've been great fun to travel with, very entertaining and they certainly made the journey up here almost bearable. From here to Kolkata I'll be with James which is nice since he's been there before so I won't feel so totally out of it.
One more quick walk/hike tomorrow to find some monasteries and then sucking back the rest of my VomitStops for the 3 hour jeep ride back down to the plains to catch the train.
That's it from Darjeeling, one of the finest places on the planet.
May 16, 2009
Lions & Tigers & Bears, Oh My!
So we didn't see any lions, but at the Darjeeling zoo yesterday we did get face-to-face with snow leopards, cloud leopards, a siberian tiger, red pandas, yaks, tibetan wolves, and the himalayan black bear. It's a pretty decent zoo and they seem to have done a good job of protecting and repopulating some endangered species. The walk to the zoo was a pleasant 20 minute stroll out of the main town centre. The Himalayan Mountaineering museum was included in the entrance so we also managed to check out the salutes to the pioneers of the big climbs out this way. Tenzing Norgay is buried a short way away and that is pretty cool.
Today I headed up to observatory hill in the morning to see if I could see Kanchenjunga from the lookout, I think I saw it but not sure as I have no idea what it looks like. That used to be considered the tallest peak in the Himalayas until one day someone saw Everest peaking out from behind. Afterwards I met up with the guys again and another British fellow we met a few days ago to go for an afternoon trek to the Happy Valley Tea Plantation for a tea demonstration. I don't drink tea and I find the cult following kind of weird, but the tea we got to sample was pretty impressive. With the workers being paid about 50 rupees a day, about $1USD, it makes you appreciate what you're drinking. Another 30 minute walk after that to the Botanical Gardens where we saw a wisteria planted in 1878. It's aged well and I'm hoping the pictures I snapped do justice to the massiveness of this thing.
Just picked up my beautiful new sari, gorgeous handwork and embroidery all along, got the top tailored so I think once I'm cleaned up and actually find something to wear it to it'll look pretty good.
Today was the counting of the election votes. Darjeeling is a BJP stronghold since the BJP promised it could separate. Congress won by what I guess is a landslide but the BJP did win a seat here in Darjeeling. There's a big military presence here tonight, men in green patrolling the streets and there's a chance things will get a little hairy before the night is out but at this point all is calm. There were firecrackers being set off in the streets this afternoon but that seems to be the extent of it. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
Today I headed up to observatory hill in the morning to see if I could see Kanchenjunga from the lookout, I think I saw it but not sure as I have no idea what it looks like. That used to be considered the tallest peak in the Himalayas until one day someone saw Everest peaking out from behind. Afterwards I met up with the guys again and another British fellow we met a few days ago to go for an afternoon trek to the Happy Valley Tea Plantation for a tea demonstration. I don't drink tea and I find the cult following kind of weird, but the tea we got to sample was pretty impressive. With the workers being paid about 50 rupees a day, about $1USD, it makes you appreciate what you're drinking. Another 30 minute walk after that to the Botanical Gardens where we saw a wisteria planted in 1878. It's aged well and I'm hoping the pictures I snapped do justice to the massiveness of this thing.
Just picked up my beautiful new sari, gorgeous handwork and embroidery all along, got the top tailored so I think once I'm cleaned up and actually find something to wear it to it'll look pretty good.
Today was the counting of the election votes. Darjeeling is a BJP stronghold since the BJP promised it could separate. Congress won by what I guess is a landslide but the BJP did win a seat here in Darjeeling. There's a big military presence here tonight, men in green patrolling the streets and there's a chance things will get a little hairy before the night is out but at this point all is calm. There were firecrackers being set off in the streets this afternoon but that seems to be the extent of it. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
May 13, 2009
Darjeeling
This is heaven on earth. Lush beautiful land all around, the heavy scent of tea thick in the air. It's about 30 degrees cooler here than Varanasi and beggars don't seem to exist. Everyone is so nice, very few seem to be on the take.
We found our hotel after searching for about a 1/2 hour. This is a hill town which means everything is up or down, nothing straight across, and lugging a backpack around is a bit rough. I felt better though when the young boys who attached themselves to us temporarily were huffing and puffing way more than me and they were only carrying jackets.
The hotel is pretty simple, no running water so everything is done by bucket. This morning when I woke up the owner already had water boiling on the stove so I was able to take a hot bucket shower. It sounds primitive but when you're washing the pollution and a day's worth of gross travel out of your hair, it's absolute bliss. It's not just the hotel that does this, it seems to be much of Darjeeling. Walked to the outer deck to see the view, breathtaking with the mountains all around, flags flying everywhere in the city.
The views are spectacular and tomorrow morning I'll be up at 4am to catch the sunrise and a view of the mountains. I'm fairly certain this place will be the highlight of the trip.
We found our hotel after searching for about a 1/2 hour. This is a hill town which means everything is up or down, nothing straight across, and lugging a backpack around is a bit rough. I felt better though when the young boys who attached themselves to us temporarily were huffing and puffing way more than me and they were only carrying jackets.
The hotel is pretty simple, no running water so everything is done by bucket. This morning when I woke up the owner already had water boiling on the stove so I was able to take a hot bucket shower. It sounds primitive but when you're washing the pollution and a day's worth of gross travel out of your hair, it's absolute bliss. It's not just the hotel that does this, it seems to be much of Darjeeling. Walked to the outer deck to see the view, breathtaking with the mountains all around, flags flying everywhere in the city.
The views are spectacular and tomorrow morning I'll be up at 4am to catch the sunrise and a view of the mountains. I'm fairly certain this place will be the highlight of the trip.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
