Pineridge Hotel Darjeeling

... we all just wanted to get the hell out of there. The rain had not improved our moods and this last obstacle was almost too much.<br><br>Figuring we just had to get above the landslide area, we plowed straight up the hill side on one of the many narrow "local trails" that branch off the main route. Eventually, this one came to a dead-end in a small clearing. Matt turned "Now what?". "I see another flat area 20 ...

... back over there you') and pushed back by a man, baby in his arms ...awful I think the most hilarious thing on this journey was the number of lady boy (Eunichs) who boarded the train looking for money , they would walk through the carriages accosting everyone, they really are quite daunting which is why I didnt take any photos.plus i am sure they would want big bucks from me having white skin LOL everybody was paying up .... you could hear them clapping as they headed ...

... of us after breakfast in Goom headed back. We ended up taking a slightly wrong turn and found ourselves at an Indian Army Installation which again is forbidden to take pictures at but they directed us in the right direction back to Darjeeling. That afternoon we were shattered and just relaxed. 25th We visited the Darjeeling Museum and the Himalayan Mounteering Institute both of which were iteresting. Later we took the steam powered ...

... us to teach them some Australian slang - we gave them 'fair dinkum' and discussed the knife scene in Crocodile Dundee at length. Christian (a banker who lives in Bangalore and plays classical guitar in a heavy metal band when back in Sweden) had asked me earlier if I was originally from Australia as I didn't sound anything like the Australians he had heard (namely Steve Irwin). I gave him an example of some fine ockerisms and he was confused, 'You don't all ...

... and Gianna, who we were going to Darjeeling with. We were about to embark on a 36 hour train ride, so we had booked seats in a nicer section of the train then I had ever been on before. The train ride wasn't amazingly fun, but we got to the city of Siligry, which is where you have to stay before catching the toy train to Darjeeling. We arrived at night, got a hotel room, ate, went to sleep, and then woke up for the toy train. Toy trains, which there are only 3 ...

...

... so on overload with the filth and noise. Truly, it is like a breath of fresh air even though by most standards it is still polluted and crowded but compared to Calcutta, it is FANTASTIC!! There's even a place we plan to check out called Joe's pub &amp; have a beer or two. Hopefully we'll be able to get up early enough, like by 3a.m. to make the trek to Tiger Hill to see the sunrise. Its supposed to be quite a site. I hope the fog clears enough for us to see better. We ...

... in agreement that eating at grotty places or on the street is the way forward- the food is delicious and cost pennies! We are putting off going back to our room as it's full huge cockroaches... they particularly like Helen's bed! I tried to kill one with anti-bacs but it was having none of it, those things are pretty much indestructible! However the room is only costing us 2.50 pounds for the two of us, so we can't grumble!! Anyway keep you fingers crossed!!

... and fireplaces in the room. After looking around the town we soon went on a spending binge again and bought a very heavy rug, well actually two of them in the end. I have since looked at the price of excess baggage for Virgin flights and it looks like we may be having to wear the rug as a shawl. Mark bought a puff jacket, some more beanies etc etc. Our guesthouse in Delhi keeps on getting phone calls from us saying we are sending stuff to them, let's see if it all arrives ...

... they don't remain longer than two seconds in front of one of these pantels (Calcutta was supposed to having 4500!), I hardly saw someone praying or otherwise practicing this as a religion. I'd define this as temporary kitsch art - the pantels are thrown into Hooghly, arm of Ganges, after the celebration; and the big bamboo tents are taken down. - I have been invited to the 3rd October Party by the German General Consulate to the top-end Hotel Taj Bengal only with ...