Darjeeling doesn't feel like it's in India at all. The air is crisp and clean. It is much more relaxed. The shops and streets are less crowded. There are no rickshaws or cows (most of the vehicles are jeeps). There is less obvious poverty. Even the ubiquitous dogs seem to be well fed and a lot have collars which I have just not seen in other parts of India. The dogs are fluffy and husky-like and there are loads of cute puppies (you'd like it here, Darren!).
Geographically, Darjeeling is very close to Nepal, Sikkim and Tibet hence the people look totally different - with round, flatter, open faces. The languages spoken sound softer than the Hindi heard over the rest of India. Everyone we came across in Darjeeling was helpful, seemed honest, had excellent English and were, on the whole, able to answer questions without ambiguity - a rarity in this country.
Darjeeling is hot in the day, but gets very cold at night. I used the blanket and duvet on my bed for the first time in India. (I also slept straight on the sheets provided rather than using my sleeping bag liner as a dirt buffer - our guest house was the cleanest so far and amazingly the sheets actually smelt of washing powder). The locals look toughened from the cold but there's still a great range of puffer jackets and wooly hats worn. Tiny old men and women carry huge loads on their backs, bent forward, struggling up the town's numerous hills, with the weight counterbalanced by a strap around their forehead.
This hill station was built by the British as a rest spot for troops near a monastery. The town is perched on a high ridge and buildings spill down the hillsides, defying gravity, teetering on stilts or using houses further down the slope for support.
Apart from tea plantations, Darjeeling is famous for Himalayan views. The snowy heights of Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest mountain, can be seen from viewpoints in town. Or at least it can be if the weather is kind. The whole time I was in Darjeeling it was hazy. Despite hot sunshine the visibility was so terrible that I could barely see the other side of the valley. The exception was the first morning at breakfast, when we saw the pale unreal skyline of Kanchenjunga floating above the clouds. Within 10 minutes it was no longer visible. I had no idea I wouldn't see it again so didn't take any photos.
Generally, the weather gets cloudier in the afternoon so sunrise Himalaya viewings are a big tourist industry here. From nearby Tiger Hill it is also possible to see Everest. However, we were told we will get better views on our forthcoming trek and so decided not to suffer a 4.30am start when low cloud was likely.
We walked to the lovely-sounding 'Happy Valley Tea Estate' - a plantation on the edge of town. Unfortunately when we arrived we discovered that picking had not yet started and the factory and shop were closed - apparently the employees had not been paid for 6 months. An opportunistic and enthusiastic lady offered us a cup of tea anyway from her wooden shack but we declined and slogged back up the hill. Although it was a bit of a waste of time it was lovely to see the plantation. The round flat-topped tea bushes follow the contours of the steep hills in staggered rows and I wanted to reach out and run my fingers over the pattern.
You would expect to be able to get a nice cup of tea in Darjeeling, but everywhere we went insisted on serving it with hot sweet milk (with little curdled bits floating about) if you ask for it white. They must think we are very uncouth wanting milk in their fine tea. I learnt to drink it black with a bit of sugar but it was quite a disappointment.
The Tibetan Refugee Centre was founded in 1954 and has helped rehabilitate thousands of Tibetan refugees who followed the Dalai Lama to India. The focus is on self-help and there are crafts workshops and a shop where you can buy direct from the makers. We visited and all stocked up on warm clothes, virtually clearing them out of multi-coloured gloves and hats with ear flaps! It was fascinating watching rugs and blankets being woven by ancient women with nimble fingers.
On Simon's birthday, another friend arrived from England - Matt. So we were finally the full complement of nine that will trek together next week. However, far from being in peak physical condition, almost all of us are suffering or have suffered from stomach upsets and food poisoning. We went out for a posh meal to celebrate Simon's birthday, but the planned visit to a club afterwards was scrapped as we were all too tired/queasy and just wanted to crawl into bed!
Darjeeling has an English-style pub called Joey's which we patronised suitably well. It was missing a roaring fire (and cider) but apart from that was a great place to hang out and swap stories with other travellers. Two days before our trek, we met 3 Americans who had just returned from it. It was a bad idea to talk to them! They managed to suitably scare us talking about 'negative five' temperatures, unpalatable food and cloudy skies. This brought on panic shopping for more warm clothes, blankets and snacks the next day. I have a pair of wooly leggings (that I have been carrying around since Bolivia), but I purchased a blanket, loads of chocolate and hired a windproof jacket too, just in case.
We took a ride on the toy train - something I got quite excited about, although I'm not sure why, looking back! This World Heritage listed steam locomotive actually travels the whole way from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling, but it takes 9 hours to cover 80km! We opted to take the 2-hour 'joyride' instead, which winds its way to the nearby village of Ghoom and back again. The train tracks are actually on the road, so it was a very strange feeling being in a plush carraige with brass fittings whilst trundling along streets cluttered with rubbish, shops, shacks, dogs and children. The route includes the famous Batasia Loop which is, as it sounds, where the train track completely loops around and passes over itself in order to gain height in a small space. This was the 'highlight' of the ride but it is not as dramatic as it sounds - you just feel like you are going under a bridge, round a corner and then over a bridge. Also, I've discovered that steam trains are not romantic at all. Having the window open is sooty, dirty and grimy. Simon even had a glowing cinder burn a hole in his new coat. At the destination you only get half an hour which is not enough to visit one of the many Gompas (Buddhist monasterys) in the area. The only thing there is time for is the train museum... fantastic.
Matt, Mandy and I walk to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institite, a few km out of town. On arrival we were slightly dismayed to discover that it was inside the local zoo and we had to pay a combined entrance fee. I'm against paying money to visit zoos usually, but we had come all this way so coughed up. The zoo is actually a relatively good one. They are the only place in the world to successfully breed the snow leopard in captivity (they are more difficult than pandas!). The animals have particularly large enclosures, many with mature trees and boulders. The Himalayan black bear literally has a huge rocky flank of a hill to roam over. Nethertheless, he looked bored and listless. The leopards, wolves and tigers looked less miserable though. The snow leopards in particular are the most active animals I've ever seen in a zoo - they are running and leaping around their enclosure, swinging on the tyres suspended from trees, and having races against each other. We watched them for a long time.
The mountaineering institute itself charts the history of attempts on Everest and mountaineering in the Himalayas in general. On top of a hill is the site where Tenzing Norgay - Hilary's sherpa - was cremated. Having read Hilary's biography before coming to India it was quite special to see the items on display which included lots of equipment used on Everest expeditions (including some boots especially made for a climber with no toes?!) and flags that were placed on the peak. There was also a large relief model of the Himalayas which showed clearly how low-lying India is a seperate continential plate slamming into the rest of Asia, the force of which pushes up the towering Himalayas at the crunch zone.
Food becomes important when it's chilly. We discovered a delicious Tibetan dish in Darjeeling - 'Momos'. They are a bit like ravioli with cheese and veggies inside and come with a spicy dipping sauce. We also went to one restaurant twice for their vegetable stew and home-made bread. It must have something special in it because it seemed to send everyone into culinary rapture. Mandy even proclaimed it was the best meal she'd had in India. Personally, whenever I have a non-curry meal it feels like a treat at the moment!
We stashed most of our belongings at the guest house and set off early in the morning for the six day trek, where we hope to see the mountains that have hidden so successfully from us. Over half of us are on antibiotics, three cameras are not working and sleep is disturbed because of the altitude. I still have blisters from the temple climb in Rishikesh. Will we ever make it?!
Darjeeling Hotels
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