Where the Streets Have No Name

Trip Start Dec 04, 2005

Trip End Jun 16, 2006

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Flag of India Darjeeling, India
Tuesday, April 25, 2006

J: Long time no enter, no?! Sorry about this back posting again. Connections in India have been a bit, well touch and go.

After we left the heat and pollution of Kolkata we hopped on an overnight train to Darjeeling. The night train wasn't so bad, actually, and the landscape was great to be able to see once morning came. After being somewhere so overpopulated, I wasn't sure there were actual rural parts of India where there weren't people standing on top of one another. But really there are and they are beautiful, as was the sunrise over the fields. We deboarded the train and got into a jeep with six other westerners to actually get up into the mountains where Darjeeling is nicely nestled. It was amazing how obvious the temperature change was as we climbed from the plains into the mountains. And how fantastically fresh the air became.

Darjeeling is such an interesting place

Friend Heading to School

. It is by far the most confusing place we have had to navigate. How strange is that? I mean we have been in numerous large cities and have had little problem, but we arrive in this small town in the mountains in India and cannot seem to get from point A to point B, C or D without it taking numerous tries and every long way around. So that easily became the theme of our time in Darjeeling. But honestly, better there than pretty much anywhere else. Darjeeling is one of the most laid back places we have visited. There are very few cars and motorbikes around. Almost everyone is on foot and although it is a higher altitude so slightly harder to breathe as we walked up and down the hills, there are very few people begging and a calm vibe just emanates from the streets. Our first day there we just enjoyed being able to wander around without sweating profusely. Actually, I think we were even able to wear long sleeves.

For being a relatively small community, Darjeeling has some great highlights, besides the obvious tea plantations (which we did visit). There is an incredible museum on mountaineering, called the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute. Okay, it isn't just a museum it actually is an institute where you can take mountaineering courses, but the museum that is on the campus is great -- all about expeditions to Mt. Everest. We had to walk through the zoo to get there, so we did check out the animals. And I have to say, although I am still not a fan of zoos, it was pretty cool to be able to see local animals. And I think that was one thing that was particularly admirable about the Darjeeling Zoo -- there are only animals that would normally be found in the area and at that altitude and climate. There were red pandas (not so much like pandas at all really) and leopards and tigers and a Himalayan black bear (so beautiful). But I am not a zoo convert, really

Our Favorite Restaurant and Favorite Server

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Our second afternoon there we went to a benefit concert. Who's surprised? It was actually one of the cooler travel experiences. There were signs up all over town for this show that was a benefit for HIV/AIDS prevention in Darjeeling. We were so excited and it was only 25 rupees each (about 50 cents, hard to beat). I cannot say it was as quality as say a KEXP benefit, but still...it was live music in Darjeeling and it was for a great cause. There were some hilarious covers done, and we laughed and sang along to some Pink Floyd. How often do you get to do that in Darjeeling?!

There are incredible views of the Himalayas if it is clear out. And we figured out that the time to catch them is first thing in the morning. While doing so we met these two great Canadian couples, about Mom and Dad's age and they were so great and inspiring. A reminder that travel doesn't have to stop in our 20s. That same day we met up with a new friend (and soon to be travel companion), Tricia, and took a walk to one of the monasteries in town. It was the first Missy and I had seen and was a really interesting change from the temples of SE Asia. The decoration was incredibly intricate. There were huge murals on the walls depicting Buddhist scenes that I obviously didn't understand. The prayer wheels can be really huge (close to 10 feet tall, I would guess) and are beautiful. Many more visits to monasteries in our future, I would venture to say.

One of the best things about Darjeeling was how relaxed it made us. We spent time writing in our journals, reading, hanging out with people we met, and drinking lots of tea (both the local and masala/chai tea)

Past Prayers

. It was great to be able to basically hang out in cafes and have some time to just enjoy being where we were.

And just for you, Dad, I will add that we found a favorite restaurant in Darjeeling. It was this tiny little hole-in-the-wall close to our hotel. And we discovered some very delicious Indian dishes, including Samosa Chaat. I love samosas and was just craving one since the moment we stepped foot in India. But up until we got to Darjeeling we hadn't found any on the menus. They seemed only to be found on the streets and we just weren't up to going for it while we were in Kolkata (nor have we yet). So as soon as I saw it on the menu I insisted on getting one, and not sharing it with Missy (what kind of crazy talk is that...sharing my very first samosa). But it said "Samosa Chaat" on the menu and so I just went with it, hoping for the best and having no idea what it meant at all. It ended up being one of my newest favorite treats. Basically it is like having Indian nachos. Honestly, it is the best way to describe it. It was a samosa covered with a couple sauces, curds, and little yummy crunchies...D-Lish! Really, it was so good. Needless to say we went back to this little spot for every meal after and when it was our last, we were so sad! (M: The other delicious meals included everything from curries to parathas, kheer to puris. The tiny restaurant was staffed by these two teenage boys who were probably laughing at us every time we walked in. But we didn't care because it was oh-so-delicious. We also tried Tibetan food because there is a large Tibetan population in Darjeeling. Momos and phing are definitely some of our favorites. It is REALLY easy to eat vegetarian here. We do miss fresh fruits and vegetables, but will definitely stock up when we get home!) To Pelling we gleckel on...