Darjeeling is magically perched high up in the Himalayas above the clouds.
As usual I’m in a budget hotel, this time though I have a massive window maybe 3 x 4 metres with a great view of darjeeling life and the green valley beyond so I’ve spent my days working in my room (I have a table and chair by the window) doing those mundane things we all have to do (tax return, working out finances etc etc). When I’ve done a few hours I walk around the town and visit an old colonial tea house and have tea & cake before I return to my room with a view.
Darjeeling has very few tourists which both surprises me and is great. I’m told I’ve arrived at the start of the tourist season and it will get busy from November onwards.
The worst thing about Darjeeling are the 4WD taxis which there are loads of as Darjeeling is on a hill and everyone gets taxis everywhere. The taxis drive too fast, have no consideration for other road users and use their horns constantly! I would go as far as to say that Darjeeling would offer a far better experience to tourists if it controlled this behaviour.
A couple of days into my stay here and I bumped into Ian & Floris who I was with in Kathmandu and are on the Myanmar crossing with me, then on my last day Dave & Max arrived. I suppose it’s no surprise as we’re all heading for the same place at the same time and there is only a narrow path through to the Myanmar border with Bangladesh to the south and Bhutan to the north.
A few of us did a 7 km hike walking along side the ‘Toy Railway’ on the last day which knackered me, I deserved the beer that evening.
9 Responses
Hey Dan.
That photo of you knocking back the Gruel is the closest likeness I’ve seen of Fagin since the Palladium visit when we went to see Oliver “In this life one thing counts” “In the bank large amounts”!!!
Not your favorite song Dan but the one song that you really really like, Is after all these year’s coming true “spooky” because I’m sure when you bump into your fellow traveler’s It must come into your mind every time “It’s a Small, Small WORLD.”
I look forward every day to getting one of your post’s.
Take care Dad.
Bill.
Should read Dan not Dad sorry about that.
Hi Dan, loving the green hat! It must be warmer here as still t-shirt weather. Still loving your blog, like to get my daily fix! So much more exciting stuff to come. My neighbour has fallen in love with Jess and takes her off for hours at a time for lovely walks. Big hugs. Xx
Your memory is great Bill and yes it can feel like a ‘small world’ at times. Take care.
It’s warmer now I’m down from the mountains, it’s about 30 now and hopefully it’ll stay warm for months as I think I’m done with mountains for quite some time. Lovely news about Jess, will she ever want to come home:(
Hi Dan, ive not been keeping up with the blog recently .
So you got to darjeeling then,sounds a lovely place ,i will have to go myself one day,but ill be taking the plane.
Remember before you went i said id love to go there ,and youve beaten me to it pal !
Take care mate
Rob,
It’s a great place, the town of Darjeeling is a great base to explore the area so best save your Pennines! Fancy returning to Oz for a bike ride as I’m thinking I might make it there late next spring?
Pete,
Our stories are two of many unfortunately, I’ve heard some awful firsthand stories from other bikers in the last few weeks.
Dan, hmmmm, oz in the spring .
Ill let you know about that one,sounds tempting pal !
You take it easy mate