Apr 3, 2007 - Kalimpong (elevation 4125 ft)

After staying in Patna for a couple of days we loaded our luggage and headed for the train station around 10:00 pm.After staying in Patna for a couple of days we loaded our luggage and headed for the train station around 10:00 pm....

Mar 7, 2007 - Treking Near Darjeeling

Hello Again, Well we did it and the girls were brilliant. Glad to be back in the comforts of Darjeeling and the wood burning stove in our room. ... We will load the photos when we get home as we are about to head for Kathmandhu tomorrow and hope to try and do a week long trek there in the Helambu valley.Hello Again, Well we did it and the girls were brilliant. Glad to be back in the comforts of Darjeeling and the wood burning stove in our room. ... We will load the photos when we get home as we are about to head for Kathmandhu tomorrow and hope to try and do a week long trek there in the Helambu valley....

Feb 27, 2007 - Incredible India

Hello from Darjeeling in North East India where it is still quite chilly so we are keeping warm with lots of tea. ... We are about to set off on our own for a wee trek in the mountains above Darjeeling. ... They say there is still a lot of snow about so we may be back here sooner than we think.Hello from Darjeeling in North East India where it is still quite chilly so we are keeping warm with lots of tea. ... We are about to set off on our own for a wee trek in the mountains above Darjeeling. ... They say there is still a lot of snow about so we may be back here sooner than we think....

Dec 31, 2006 - Darjeeling

Darjeeling is a hill station town in the Himalayas. ... Darjeeling is known for their tea and on New Year's day I went to the Happy Valley Tea Plantation. ... I really wanted to go trekking in Darjeeling, but it didn't work out, which was actually not too bad because it would have been too cold. ... Darjeeling also has some cool gompas (Buddhist montesaries), which I checked out. ...

Nov 29, 2006 - Goeche La Trek

Wow, what an amazing trek.Wow, what an amazing trek....

Nov 27, 2006 - Darjeeling

Darjeeling, like other "hill stations" was built by the colonizing British so they could have a cool climate to escape to when the Indian summer became unbearably hot. ... This is also the main reason that I wanted to visit Darjeeling. ... The 60km, winding road up to Darjeeling drives parallel to the train tracks the entire way. ... Reaching Darjeeling we were released into the mayhem of trying to find a guesthouse in a new city. ... Darjeeling is best visited in the summer when the weather is perfect and the tea plantations are thriving. ...

Nov 26, 2006 - Little Buddha and a Big night out

This morning after breakfast we headed back to the monastery to meet Rimpochee and his family.This morning after breakfast we headed back to the monastery to meet Rimpochee and his family....

Nov 21, 2006 - Crossing into Sikkim

We had arranged to meet the Irish couple in a bakery call Glenarys between 8:30 and 9:00am but there was no sign of them showing up.We had arranged to meet the Irish couple in a bakery call Glenarys between 8:30 and 9:00am but there was no sign of them showing up....

Nov 18, 2006 - Train ticket and another jeep ride

When we alit Ian suggested it might be a good idea to buy our train tickets back to Calcutta because we knew we wanted to get the night train on the 27th. We then found a jeep and driver to take us the 4 hours to Darjeeling. ... Here in Darjeeling it's so bad you can hardly see your hand in front of you and when it's clear you can see Mount Everest so that's disappointing. ... But we're going to Sikkim and we need permits so we have to stay here until Monday to get those anyway.When we alit Ian suggested it might be a good idea to buy our train tickets back to Calcutta because we knew we wanted to get the night train on the 27th. We then found a jeep and driver to take us the 4 hours to Darjeeling. ... Here in Darjeeling it's so bad you can hardly see your hand in front of you and when it's clear you can see Mount Everest so that's disappointing. ... But we're going to Sikkim and we need permits so we have to stay here until Monday to get those anyway....

Nov 18, 2006 - Darjeeling

After our harrowing 3 hour journey, 90km away 2km up from New Jalpaiguri (NJP), we made it into the market centre of Darjeeling. ... Over the last couple of days we've seen most of what's to offer in the sites around Darjeeling, the Observatory Hill, Tiger Hill, the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park and a heap of other stuff. ... He spent much of his life here in Darjeeling and is buried on a nearby hill which we visited. ...

Nov 3, 2006 - Anyone for Tea? Darjeeling-India

We entered in the state of West Bengal and only spent a few minutes in the border town before heading to Silguri for a quick transfer onto a jeep to the quintessential hill station of Darjeeling. ... Darjeeling is an odd place, draped over a steep ridge and backed by a panoramic Himalayan horizon including Everest. ... After perusing the streets lined with tibetan and indian shop houses, drinking copious amounts of chai with the locals, we hiked through the tea plantations to the Darjeeling zoo. ... We left Darjeeling early morning by jeep. ...

Sep 20, 2006 - Darjeeling, India

From Kolkata, we headed north on the overnight Darjeeling Mail train to New Jalpaiguri. ... Eventually, a last passenger was found and like sardines (13 people plus the driver!) we set off north for Darjeeling! It was hardly surprising given the combination of 14 people plus luggage plus the Schumacher wanna-be behind the wheel, that we got a puncture half way up the mountainside to Darjeeling! As we waited for the driver to change the wheel, we noticed an Indian family pointing our way and giggling to themselves. ... "?! Thankfully, the load lightened as we approached Darjeeling and we were able to spread out a bit! Fortunately also, the weather was good and we could enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the Darjeeling hills. ... that was all about to change! As soon as we reached Darjeeling, the black clouds rolled in and the heavens opened. ... The plans rapidly changed from trekking in the sun-baked hills to white water rafting on the rising Rangeet river! However, coming from the sauna that is Kolkata to the cold rains of Darjeeling took its toll on Maria and she ended up in bed with a nasty dose of the flu. ...