Sometimes the heat just gets to you... After suffering in intense humidity in both Varanasi and Kolkata (Calcutta) for the past few days, Marc and I were happy to head north to Darjeeling (yes, where the tea is grown) which is 2,200 metres above sea level. On a clear day, you can see Mount Everest. Unfortunately, it's raining today.
We successfully made our own way on an overnight train from Kolkata, arriving in time to catch our Toy Train (short, narrow gauge train) to Darjeeling. We rushed to the platform, stepping around the three goats relaxing on the stairwell, and found ourselves looking down at a tiny set of tracks surrounded by grass. Nope, we haven't left India.
While the scenery was fantastic, the 88 km trip was a little long, given the train moves at a pace of about 10 km/h. The length was made worse by our train derailing... everyone got off to check it out, and Marc ended up in the thick of it, getting the wheel back on the track! Of course, while the men were at it, it started pouring rain... The best part of the trip was seeing the people in the villages on the way up. The train runs roadside for much of the journey, and it was as if we were walking by people's homes and shops. All of the children were on their way home from school, in their pristine uniforms. The British influence is highly evident here.
We're hoping the skies clear so we can check out the sunrise tomorrow morning, but if not, we'll trek out to see all of the monasteries and other sights around the city.
And yes, it is colder up here. The rain may be making it a bit worse, but we're actually wearing our hiking shoes for the first time in India! Pants and long sleeves... feels strange.
Hoping everyone is well and had a lovely Thanksgiving!
- Trish -
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