Today is the last day we are spending in India. Suffice it to say that this has been a trip of experiences & a few challenges. Changed & delayed flights. Traffic gridlock. Rain & a ferocious windstorm. Day long knocked out internet server. Late & stalled weather related trains. An 82 year old Malaysian woman hobbling with a walking stick, & needing to stay behind at times. A potential visit to see the sunrise over India’s highest mountain, Kanchenjunga at 28,169’, that didn’t materialize because of mist & fog. But, isn’t that why I travel. Each trip is a unique adventure with countless learning experiences. Again, need to reiterate how fortunate I am.
Today’s blog, just picture stories. Not even sure they are in sequence, but who really cares. These pictures, some a group effort, show several days in the life of this latest trip, a tough & busy one in this overpopulated India.
Cows roam freely in this part of India. Sometimes become a traffic hazard. “Grazing” right outside the Buddhist Monastery we visited in Siliguri.Iskcon Hindu Temple which is dedicated to Lord Krishna & located in Siliguri. The walls inside, no pictures allowed, are adorned by the paintings of Russian artisans depicting the various deities. Beautiful lush grounds.Met at the train station in Siliguri by 6 different drivers for the 22 of us plus 2 guides. We called our driver Santos; easier to pronounce. Santos is a practicing Hindu & Shiva, principal deity of Hinduism, is protecting us as we drive the winding, narrow, congested roads. We are now close to the Himalayan foothills.Santos with his girls. Scarves given to us as a welcome gift when arriving at the Mayfair Hill Darjeeling.Reception area of the Mayfair Hill in Darjeeling.Picturesque village along the train tracks.Toy train to Darjeeling. Added another car for us, but only lasted 1 of the 3 hours we were to be on the train. The tracks were slick so sand bags, stored on the side of the road, needed to be emptied on the tracks so we could proceed. Stopped countless times while the skies were darkening. Rescued by the drivers. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is the first & still operational hill passenger railway. Opened in 1881 to establish a rail link across a mountainous terrain.This 11 year old was a master of the English language. Introduced her brother to us as her sibling. Lovely family, & another chance meeting because of a late train.Fish merchant along a shopping lane in Kurseong. Scaling, cutting, weighing & selling the farm raised local fish. We always have fish on our buffet lunch & dinners, so the mild tasting fish is probably local.Coal train we rode for about an hour. Covered with cinders once we disembarked. Took quite the shower to remove the grime from my hair & face.On our climb to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute women were shucking, cooking & selling corn on the cob.Two beautiful wolves at the Zoo. Located on the grounds of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.Traffic & pedestrian gridlock. Takes forever to go even a short distance. Drivers use horns incessantly, but display a great deal of patience when behind the wheel.Steep incline, many steps, heavy load, fit body. Undoubtedly of Nepalese descent as the majority of those residing in Darjeeling are Nepalese.In traditional Sherpani dress. Photographed her outside the car window. Coincidentally, our next stop was the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, the final resting place of Tensing Norgay. As a reminder, he was the Sherpa guide who led Edmund Hillary to the top of Mount Everest. This duo managed to accomplish the feat in 1953.Retired Sherpa.
So many more pictures of life in the West Bengal part of India, but enough for now. Hopefully, we will have internet service in Bhutan so that you can travel with me again.
Traveling with Judy 
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