Darjeeling, West Bengal - 22 January (w pics)

We arrived in Bagdogra and were met by our Nepali speaking driver, Swadhin. The Darjeeling region in North Bengal is home to an increasing number of Nepalese (or Gurkha) immigrants and their descendants. There is a popular Gorkhaland movement, seeking the establishment of a separate state of India, independent of West Bengal. We experienced no concerns during our time in the Darjeeling region, although there have been violent incidents related to the cause and rival political parties in the past.

Pro-Gorkhaland sign (photo by El)

Due to landslides, the main roads to Darjeeling were closed, so Swadhin took a very steep, narrow, windy road with at times a very bad surface. We were in one of the few non-jeep vehicles to attempt the road.

As we left Bagdogra and its cycle rickshaws and army barracks, we passed throgh teak forests and started the ascent up the foothills of the Himalayas. The area was very green, but around the roads was covered by a thick layer of dust kicked up by passing cars.

A rare break in the fog allowed us to see the narrow gauge train go past. (photo by El)

Despite having had a clear view of the Himalayas from the plane from Delhi, we soon were enclosed in a thick fog as we began to climb the mountains.

Buddhist stupa on the road from Bagdogra to Darjeeling (photo by El)

Darjeeling is famous for its views of Kanchenjunga (as well as its tea and cool air), but there was no sign of the mountain on our arrival. It was definitely cold (getting down to minus 4 degrees Celsius that night.

Dad and I braved the cold in all our clothes (some wrapped around our heads) at 5:30 am the next morning to try to catch a glimpse as the sun rose before the fog lifted, and were rewarded with a wonderful view of the mountains seemingly floating in the mist at around 6:20 am (in hindsight a 5:30 start was unnecessarily enthusiastic). Surrounded by Buddhist worshippers chanting, praying and locals of all faiths excercising, it was a vibrant scene for so early in the day. I will post photos when I work out how.

El and Kachenjunga, dawn. (photo by El)

Gordon and Kachenjunga (that's a blanket, not his belly) (photo by El)

Introducing a new author - Eleanor

Eleanor, aka El, is my sister and fellow traveller to India. She started a week later, as her husband's big-0 birthday fell in that first week of January. But she gets to stay a week later, and is currently travelling through north-east India - Darjeeling, Gangtok, Calcutta, Delhi and Agra. By making El an author, I'm hoping she'll be able to tell you (and me) a little about her travels.

El, in front of the Chinese fishing nets in Fort Kochi

Some of you may already know that my father, Gordon, aka G, aka Gopa (GOH-pah), was born in India and lived there until he was about 15 years old, with his three younger brothers and his parents. (His father was a missionary there, as was his father before him.) He attended Mt Hermon school in Darjeeling, and home was in/near Calcutta/Kolkata. And he remembers enough Bengali to delight other Indians (and occasionally scare the wits out of them).

El and G, outside his senior school dormitory, Mt Herman School, Darjeeling. (photo from El)

So that's why they're going to Darjeeling and Calcutta. Gangtok is at 5,500ft in the Himalayas and has been a place of exile for many Buddists from China. And due to flight changes due to the imminent demise of Kingfisher Airlines, and the utter unreliability of Air India, they have an extra couple of days, so are throwing in Agra and the Taj Mahal for good measure.