Darjeeling the city giving Good Mornings....
At 12:30 PM I got into a flight from IGI Airport to My destination Darjeeling, Its no like there's any direct flight but u have to Land at Assam's Airport. I was in anticipation of many things. Green everywhere, mountains with cloud hats, tea gardens carpeting the rolling hills, waterfalls as embellishments, blue sky, cool breeze, hot green tea with a hint of lemon etc ... ah! We were driving on an uneven road with lots of water streaming down. Best part was I was enjoying it!
In Darjeeling, only difference was the absence of a feeling ... feeling of fear mixed with excitement! There were no elephants if at all the vehicle ditched us in Darjeeling rain!
I had never traveled in a TATA Sumo with 10 passengers excluding the driver. All of them no family but Family friends. Some were going with Children below 5 and some just stepped into Teenage, but we all were there no one of my Age (forced to) sticking to each other. We had a stop for tea. The cardamom tea was real yum! But they served tea in a shot glass :) Then the journey continued. Later the road was much better and rain subdued.The taxi dropped us at the hotel where we were supposed to stay.
After freshening up We started to venture out ... booked a shared cab for Tiger Hill sunrise. Next Morning we went running to the taxi stand from the hotel at 4:00AM to reach the summit of Tiger Hill to witness the sunrise over Magnificent Mt K. It was indeed stunning! What was more surprising was the crowd ... ocean of people and the cabs parked along the road for KMs ... People were shouting and laughing, smoking and shivering, just to watch golden Mt. K at sunrise.
After the breakfast I went to get a ticket for the Toy train. Didn't get one so took a picture. (Just a Picture)
Later visited Ava Art Gallery. Very impressive embroidery pictures. Amazing art! Well, then visited few monasteries. One of the important is Ghoom. Lovely place. Met a little-boy-monk who was very cute, articulate and helpful.
The Darjeeling Rock Gardens ... a garden around a natural waterfalls. Not very well maintained but still very beautiful and a serene place. I first thought of hiking down. But, then decided not to after going 4KM. The gardens are 10KM from the city and the road is very steep down the hill with lots of bends all the way. Hired a taxi to Rock Garden and Ghoom Monastery. I was glad we did that. It would have been a very very tough hike up otherwise, but very much adoable! If you want to try take atleat 3 liters of water. Way down, the driver stopped at good view points and tea gardens.
The waterfalls is very impressive and the flower garden in steps up the stream, the terraced picnic areas attract the tourists. There is a cave shrine where one can see huge snakes, well they are not real.(Ooh Hisss ha ha)
Next day We went walking up to see the Japanese peace pagoda. Beautiful structure in the midst of green. The stupa has stone images narrating stories and also the Buddha images of infant, meditating, teaching and reclining. Very peaceful place.
Then Shopping! Darjeeling is a nice place to shop and also window-shop!
At 12:30 PM I got into a flight from IGI Airport to My destination Darjeeling, Its no like there's any direct flight but u have to Land at Assam's Airport. I was in anticipation of many things. Green everywhere, mountains with cloud hats, tea gardens carpeting the rolling hills, waterfalls as embellishments, blue sky, cool breeze, hot green tea with a hint of lemon etc ... ah! We were driving on an uneven road with lots of water streaming down. Best part was I was enjoying it!
In Darjeeling, only difference was the absence of a feeling ... feeling of fear mixed with excitement! There were no elephants if at all the vehicle ditched us in Darjeeling rain!
I had never traveled in a TATA Sumo with 10 passengers excluding the driver. All of them no family but Family friends. Some were going with Children below 5 and some just stepped into Teenage, but we all were there no one of my Age (forced to) sticking to each other. We had a stop for tea. The cardamom tea was real yum! But they served tea in a shot glass :) Then the journey continued. Later the road was much better and rain subdued.The taxi dropped us at the hotel where we were supposed to stay.
After freshening up We started to venture out ... booked a shared cab for Tiger Hill sunrise. Next Morning we went running to the taxi stand from the hotel at 4:00AM to reach the summit of Tiger Hill to witness the sunrise over Magnificent Mt K. It was indeed stunning! What was more surprising was the crowd ... ocean of people and the cabs parked along the road for KMs ... People were shouting and laughing, smoking and shivering, just to watch golden Mt. K at sunrise.
After the breakfast I went to get a ticket for the Toy train. Didn't get one so took a picture. (Just a Picture)
Later visited Ava Art Gallery. Very impressive embroidery pictures. Amazing art! Well, then visited few monasteries. One of the important is Ghoom. Lovely place. Met a little-boy-monk who was very cute, articulate and helpful.
The Darjeeling Rock Gardens ... a garden around a natural waterfalls. Not very well maintained but still very beautiful and a serene place. I first thought of hiking down. But, then decided not to after going 4KM. The gardens are 10KM from the city and the road is very steep down the hill with lots of bends all the way. Hired a taxi to Rock Garden and Ghoom Monastery. I was glad we did that. It would have been a very very tough hike up otherwise, but very much adoable! If you want to try take atleat 3 liters of water. Way down, the driver stopped at good view points and tea gardens.
The waterfalls is very impressive and the flower garden in steps up the stream, the terraced picnic areas attract the tourists. There is a cave shrine where one can see huge snakes, well they are not real.(Ooh Hisss ha ha)
Next day We went walking up to see the Japanese peace pagoda. Beautiful structure in the midst of green. The stupa has stone images narrating stories and also the Buddha images of infant, meditating, teaching and reclining. Very peaceful place.
Then Shopping! Darjeeling is a nice place to shop and also window-shop!
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