After our big trip to Zero point, the highs and lows (literally and geographicaly)
Its been a while since the last post, Simon wrote this one last night but the computer packed up and got rid of it so I'm having another go while he is in bed!
As we said before, the trip to Zero point in Sikkim was amazing, best thing we've done so far. From Gangtok we took a jeep up and down some very impressive inclines for about 4 hours to reach Darjeeling. The origonal plan for Darjeeling was that we'd only be there for 1 full day and 2 nights, after that we were going to get the train down to Varanasi. But... as we have realised on this trip "the best laid plans...". We couldn't book the train we wanted which meant 3 nights and 2 days in Darjeeling, and the only class we could book on the train was sleeper, more of that later!
We weren't holding out too much hope for Darjeeling, the people we met on the trip to from Gangtok said it was very dirty and dusty. We thought it was ok though, although the rubbish here was just as bad as everywhere else. The Friday in Darjeeling was a very productive, woke up at 3.30am to go up to Tiger hill where you have a spectacular view of Katchenzunga appearing in the sunlight, later on we had a walk down through the botanical gardens (they have loads of orchids there) to the Happy Valley Tea estate, it was quite interesting to see how its all done, its really quite straight forward. We bought some tea from them and were pursuaded to buy even more from a woman just outside the factory who sat us down and apparently made us the best cup of tea in the world!!
After that it was a walk up the hills to the zoo and the mountain instute, the zoo is doing a lot of conservation work for himilayan animals and the zoo had loads of exhibits about mountaineering in the himilaya's, mainly about attempts on Everest, including Sir Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay, the first people to the top.
The saturday was quite a slow day in contrast, sent some parcels and the like but that was about it. The day after we had a quick jaunt on the toy train and then it was back down 7000ft to NJP where we were getting our train to Varanasi. This trip was due to take us 14 hours, we got on at 5pm and didn't get off in Varanasi until after 7pm the next day, over 12 hours late, it was apparently due to a damaged track which meant they had to detour us an extra 400km!
I will be back on later this evening to add pictures and let you know how we got on in Varanasi and our trip to Delhi!
Paul and Simon
Its been a while since the last post, Simon wrote this one last night but the computer packed up and got rid of it so I'm having another go while he is in bed!
As we said before, the trip to Zero point in Sikkim was amazing, best thing we've done so far. From Gangtok we took a jeep up and down some very impressive inclines for about 4 hours to reach Darjeeling. The origonal plan for Darjeeling was that we'd only be there for 1 full day and 2 nights, after that we were going to get the train down to Varanasi. But... as we have realised on this trip "the best laid plans...". We couldn't book the train we wanted which meant 3 nights and 2 days in Darjeeling, and the only class we could book on the train was sleeper, more of that later!
We weren't holding out too much hope for Darjeeling, the people we met on the trip to from Gangtok said it was very dirty and dusty. We thought it was ok though, although the rubbish here was just as bad as everywhere else. The Friday in Darjeeling was a very productive, woke up at 3.30am to go up to Tiger hill where you have a spectacular view of Katchenzunga appearing in the sunlight, later on we had a walk down through the botanical gardens (they have loads of orchids there) to the Happy Valley Tea estate, it was quite interesting to see how its all done, its really quite straight forward. We bought some tea from them and were pursuaded to buy even more from a woman just outside the factory who sat us down and apparently made us the best cup of tea in the world!!
After that it was a walk up the hills to the zoo and the mountain instute, the zoo is doing a lot of conservation work for himilayan animals and the zoo had loads of exhibits about mountaineering in the himilaya's, mainly about attempts on Everest, including Sir Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay, the first people to the top.
The saturday was quite a slow day in contrast, sent some parcels and the like but that was about it. The day after we had a quick jaunt on the toy train and then it was back down 7000ft to NJP where we were getting our train to Varanasi. This trip was due to take us 14 hours, we got on at 5pm and didn't get off in Varanasi until after 7pm the next day, over 12 hours late, it was apparently due to a damaged track which meant they had to detour us an extra 400km!
I will be back on later this evening to add pictures and let you know how we got on in Varanasi and our trip to Delhi!
Paul and Simon
PS. Finally caught up with some photo's again!
NJP!!!!!
ReplyDeleteVaranasi!!
OMG!
Worked with this Indian pharmacist the other day called Siva from Chenai. He is a pharmacist in India qualified but he has to do some course jazz here. But he said for 700 or 800 lak in the right officials hand, you can open a pharmacy any where!
Off today and trying to get my shit together and some 2p's for soft lads.
See ya's soon...
Rob
xxx
Hey dude. Sounds like you're having an awesome time! India seems the place to be. Can't say the same for Bundy though.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll be somewhere in Oz in March though no guarantees on any plans I make. I'm currently looking into going to South Africa for the world cup. We'll see. Are you planning to get here with no money? I've managed to get back nearly 2 grand so far and I'll be working for at least another couple of months.
Keep in touch.
Ian
x