Day 97, Darjeeling [Saturday 8th March 2008]
Previous day: Day 96, Darjeeling [Friday 7th March 2008]
Next day: Day 98, Singalilla Ridge [Sunday 9th March 2008]
After porridge, omelette and fried egg on toast (and butter for an extra Rs. 12) at Glenary's, we set of walking from Chowrasta down the Tenzing Norgay jeep track towards Tiger Hill, 7km away. The path winds through tiny villages, each just a handful of houses beside the track, most with a little kiosk selling sweets and paan. All the way there are great views back to the tumbledown spread of Darjeeling.
We pass the Mak Dhong monastery. It was build in 1914. Preparations for something are in progress outside, and a man there tells us it's his sister's wedding. He unlocks the door and lets us inside for a look around. It's a fantastic place, with gold statues of Buddhas, rugs on the floor and the walls covered in intricate, colourful paintings of Buddha in myriad forms, including many flame-haired demons with skull necklaces. Our breath fills the air with mist. A tiny paper prayer wheel spins slowly over a gently burning candle flame.
We walk on, passing cheerful young children dressed up like old men, in trousers, blazers and wooly hats. Girls wash their hair directly under a tap by the side of the road. The water must be almost freezing, but they laugh and splash around as they do it.
Eventually we reach Jarabungalow, where we enter Singhal park, the source of Darjeeling's drinking water. We walk through a tall fir tree forest, with mist shrouding the trees branches. At the top of a hill sits the lake. Further up above it, isolated on the hill, is an eerie looking shrine.
As we return back down the hill and walk through Ghoom we see the toy train, part of the World Heritage listed mountain railways. It's sitting in the tiny station, its engine puffing thick clouds of steam and smoke into the air. We're just in time for the 'joy ride', a 45 minute trip up to Darjeeling which you can take insteatd of the 9 hour journey from Siliguri. We pay for our ticket through a tiny hole in the wall of the ticket office, and get in 2nd class.
Next day: Day 98, Singalilla Ridge [Sunday 9th March 2008]
Previous day: Day 96, Darjeeling [Friday 7th March 2008]