Darjeeling – Down memory lane - Part III

Day 3

We were woken by the kukdoookoo of the rooster outside our hotel  window. Let me tell u something strange about this Rooster bhaiyya. We all have heard that the kukdookoo happens with the crack of dawn. However, rooster bhaiyya ensured the lazy folks got up on time. You could snooze the alarm, nit him. His periodic kukdookoo could be heard way past afternoon as well!

But something inside me wasn’t right. The palak paneer I had gorged on the night before didnt go well with my tummy. Burp & all the good things I had savored in dinner came out one by one. Mr. hubby was scared of my sudden food poisoning. Medicine, mint, chocolate, whatever I took refused to go inside. A SOS call to parents in Delhi & some timely homeopathic medicines did some damage control.

We had planned to head to Kalimpong and Sikkim that day but now my only option was to rest in my hotel room & listen to Rooster bhaiyya. Mr. Hubby knows how to make the best out of worst. Movie was a good option, I just had to sit & watch. In Delhi, I am used to reaching in time, to get tickets in time. But this was Darjeeling, laid back and chilled out. The theater showing Hindi movie was almost empty! I enjoyed the show like a private screening & changed my seat thrice until hubby signaled me to control.  

By the time the show ended, my sickness had disappeared and the tummy wanted some fuel. And we discovered this cosy eatery called Boney’s snack bar in Capital Market. No fancy interiors or menu, but the brother sister duo who run this place serve sandwiches & pastas as per your choice & with free smiles & hospitality. Hubby became a fan of this eatery & this became our breakfast point for the remainder of the trip.
Read about Day IV of the trip here...

Darjeeling – Down memory lane - Part II

Day 2

The hotel staff had asked us to wake up early, for we had to go to Tiger Hill. We had heard so much of “a must visit” Tiger Hill. Since the spot offered a scenic view of Mount Everest along with Kanchenjunga, Hubby & I were up at 4 so that we could catch the glimpse to our heart’s and camera lens’ content! But they say, excess of everything is bad. Over excitement proved us expensive. Clouds played spoil sport. We waited and waited with endless cups of coffee. The place has a lot of local women serving piping hot coffee they carry in thermos flasks. After we realized it won’t be anything more than a coffee date, we decided to capture whatever we could and moved on…

This is wat we expected (pic courtesy: Google Search)

This is what we saw

Spoil sport

The driver was a good chap & seeing our disappointed faces, he suggested we visit the Ghoom monastery which fell on the way back to our hotel. The toy train was like a fast friend, meeting us every time we were out to explore the lovely Darjeeling.  It was a treat to see Ghum station, a small platform which has retained its old world charm. You can even catch a glimpse of the station in the movie Barfi.

Toy Train!!!

Ghum Station

Buddha Statue at Ghum monastry

Ghum monastery, also known as Yiga Choeling Monastery has a 15 ft high statue of Maitreya Budhha. My exposure to monasteries had till now been confined to the documentaries on Discovery. Actual rendezvous was a treat for my eyes. The colorful paintings, architecture, prayer bells spoke of rich culture. By now, we had began enjoying the drizzle which never stopped. We got a nice blue umbrella from one of the shops near the monastery.

Anybody loving to shop in Palika Bazaar in Delhi would love the several shopping complexes in Darjeeling. Just like Palika, the shopkeepers give u a visual scan & quote the rates. I found the fashion sense a step ahead of Delhi & if you are well versed with the tricks of bargaining, then it’s a shopper’s paradise!

A nice, long and romantic evening stroll was followed by an authentic North Indian dinner & we called it a day.
Read about Day III of the trip here...

Darjeeling – Down memory lane (Part 1)

Darjeeling undoubtedly has been my best trip ever for two reasons. First, it was my first trip with Mr. Hubby so thinking of it reminds me of all the lovy dovy stuff we were enjoying at that time. Secondly, I have to admit, I haven’t been to another place so laidback & relaxing as Darjeeling. Just like the movie “Barfi”, everything happens at its own sweet pace. It’s great to see a place where people still love to relish the small, simple joys of life, a welcome change for us from the metros, where everyone is running a rat race.

Being pakke ghumakkad (travel freaks), hubby and I are always ready to pack our bags & set out without a notice. However, surprisingly, Darjeeling has been our most planned trip, planned 3 months in advance. 

It was the first time anybody from our families was heading out to the North East & I still remember the concern in my father in law’s voice when he used to call us daily & suggest numerous precautions everyday. But I have to admit, from the moment we landed at Bagdogra airport, there was a not even a single moment when I felt unsafe. The warmth of the people is still afresh in my mind and had it not been for our hectic schedules, once a year Darjeeling darshan would definitely have been on my itinerary.

Day1

The idea of travelling to Darjeeling in the month of July was received with much resistance by family and friends. However, passion needs no bounds. So, on the rainy morning of July 1, 2009, we left home for airport, hoping the rain God would have mercy & not cancel the flight. Just like our cute little destination, the aircraft too was small and cute with only a handful of passengers (mostly honeymooners & families) bound for Bagdogra. Though rain God had mercy, the fear of bad weather kept us anxious throughout the 2 hour flight. I still remember an elderly uncle who had a heated argument with the cabin crew as he was being asked not to move or use the washroom as the weather was bad.  Just too bad for the poor guy, I thought. The frequent chanting of bad weather by the flight stewardess made me somewhat scared as this was my 1^st flight ever. My wicked mind remembered all the plane crash stories I have ever read in newspapers & I was fretting. Mr. Hubby tried his level best to calm me down, trying to divert my mind.

Finally our flight landed at the Bagdogra airport. What a transition – from the gargantuan runway of Delhi airport to the small runway of Bagdogra airport, where one plane landed at a time & quickly made way for the ones about to land. Some things never change no matter wherever you go & cabbies were over enthusiastic to spot tourists. But he didn’t know with us he was inviting agents of decibel torture! As if we had an overdose of laughing gas, hubby & I laughed nonstop during the drive from Bagdogra to Darjeeling. The cabbie kept looking back, perhaps scared if we were insane, as he still had to be paid!

Our hotel was at a certain height from the main road. However, the cabbie, bugged by our bursts of laughter decided he’s had it enough. He dropped us abruptly on the main road & said the resort was just 10 steps up. Before I could look back at him to tell him it seemed more than 50 steps, he was gone! Price paid for our paagalpanti! Hehe …like mules, hubby & I dragged ourselves up the hill till the bellboy spotted us & came to our rescue!

After attacking the room service menu & taking some rest, we set out for a long romantic evening walk. The place had an old world charm like I had seen in Kasauli. The antique architecture and relaxed environment stole my heart. Coffee & muffin at the famous Gelenery’s further ehanced my spirits. Exhausted by the travel & the climb up to the resort (yes, we had to do it every time we went out for a walk), we dozed off much before dinnertime…

Read about Day II of the trip here...

Pic courtesy:Google Search

Pic courtesy:Google Search

Washed out!

The mind is like a horse – works well when reigns are pulled. If left to itself, it just goes out of control. Till yesterday, stressed by exam fever, my mind was at its creative best. It was brimming with ideas, pleading me to pen them down. And come today, with stress gone, my mind is in its own world. All the ideas have vanished in thin air. Me wonders what to write….

A horse@ IMA Dehradun

Raja@Neemrana mod

Few days ago, I was at Neemrana mod to catch a bus. And look at what I saw! The doggie on this cart looked like a maharaja enjoying his ride. He seemed glad God made him a dog and not a horse else he wouldn’t have had this luxury! I immediately nicknamed him "Raja".

Look at him...

The Maharaja enjoying his sawaari

Doggie@Amrita Shergill Marg

Delhiites love to take their canine companions with them wherever they go. The lush green spaces of central Delhi provides ample opportunities for dog lovers and u’ll see many people flocking to Lodhi Garden with their proud possessions.

While passing by Amrita Shergill Marg, I saw this dog at the traffic signal in an auto rickshaw. He looked well fed and taken care of. Being used to the comfort of air conditioner, he probably wasn’t enjoying the autorickshaw ride & so chose to look outside for timepass! He looked too cute & adorable & the shutterbug in me just couldn’t resist. Here’s a pic…isn’t he cute?