For those who can't find time for their favorite work or hobby, they are spending a lot of time in this quarantine! Many people are able to dive into their favorite activities including watching movies or series, reading books, writing, cooking and baking. But for those who have a hobby of tour destinations, this year is not the right one. In the gap of study, work and busyness, the travelers had various plans throughout the year. But the rules!
So travelers spend their time looking at old framed pictures, or looking at drive folders. Added new Facebook memory. And that memory lane is the beginning of my writing today. The picture that came to mind was the sixth day of my trip to India, and the place was Darjeeling. The journey from Meghalaya, Assam to Darjeeling started from Siliguri Jeep Station. Those who have not read the previous episode can read it by clicking this link.
It was about 6 in the morning. We are standing at that Siliguri station famous for the novels of Samresh Majumder or Shirshendu Mukherjee. Standing at the jeep station waiting for the Darjeeling-bound car. The station seemed quite familiar thanks to the novel. I was waiting in the freezing cold. As a tourist car, Tata Sumo is very popular here. After a while the car came. The 6-seat Tata Sumoto is our next two-day tour companion. I packed my bags and left for Darjeeling. The driving distance from the jeep station to Darjeeling is about 2 hours. It was about 8 in the morning.
The journey started from Siliguri Jeep Station
Within a few minutes of driving, the beauty of the hilly road was slowly coming to the fore. The mountain can be seen far away from the car, gradually the distant mountain becomes clear, and again another mountain can be seen from the bend of that mountain. This is how our car stopped in front of a restaurant after a long journey to Peru. There are many more restaurants and rows of tourist buses nearby. In Darjeeling, everything from restaurants to tea shops is dealt with by car drivers. According to the agreement, cars do not stop anywhere other than the designated restaurant or hotel. Maybe this is the business policy of the tourist area!
Anyway, at least I didn't go down without explaining myself first. The work of ordering food is already over. I sat a little fresh on the veranda of the cafe. Standing on the verandah of the restaurant, I saw a great view of the cloud-covered hilly road. In the meantime, the food we ordered has arrived. Bread and omelette. Although the taste was not ahamari, such a scene may have made the food taste delicious.
Then I had tea. This is the first time I have tasted Darjeeling tea. As soon as the tea came, Instagram started taking pictures of seriousness. The tea is almost cold while taking different types of pictures. The tea-breakfast episode is over. I left again for the hotel.
A little Darjeeling with tea
I reached the hotel around 11 am. I checked in at Hotel Broadway. At the end of the room allotment, I went to my room with my luggage. I am leaving my bag and resting for a while. In the meantime, I'm watching someone looking for a Wi-Fi password, someone looking for a lip gel, then someone complaining that the geyser is not working again.
After a while I freshened up on the veranda of the room. The historic clock tower built by the British gods could be seen from the verandah. The area was then quite vibrant with surrounding hotels-motels and tourists.
Then at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. According to the plan, after lunch, some spots should be visited. So we all went downstairs and went to a restaurant for lunch. I ordered Bengali food but the taste was not right.
Then after eating we sat in the car. I set off to visit some spots.
Our car drove towards the Japanese Peace Pagoda. This white pagoda was made by a Japanese Buddhist monk. The main part of the pagoda has a statue of Buddha there, you have to go up the stairs to get there. As soon as you step on the stairs, you are about to cut your foot in the cold. I crossed the stairs and went up. Rows of pine trees some distance from the temple. And when you look to his left, there are mountains and hills. If there are no clouds in the sky, you can see the top of the ice.
After seeing the whole pagoda, I set off for the Rock Garden.
The spots here are quite close. Within 5 minutes of getting in the car, I arrived at the Rock Garden. This garden of flowers and fountains is made by cutting down the hills. Numerous tourist cars outside the gate of the Rock Garden and several tea shops next to it. Many are getting out of the car and drinking tea, some are busy climbing the hill again. After tea we also went upstairs. I went there and saw that everyone was busy taking pictures after wearing the traditional clothes. You can wear these traditional clothes of Darjeeling for 50 rupees. We also stood in the line of clothes and took the clothes and the garland. These three-layered dresses and colorful dresses on the jackets made everyone look quite healthy. I captured the moments on camera.
Then it was almost evening. The wandering in the spots is over like that day. This time I left for the hotel. We will visit Darjeeling at night.
I drove to the hotel. About halfway through, one of us noticed that his camera was gone! Such a situation is one hundred to play twelve of any tour alone. Wherever I went, after settling the accounts, the car went to the previous place. The driver took me to all the previous spots. I went to the Peace Pagoda first. Then the evening passed. Closing the entrance door to the pagoda. We are all waiting in the car. Two people got out of the car at the gate. I received a good signal from a guard in charge to return the camera. Later, the police in charge returned the camera with all the information. A Japanese citizen got a camera and submitted it. Finally I left again with the camera for the city. And I kept thinking, if something like that happened in our country, would I get it back? Or what would I give back?
After evening the sky was dark. Cars are running on hilly roads. Nothing can be seen in the distance except the headlights of the car. The rest of the vehicles have already reached the hotel. Someone has gone out of the hotel again for a walk. This time we moved to City Center Road. Quite faint with hunger. All the food franchises are on the road with hilly roads and bright lights. So I went to the pizza market without delay to get the camera back. After eating and tired all day, I went out for a walk.
I am walking out of the city lane. Several antique jewelry and show-piece shops along the road. Turning around, I entered the money exchange shop. The dollar rate here is slightly lower than in Shillong. So for those who will go, renting in advance is quite an advantage. After redeeming the dollar, I looked some distance ahead, across the street from Soylab City Lane, a shawl and warm clothing store. It was about 8 o'clock at night. The shops are slowly closing. Everything is closed here by 9 pm. So we also proceeded towards the hotel. The tour ended like that day.
Everyone went back to the hotel. I went to the verandah fresh. As far as can be seen from there, it seems as if the stars are twinkling on the mountain. And Sahebiana's witness is giving the clock tower. In the meantime, some are busy with stories, some on mobile phones, some at home to communicate.
This is how the night passed.
The plan for the next day was to watch the morning sunrise on Tiger Hill. It was heard that it takes 2200 steps to climb Tiger Hill! At 3 o'clock in the night, the tourist cars came there to leave for Tiger Hill. It was very cold and we went to bed a little earlier that day thinking about the 2200 stairs.
Journey to Tiger Hill
It was 3 o'clock at night. Everyone got down fresh. The driver of our car has left by then. At 3:30 I left for Tiger Hill.
The stars in the sky seemed to be arranged from the sky to the ground. Our Tata Sumo is running and they are running with the stars. Even though it was 3:30 pm, the road is very crowded as it is a tourist area. Many like us are running towards Tiger Hill. After a while I reached the spot. Put rows of cars there. It's time to get out of the car and climb the 2200 stairs!
I started to climb the stairs made by cutting the hill. Reaching Hill, the destination of hundreds of tourists from Bengal to Firingi. The crowd. Pushing cold and dark, I reached the top after a while thinking about 2200 stairs. That's when I realized, 2200 stairs is actually nothing but rumors! When I reached there, I saw tourists waiting to see the sun. Fight to see the sunrise from the high part of Tiger Hill! In the crowd of cameras, mobiles and selfie sticks, it is almost impossible to see the front view. Being almost ignorant of the direction, he is somewhat skeptical about the position of the Sun and Kanchenjunga. So I avoided the crowd and waited for the sun to rise.
After a while, I saw the applause of tourists from one corner of Tiger Hill. I went there. The sun is shining in the clouds. After a while that moment came. The white peaks of Kanchenjunga then turned golden with the light of the sun. This incredible beauty of Milal seen for a few moments. Some of them are capturing the beauty of the camera, while others are bowing to the sun god. Slowly the light flashed. There are various famous portraits, oil paintings and souvenirs. These are great as gifts. At the end of the shopping we slowly came down.
According to the plan of the day, it is time to visit the rest of the tourist spots in Darjeeling. I found the car and left for the destination. Our driver stopped the car after a while to see the Sleep Monastery and Batasia Loop. I left here for a while towards Seven Points.
First I went to Padmaja Naidu Zoological Park. But instead of going to the park, everyone is itching to climb the ropeway. So I walked around the park. There are several Momo stalls a short distance from the park. I finished my breakfast there. You can eat Darjeeling's authentic vegetable or chicken momo for 20 to 30 rupees. The shopkeepers here are quite educated and hardworking. At the end of graduation, they do not hesitate to take the helm of the shop. On the contrary,mother and daughter run the shop quite nicely, an attitude that we do not have at all!
Anyway, at the end of the tea-breakfast we set off towards the ropeway. Lines of tourists to get up there. With 200 rupees you can float in the air for 45 minutes to an hour. And you can see the whole of Darjeeling through the eyes of a bird.
For those who are afraid of heights, the matter is not an advantage. Many of us went to climb the ropeway. We are walking around a few cars. There are a few schools nearby. I see children running around in white shirts and red-yellow-green hats. In between, someone is sleeping in the car, so someone is hearing praise for his driving from the driver! After a couple of hours everyone came back from the ropeway.
I got in the car and left again. The driver stopped in front of Tenzing Rock. It was from here that Tenzing began his journey to the Himalayas. Those who have a hobby of mountaineering, they can climb this famous mountain at a cost of 50 rupees. A shop is being built next to it. We went there, many were busy climbing the hill. Darjeeling souvenirs, shawls, tea leaves and many other items. I ate the best petal lick of my life there. Although eaten in several places in India, it was the most fun. You will get this delicious thing for 20 rupees. I bought tea leaves from there for 50 rupees. After the mountaineering of the mountaineers, I got in the car again.
This time I came to 'Happy Valley Tea Estate'. I have already said about the business policy of the tourist area. According to him, leaving many shops, our car stopped in front of the specific shop. I entered the store. Their list includes both tea and tea leaves of different flavors. There are several types of tea leaves or grades. Everyone packed bags for home and gifts and bought tea leaves. After buying, I went inside the tea garden. As far as the eye can see, only the tea-garden. I don't know whether it is patriotism or the effect of the weather, but our tea garden in Sylhet seems to me to be more beautiful and fresh than the Happy Tea Valley tea garden. While walking around the garden, I saw the houses of the locals around the garden. The houses are very colorful. The veranda has colorful tubs and all the colorful flowers there. By noon our spots were gone.
From there I went straight to the restaurant. The plan was to watch the movie when the food came! Not unless you come to Darjeeling and watch a movie on Inix. At that time 'Padman' and 'Padmavati' were going on. After eating, some people went to buy tickets. And the rest returned to the hotel. Back at the hotel, someone is showing Darjeeling by phone at home, someone is uploading pictures on Facebook. Again, someone is skeptical about the geyser and is being freshened with ice cold water. The ticket came to be fresh. Our show is at 4 p.m.
Then I went out. Went straight from the hotel to the Inox Theater in Rink Mall. The movie started. After watching the movie for about 3 hours, the evening came. Now our 'free time'. Go shopping or go out on your own. So everyone went shopping. This was our last night in Darjeeling. So everyone is busy eating and shopping like themselves. After hitting the big market, I went to Mall Road. I bought shawls for everyone in the house.
Going a little farther, I saw a two-story restaurant. Sahebiana's impression on the wooden stairs and neat furniture. The name of the restaurant is 'Didir Momo'. I finished dinner with Momo. After eating I went to the hotel. Walking around the city on a winter night on a hilly road is not to be forgotten. I reached the hotel shaking. Although it was not past 9 pm, all around was closed by then. Even our hotel.
I finally entered the hotel. Busy like that now at the end of the day. I stood for a while on the verandah of the corridor. The Clock Tower can be seen in the distance, and I can see the road leading to the swamp. The cool breeze in the north and the panorama of Darjeeling at night are all beautiful memories.
My Darjeeling trip ended here.
See you again at the next destination. Until then stay well.
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So well and great written dear