Darjeeling on Vacation : Queen of the Himalayas (Part 2 of 5)

(Quick Links to the Darjeeling Travelogue : Part 1 - This is Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5)

We did not do much the day we landed except go for a walk to the mall road. Glenarys was open - so ate some really good pastries (and ugh Coffee). The shop was lit up and decorated for the christmas and new year celebrations (Theres a steep walkable shortcut from the hotel to the shopping area and Glenarys- should take no more than 5~10 mins max!)

Glenarys (Day 1)

The Touristy Places (Day 2)

I fixed up with the hotel for a standard sightseeing trip - They will organise a Sumo and at a little more an Innova.
Some tips:
1. They will have Tour 1 (with some 7 places) Tour 2 (with some 7 places) and each will cost you about 3K and almost 3/4ths of a day. When you look perplexed at him, they will sell you a combo (the one he always wanted to) with the best of both worlds for about 3000 and throw the Innova as a bonus
2. Try to do Tiger hill on a separate day and not back to back- Sunrise at Tiger hill - the day starts at 3 am!
(B in Bengal stands for Bargaining and I do it too poorly)

The places we saw were only a few but we had a lot of fun (I believe its not the number of places..... aka Grapes are sour.....)

Zoo and Mountaineering institute (Same location)

The first place was Padmaja Naidu Zoo - It was fab. Some of the animals that you've seen on TV actually exist (goes to prove that some reporters actually write the truth!) - Will take you about an hour to warm up, tickle the animals with your exaggerated disbeleif, catch the sun and come out for street shopping





Wilder animals (other than humans) were in cages.

The entrance to the Himalayan mountaineering institute is from inside the zoo. Quite an interesting place - Tensing Norgay now has a special place in our family

Once you've seen the museum and are about to conclude there is  nothing to it and you too can do it too; the cabbie will take you to training hills. Tenzing rock is the first exercise in Mountaineering 101.

Thats when you decide, "who wants to do it anyways......"

(Quick Links to the Darjeeling Travelogue : Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5)

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Darjeeling on Vacation : Queen of the Himalayas (Part 1 of 5)

This winter holidays we planned to go East and had no clue where. From Shillong to Bhubaneshwar, finally settling in on Darjeeling

As usual my plan is for lazy vacationers - It will take 4 nights, provide time for siesta and early morning means 9-10 am. (This rule is flouted for 1 nite - will explain that later).

This milestone on the way to Darjeeling sums up the mood for the vacation. (It is West Bengal :-))

How to get there

Chennai* to Darjeeling and Back
(*My trips are usually indexed to absolute origin of the universe 0,0,0 - Mylapore)

• Chennai to Bagdogra (Hop over without changing planes at Kolkata) - Indigo (And obviously returned via Kolkata with a 4 hour wait). 
• Took a car up there from Bagrdogra to Darjeeling - plan 4 hours! comfortably one way to Darjeeling (including eating for about 30 mins, light traffic jams ). Theres a place called Kurseong thats somewhat midway and is the head quarters of the Darjeeling railway . Just before Kurseong is a restaurant called the Kurseong Tourist Lodge that serves hot food (momos and fried rice etc) . Its an interesting point to lunch at (replete with wooden flooring, an age old bar and self service station). The food is average but hot, so if you are hungry its a great place.

The train line comes alongside the road and its fun to see the steam loco struggle up the tracks

Most darjeeling roads and places are so chock-a-block, it is best to take a local cabbie. (The hotels can usually set you up for a decent deal)

Where to stay

A view from the hotel restaurant

We tried booking ourselves between Christmas and New Year and every good hotel was booked except Central Heritage. Have heard and seen better places. This place is as its name says (a) Central - Excellent location - you can walk to the mall, Glenarys' (a nice bakery and restraunt), Station (about 15 mins) and more (b) Heritage - Really old - stay in the club or premium rooms and you feel it. (c) Decent food for a hill station (My theory is that no hill station can usually get its food right) (d) Good crowd - families with children and quite helpful staff

The cons (a) Felt cramped out despite taking the premium rooms (b) bathroom fittings were dated - clean but could do with a lot of makeover (c) caught a small mouse (the staff used a glue pad) on one of the nights
(Part 2 - What to do at Darjeeling )

(Quick Links to the Darjeeling Travelogue : Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5)

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Neerja : Movie review

Touching tale of the girl-next-door who rose to the calling - beautifully taken - am happy that positive things like this are being filmed. I see a move from values of "extroverted I-me-myself" to "introverted-mindful-intergity"  being welcomed by society again. (Bhaag Milka to this)

Definitely worth watching once.

Neerja (19 February 2016) -




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