Touring the Himalayan Regions

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Touring the Himalayan Regions

12/09/2012 - 11/10/2012

I arrived back in London on Friday 12 October around mid morning after an enjoyable holiday touring the Himalayan regions. Needless to say that it was cold, damp and overcast when we landed at Heathrow, a complete contrast to the brilliant sunshine we experienced from sunrise until sunset throughout the tour. I had booked my own International flights although the tour company advised us not to do so. The company rep from UK was planning to send me from Delhi to Mumbai to catch my return flight to London and was asking me to send £900 for the flights! I knew that the flights to India cost around £400 less. However, I was happy with my BA return flight and was glad that everything worked out without a hitch.



When I arrived in Delhi after an 8 hour long flight from London, I was truly amazed to find how good and modern the airport looked. It is very extensive with spacious and long corridors that are decked with lovely green plants all along the way. We were informed by our guide later on that the airport was built when they hosted the Commonwealth games in Delhi a few years ago. I was also surprised to read on some posters inside the airport that it has been voted the second best airport in the world!



The flight from Delhi to Kathmandu was quite short. However, I was rather disappointed to find the airport small and greatly in need of modernization. I was in for even more disappointments when I was driven from the airport to the hotel as the dusty and bumpy roads not only lack names there but they are in a very poor condition with road works being carried out everywhere by beleaguered workers and without any machinery around. There are no traffic lights and drivers just seem to carry on despite the lack of facilities, sounding their horns now and again and somehow manage to arrive at their destination generally in one piece. There are no sidewalks anywhere and the drivers generally seem very skilled in coping with the busy traffic on the roads, weaving in and out and by and large without many traffic accidents.



Our hotel in Kathmandu was good and seemed busy with several tourists from other groups. In our group there were six Americans; a married couple from Missouri, two women from California, another one from Virginia and one more woman from Baton Rouge. This time round the Canadians were outnumbered by the Americans. There were only four Canadians from Vancouver.



We had a comprehensive tour of Kathmandu city the following day when we visited the crowded Durbar Square, Kathmandu meeting area with several temples depicting various architectural styles from the 11th century onward. We also saw the Royal Palace from the outside with its gilded gates, carvings and elaborate statues. After a while we walked along “Freak Street” which was a well known hippie meeting place in the sixties. Later on we visited the cremation site by the Hindu temple on the banks of the sacred Bagmati River and then we visited the Boudhanath Stupa, one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Kathmandu.



The next day in the early morning all the Americans and the Canadians from the group flew to Tibet while I along with a Nepalese guide and a driver drove South to Chitwan Park that is renowned for its abundance of bird life and natural vegetation. It is located in the subtropical south central region of Nepal. It was established in 1973 and was granted the World Heritage site in 1984. Asian one horned rhinos and the Bengal tigers are known to inhabit the area. I had a well planned two day programme there when we were taken bird watching,canoeing, a visit to the elephant breeding centre and an interesting elephant ride along the extensive park. Although we spotted many animals in the park, there were no signs of either the elusive rhino or the Bengal tiger. We also explored the nearby Tharu village where the inhabitants live a very simple life in small thatched dwellings and rear animals. We were informed that these people arrived from the Thar desert area in India about a century ago after fleeing religious persecution there. Later on that evening we were taken to a cultural show in the Tharu centre in the village where the large hall was packed with tourists as well as some locals. We watched a skilled performance of stick dance by the young men of the village.



After spending two interesting days at Chitwan Park, the following morning we drove to Pokhara, that is considered to be one of the most attractive destinations in Nepal. Having driven through winding gorges and across fast flowing swollen rivers we arrived at the vicinity of the tranquil Phewa Lake where our hotel was located. I found the lush green scenery punctuated by enchanting terraced rice fields all along the way thoroughly attractive. From my hotel room I had a fine view of part of the snow capped Himalayan range. Pokhara is a popular destination which was evident by the numerous tourists I found there. The next morning we visited some Hindu temples as well as the Tibetan Refugee centre there.



On my way to the airport the following morning I had a clear view of the snow clad Himalayan range, including the Annapurna mountain. I got to see the glistening mountains again from the window of the small domestic aircraft during our short flight back to Kathmandu.



I was getting quite agitated with the free time that was included in my programme after returning from Chitwan Park and I wasted no time in sending a firm email to Rick Unrau, the product manager of the tour company. As expected he acted immediately and I ended up with a busy programme the following day when I was taken to Lalitpur in Kathmandu Valley to see the ancient Royal Palaces and temples with exquisite carvings displaying ancient Newari architecture. Unsurprisingly this entire area is included in the UNESCO World Heritage site. I was also taken to the Tibetan Refugee Centre there and in the afternoon we visited the Modern Royal Palace where the recent massacres had taken place wiping out the entire Royal family. I had a tour of the opulent palace and also the attractive and well maintained extensive gardens.



The following morning the rest of the group arrived back from Tibet when we were taken to Bhaktapur in Kathmandu Valley. It is a rural area where farming is the main industry. The next day we had a tour of the place that included viewings of several red brick temples in Newari architecture.



Our time in Nepal had come to an end when two of the American ladies left the group while three Canadians, a married couple from California and another lady who lives in California joined the group. The following morning we flew to Paro in Bhutan when we were pointed out various Himalayan peaks including the Everest. As I did not have a window seat I could not take good pictures of the peaks.



During our six day stay in Bhutan we visited several Dzongs, which are impressive buildings set high above the mountains. They are usually partly monasteries and partly government administrative buildings. Our visit to Bhutan was arranged to coincide with one of their national festivals in Thimphu which is the capital of Bhutan. It is almost like their Christmas when entire families visit Dzongs wearing fine clothes and picnic in the sheltered areas surrounding the extensive square where dancing was taking place mainly by men wearing elaborate masks and impressive colourful costumes. We spent about three hours there watching the proceedings and of course the people which to me was far more interesting. I also made it a point to talk to other tourists including some from USA and others from Australia. Men in Bhutan wear a knee length tunic like top always in fairly thick striped material and cover their lower legs with knee length socks and shoes. They also wear a narrow shawl across their shoulder which is part of their attire. However, they do wear Western style clothes when they are off duty. Women on the other hand wear long skirts and a short, jacket like top. People are generally smartly dressed in Bhutan. Small children, especially little boys looked very cute draped in their national dress. As on other days it was a brilliantly sunny day.

On our way back we drove to the hill top where there is a 165 metre tall statue of Buddha erected in seated position. We clicked some photographs there and also enjoyed some fine views of the surrounding area down below. We were informed that the national flower of Bhutan is a blue poppy that grows high up in the mountains and the national bird is raven. The national animal however, is an unique mammal called Takin which happens to be a cross between an antelope and a goat with the head and mouth looking like that of an antelope and the back part looking like a goat.



Apart from the Dzongs, we visited several other interesting places in Bhutan including the National Institute for Traditional Arts and Crafts, The Institute of Traditional Medicine, The Folk Heritage Museum, The Post Office, where some of the people in the group had their photographs taken which were converted into stamps that could be used for posting cards to anywhere in the world and the National Library which houses the world's largest book. We also visited the handmade paper factory where I bought a small paper pad for note taking. Later on we visited a silver factory where we saw silversmith at work. We also got to see several Takin in a breeding reserve and were glad to have a close encounter with them.



One of the highlights for me in Bhutan was scaling the Tiger's Nest Monastery perched high up on a mountain at an incline of 3000 meters. At the base of the mountain I bought a home made walking stick but I soon found that it was an additional burden to carry it with me and soon abandoned it at the base of the mountain. It was a narrow, winding, uphill and slippery path. However, concentrating on every step along the way helped. There were six of us who completed the walk. A Canadian lady and myself were the first ones to finish the walk in 55 minutes. When the other four members of our group arrived later on we had a picture of the group taken and we were offered refreshments there.



At the end of our stay in Bhutan we descended the lower Himalayan foothills through narrow and winding roads beside steep and what looked like bottomless valleys. It was quite scary to look down at the valleys when the bus was passing along the edge of the road! After passing by beautiful green valleys with attractive trees, terraced rice fields and several dramatic waterfalls we arrived at the chaotic looking border town of Phuentsholing, when we were in Indian territory. On the way while still in Bhutan we stopped by to watch a game of Archery which is the national game of Bhutan. We came across road works along the way manned by Nepali and Indian labourers. We had a glimpse of the massive dam construction for the Hydroelectric Project . Hydroelectric power facility is a big revenue earner in Bhutan and it supplies electricity to India.



Bhutan is a beautiful and clean country surrounded by serene looking tall green mountains and clear water flowing through unpolluted rivers that meander through the country. We did not see any signs of poverty there, on the other hand it looked like a relatively prosperous country with friendly and contented people. It seemed like no other country that I have visited so far. Its uniquely distinctive architecture amidst beautiful scenery makes it look attractive and different.



When we left Bhutan we were in Indian territory where we boarded an Indian bus which was slightly larger and a bit more roomy. As we drove along the plains of West Bengal we came across some dusty and very bumpy roads. We drove past River Teesta flowing from Sikkim along the lush West Bengal plains in several places on the way. As we continued our journey we drove along narrow, winding roads and having arrived at Ghoom at about 2400 metres we finally descended into the busy town of Darjeeling at 2134 metres. Because of its cool climate Darjeeling boomed as a resort and holiday destination during the British Raj who introduced the narrow gage railway with steam engine there and also tea plantations on lower hills. Though the British are long gone, Darjeeling remains a very popular holiday destination amongst the Indians as was evident from the number of Indian tourists there. During the time of British the population of Darjeeling was 1800 which is now swollen to 200,000. Darjeeling hill railway is now a UNESCO World Heritage entity. After a while we checked into the New Elgin Hotel. It was like stepping back to the good old days of Colonial splendour. The overall decor, the Victorian furnishings and the service made me feel as though I was back in a different era of the days of the Raj. After we settled into the grand sitting room we were served Darjeeling tea in fine china cups by the waiters who were dressed appropriately in Raj uniforms. We were delighted when we were served slices of cake and choice biscuits in a silver serving dish. British Raj is alive and well and kicking in Darjeeling. The highlight of our stay in Darjeeling was going to be to see the amazing colours of sunrise on Kanchenjunga from Tiger Hill from a height of 2550 meters. We were not only going to see the colours of the sunrise but we were informed that we would see fine views from Tiger Hill of Eastern Himalayas with Everest, Lhotse and Makalu visible in the far distance on clear days. Unfortunately the misty outlook at 4AM prevented us from seeing anything and our trip was cancelled. We were not in luck the following morning either when we found that our view was obscured by thick mist and cloud again.



After breakfast we left in Jeeps, the only satisfactory mode of transport around hilly terrain with narrow, winding roads with potholes and made our way to the zoo. I was impressed by the zoo which was neatly laid out with clean paths, well sign posted and clearly labelled. I came across some exotic animals there such as the yak, red Himalayan panda and mountain snow leopard. There was also a big Bengal tiger. Although it was a clean and well laid out zoo, most of us thought that there was less than adequate space allowed for the animals to roam around in their enclosures. Later on we visited the Mountaineering Institute on the premises and also an interesting museum with a large model of the Himalayan range indicating the position of various peaks as well as the approximate position of the great Himalayan rivers including the Indus, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. Nepal has eight of the highest peaks in the range including the mighty Everest and that is why most of the Himalayan expeditions start there. The Himalayan range stretches from the west in Pakistan continuing over Northeastern India and covers a distance of 2500 miles.



After a while we visited a tea garden that supplies Darjeeling tea to the well known Harrods store in London. As we continued, we visited a Tibetan Refugee Centre where we found a group of Australian teenagers with their teachers carrying out some voluntary work. After Tibet was invaded and occupied by the Chinese in 1955, thousands of Tibetans have left their country to avoid oppression under the Chinese and have taken refuge in neighbouring Nepal and India. I came across many young volunteers from Britain and America some of them on my flight. I spoke to an American woman on my flight who was from Maryland and who was going to spend a few weeks in Dharamsala where the Dalai Lama is based. Her young companion who is a doctor was going to work with the Tibetan refugees there.



The following morning we drove along a winding road with tea plantations on either side and descended into the tropical Tees ta Valley. We drove past Sal forests and Cinchona (Quinine bark) plantations. Soon we arrived in Sikkim. Cinchona plantations were fist planted by the British in 1910. The bark of the tree is now sent to Calcutta to produce Quinine. We had a brief photo stop at the plantation where we noticed a group of women relaxing. We were informed that they were involved in a government backed “hundred day project” when they carry out small local community projects in exchange for a minimum wage. This arrangement helps farm labourers and other casual workers to engage themselves in gainful employment when they are idle. Because of its location lying west of Bhutan and south of Tibet, Sikkim is subtropical in the lower valleys that changes to temperate and alpine with the increase in elevation. Also , because of its proximity to the Bay of Bengal, Sikkim is considered to be the best hotspot region for biodiversity. Vast rhododendron forests cover most of the slopes between 3800 and 4000 metres and the Himalaya Cypresses are widely found near the tree line. Bamboo and a variety of orchids (660 varieties in all) are found at 1500 to 3000 metres. The large black cardamom spice grown in Sikkim is a valuable cash crop. As we continued driving towards Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim we noticed that the roads and buildings looked better than in other places that we had visited and the people also seemed better off. People in Sikkim tend to have slight Tibetan features. In Gangtok all along the length of roads I noticed pedestrian walkway, protected by knee length green metal railings. Once we settled into our hotel we walked downhill to the town centre, a short distance away where I was amazed to find pedestrianized zone along the entire shopping area. There were also lovely colourful flowers all along the central gangway making the town look pretty and giving it a somewhat prosperous look. It also happened to be Mahatma Gandhi's birthday (2nd Oct) that day and we found a big portrait of the father of the nation garlanded in orange marigolds where many natives were revering his image. There were marigold garlands all along the surrounding railings making it look magical. The entire area looked quite prosperous with familiar shops and even the cars parked along the roads gave an indication of the economic strength of the place. Sikkim exports Hydroelectric power to India and also agricultural produce including cardamoms. We were informed that the Sikkim citizens do not pay income tax, leaving them with extra cash to enjoy the good life.



We were informed that we would have a good view of the snow capped Himalayan range from our bedroom windows the following morning and of course we were waiting in anticipation. However, as usual there was a slight problem with the mist and cloud and we ended up seeing a part of the mountain range now and again. During our tour later on we visited the Permanent Flower Show Museum which I thought was just okay but not spectacular. A little distance away we were shown a large white mansion that was built by the British in 1882 for their representative. Later on we drove towards a 200 year old Monastery perched high up on a mountain above the town. We also visited the institute of Tibetology which was established in 1958 as a major centre for research on Tibetan Buddhism. There we looked at various artefacts such as thangkas, rare books, statues and manuscripts smuggled out of Tibet after the Chinese occupation. After a while we visited the nearby museum where we could see the distinctive clothes worn by the three main tribes in Sikkim. Later on we were let loose in the handicraft shop where I bought a rather attractive jute bag for $5 for my grocery shopping.



Another day and another Monastery. Yes, Himalayan regions are dotted with several monasteries each located at a higher incline than the other. Following lunch we visited the largest monastery in the region 24 km away. Having driven past two RC churches and a Sikh temple we arrived at the impressive monastery complex located high up on a hill. The Rumtek monastery is the major centre for religious studies where the Lama who defected from Tibet after the Chinese invasion took with him some of his followers and also whatever artefacts that they could smuggle from the country. On our way back we could not resist the attractive scenery around and had a brief photo stop to capture the beautiful greenery and the terraced, velvety rice fields. Our accommodation that night was in comfortable cottages commanding impressive views of the quiet valley in a rural setting.



After a cup of coffee/tea the following morning we went for a long walk along the winding country road. It was rather slippery and uphill at times and then we arrived at the famous and large St Joseph's school. On our way we passed by children's boarding homes and also some large and attractive homes where well off people live. We came across many school children smartly turned out in their school uniforms who were eager to greet us and talk to us. We also noticed several cars on our way ferrying children to school, indicating that people are by and large better off in India these days and enjoy the trappings of good life. Later on as we drove past forest covered slopes and fast flowing rivers we arrived at Limping, a busy market town, well known for its numerous flower and orchid nurseries. We stayed at the Himalaya Hotel there run by Tim MacDonald, grandson of a locally well known Tibetan explorer. The main house was built in the 1920s amidst a mature garden with numerous varieties of flowering trees and shrubs and with views of the Himalayas from the verandas.



During our tour that morning we visited a monastery and then had a tour of the well known school opened by Dr Graham from Scotland for Anglo Indian children who were abandoned by their parents. It is a well established and sort after school that is spread over 500 acres and educating about 1200 students. It also has boarding facilities. While 75% of the parents pay high fees to educate their children there, about 25% of the children are educated free of charge. While we toured the school we were impressed by the friendly youngsters and their enthusiastic teachers. Later on we walked around the extensive school grounds and also looked at the old Anglican church in the school premises before making our way to the nearby cactus garden. Around 4PM some of us walked to a nearby nursery and looked at orchids and also several other local flower plants.



The next morning we drove for about three hours before we arrived at the Bagdogra airport to catch our flight to Delhi. This was where most of the group having completed their tour would start their journey back home while the five of us, three Canadians, a Californian lady and myself spent the night in a very comfortable and smart new hotel in Delhi before boarding an early morning flight to Leh in Ladakh. The Indian army has a very big military base in Ladakh and therefore the security was stringent at the airport. The short flight took us over the expanse of the Himalayan range when everywhere we looked we could only see the snow covered peaks as far as the eye could see. When we landed at Leh, the outside temperature was 2 degrees Celsius despite the brilliant sunshine. Soon we arrived at our comfortable looking hotel with large Georgian windows that had carved window frames in typically local style. In a while we found out that there was no heating in the hotel as hotels in Ladakh turn their heating on from November. To my good luck, I had a double aspect room with two large windows on two sides of the room and another fairly large window in the bathroom. The sunshine that streamed into the room somewhat helped to warm the room up a tiny bit. Besides, the constant unbroken sunshine from sunrise until sunset helped to give that warm feeling. I had a great view from my room. The snow covered dazzling peaks in the not too distant horizon, just beyond the tall and graceful looking poplar trees looked magical.



As Leh is at an incline of 3524 metres we were advised to take it easy in the morning so that we could get acclimatized to the local conditions. Later on in the afternoon we were taken out for an orientation walk by our Indian tour leader when we walked along the Old Town, looked at the local shops, vegetable market and the local Buddhist temple. After a while, we walked along the inside roads where we were shown local bakeries where different kind of bread was being prepared. We watched local flatbread being prepared and then cooked on the inside walls of the hot, barrel shaped stone oven that was partially sunk in the ground. We also got to taste the hot bread, straight from the oven that tasted delicious. After a while we approached a shrine that is sacred to Sikh people. We also looked inside the local mosque and then we continued walking along the street where we came across street vendors selling local produce including vegetables, dry apricots and very hard yak cheese. Soon we walked past a fast food restaurant where they were making potato patties and serving them with spicy chick peas. As many people in the group wanted to taste it, our tour leader bought some food for us that we ate inside the crowded, popular restaurant. Later on we dispersed and made our own way back to the hotel. At bedtime we were given hot water bottles to keep us warm in bed. The hot water water bottles came to our rescue ensuring that we had good night's sleep.



Soon after breakfast the following morning we left in two separate cars on our day's sightseeing outing. We drove along a long and winding road through the barren landscape with barren mountains encircling the town in the horizon. We stopped on the way to see a burial place with family graves where different members of the Ladakhi families are buried in the same open grave, where they cremate the dead bodies using firewood. Soon afterwards we made our way to the Shea Palace where the last king of Ladakh lived until he lost power in 1830. From the palace we had good views of the fertile Indus plain. Later on we visited the Thiksey Gompa (monastery). Since I was not allowed to go to Tibet as a British passport holder, I was informed by the guides that Ladakh is a lot like Tibet with barren landscape and numerous monasteries. We were also informed that Ladakh belonged to Tibet until the 19th century when it separated from Tibet. On our way, we took some photographs of the Hemis Monastery that was built in the 16th century and also of the Indus river running through the plains. Hemis Gompa is perched high up on a mountain. When we arrived there after climbing numerous steep steps we looked at a gigantic Thangka in the monastery. Hemis Monastery is known to be one of the richest in Ladakh. It is located at an elevation of 11,600 feet. Hemis means surrounded by mountains and that is why it is the richest as valuable artefacts have not been stolen from there. After visiting the museum and the gift shop on the premises we made our way to the Texi Monastery and then had our packed lunch. Our last visit of the day was to the Stock Royal Palace which was closed as the Royal family had moved to Delhi during the winter season.



We set off by 9AM again the next morning driving across dry and arid plains in brilliant sunshine until we arrived at the Sikh temple. After a comprehensive tour of the extensive temple we continued our drive and stopped at the location of the river confluence where the grey waters of the Indus merge with the blue waters of Zanskar river flowing from the remote Zanskar region of the greater Himalaya. Later on we stopped again for a picture of Basgo Palace and temple. This palace was built by the king of Ladakh to control the west side of the region. The otherwise barren scenery save for a few tall and graceful looking Poplar trees with their changing foliage and surrounded by mountains across the near horizon looked quite attractive. The mountain tops glistened with fresh snow fall. Later on we drove towards the Likir Gompa (yes - still more of those - there are many Gompas in this region!) that is set on an isolated ridge. This magnificent Gompa overlooking the village of Likir was founded in the 14th century and belongs to the Yellow hat sect of monks. The head Lama of this monastery is the younger brother of Dalai Lama. After a while we arrived at the high plateau of Alchi, one of the largest, ancient monastic complexes and an important Buddhist centre in all of Ladakh. It was founded in the 11th century by an early Tibetan preacher. All along the inner walls of this monastery there are 1000 year old paintings of small Buddha images, some of which have now been damaged. However, Alchi is undergoing major restoration work under the UN sponsorship. After lunch we visited some small monasteries where we saw some very old paintings on the walls.



On our last day in Ladakh we drove a short distance from the hotel towards Sankar Gompa where we came across a beautiful impression of a Buddhist deity with numerous arms and hands. Later on we drove towards the magnificent Peace Stupa located high up on a hill at an elevation of 6300 metres. We were informed that the fairly new imposing stupa was built by the Japanese in 1985 to spread the message of peace. We had excellent views of Leh and parts of the Indus river valley from the base of the stupa. We also had superb views of the town with numerous Poplar trees. We could also see the location of Lamdon school that is reputed to be a top private school in Ladakh. Later on we visited the Leh Palace, located high up on a hilltop at an elevation of 6000 metres. From the courtyard of this ancient palace we had a clear view of the Old Town and also of the Polo ground. Polo is a national sport in Ladakh along with hockey. Leh Palace was occupied by the Ladakh Royal family until 1830. The palace is now deserted and is being restored by UNESCO. After the morning tour we had the rest of the day free for shopping and also to get ready for the early morning departure to Delhi.



The small airport in Ladakh seemed busy with army personnel and many tourists the following morning. After lengthy checks and rechecks we finally made it to the aircraft. We came across a fairly large group of American tourists while at the airport. Once we arrived in Delhi, we checked into our hotel where we stayed on our way in and then we were taken on a sightseeing tour of some of the highlights of the city. The city traffic was like anywhere else in a major metropolis with roads congested and the traffic moving at an annoyingly slow pace. Although the streets are dusty it was good to see how green the city happens to be. After a while we arrived at the Qutub Minar with several beautiful red brick ancient buildings in the complex. Qutub Minar is considered to be among the tallest and famous towers in the world. It is 234 feet high and was completed in 1200 AD. We found many domestic tourists there and also several parties of school children. Later on we visited Humayun's tomb, another vast and magnificent, symmetrical building. We were then taken to Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in Delhi, that can accommodate 20,000 worshippers. Our last stop was at India Gate, an attractive monument that was built as an homage to 90,000 Indian soldiers who died in World War 1. It is set in beautiful landscaped gardens with an attractive fountain. Finally, we had lunch at the McDonald's restaurant which was packed by the youngsters of modern Delhi.



We thought that it was good that our tour company made provision for us to stay at our hotel in Delhi until it was time for us to go to the airport. I left the hotel at 11PM to join my 2:40AM flight to London. It was a long but enjoyable holiday when we visited several destinations each with their own identity. All the places that I visited were lush green apart from Ladakh which was barren and surrounded by mountains. Bhutan stands out in my mind with its unique architecture, tall green mountains and men seen in their distinctive dress code. I was pleasantly surprised to find that cars are no longer luxury items in these countries as cars seem to be within the reach of most working people in these regions. Apart from the dust and teeming population I was impressed by Delhi with its greenery. The vast and ancient Mughal monuments still look very attractive and are awe inspiring. The Moghuls were truly very ingenious at building magnificent and timeless monuments.

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