From the time I arrived in India, I knew that my ultimate destination was to be the Himalayas. As November was winding down, I grew increasingly anxious to get north. I wanted to take a trip hiking in the mountains, and with winter approaching it could only get colder up there. After nearly 24 hours of continuous transport, by rickshaw, then train, then jeep, I made my way from Varanasi to the former British hill retreat of Darjeeling. Darjeeling is famous for its tea plantations, and pleasant restaurants, tea houses, and old English hotels abound. It made for a very comfortable staging area for my trip into the tiny northern state of Sikkim. Darjeeling itself is not actually in the mountains, but is situated at some 7,500 feet, in the foothills of the Himalayas. The train
... read more
