Foothills of the Himalaya - a 6-week trip.

---

So, why do I love India This is our third time in India; we first toured Rajasthan with our 2 daughters; then South India, travelling from Chennai to Cochine; and finally the foothills of the Himalaya. My wife's main objection is the food that is too spicy for her. Previously this has been less of a problem but on this trip most of our fellow travelling companions have been Indian, and accordingly the food has been more for the Indian palate. Hence Alison has had a real problem with the diet. The other problem from her point of view is the poverty that we see but this is less in evidence here than previously.
We have enjoyed Sikkim. The forests here have consisted of teak, saal, magnolia, rhododendron, ashoka, and bamboo. The teak and saal are hardwoods used for furniture and outdoor wood but the teak is best. The magnolia can grow to a great height and it's wood is used as huge sculptured pillars in monasteries. The bamboo has a load-of-uses such as in scaffolding, bridges and fences. The ashoka takes it's name from a group of Indian restaurants in Renfrewshire!
Sikkim being so near to Tibet and Bhutan has a lot of Buddhists. There are over 50 Buddhist monasteries in Sikkim - more than in any other state in India. and I think Umesh took us to most of them. Well, actually only three but it felt like a lot more. There are 4 sects of Buddhists: the yellow hats whose leader is the Dalai Lama; the red hats of which there are 2; and the black hats.
Flowers are in abundance in Sikkim - we have seen all the flowers normally seen in the UK: nasturtiums, snapdragons, roses, geraniums, pansies and loads more.
So why do I prefer India to the other parts of the World?
1. The people are genuinely friendly and honest. There's none of this stab you in the back carry-on that we get in Europe or Texas. The children are so happy and chatty; they put our British spoilt-brats to shame!
2. Most people can understand English. Even the schoolchildren have English as their second language, and are very proficient in it. Even in an isolated village, the chances are that you can make yourself understood quite easily.
3. The countryside is still fairly un-spoilt. There are lots of Nature Reserves, and wildlife is essentially left alone.
4. There is little criminal behaviour compared to the UK. We are warned regarding hiding cameras and other valuables; a load of rubbish! People here are mainly poor but they are trustworthy, and we have never had a problem.
5. The weather is usually very hot - and that suits us. It can rain really heavily but at least the rain is warm, not like the cold daggers of the UK!

Saturday, 24th May. We left Sikkim today, and passed back into West Bengal. It took us 3 hours to get to Kalimpong which at 4,100 ' is a lot warmer and drier than previous localities. Purchased at the border, another bottle of 'Old Gold' single malt for 10 Rs less than 3 days ago, and a bottle of Sikkim London Gin for about a pound and 40, and I think it's the best quality of gin I've ever had.
The journey from Gangtok took us alongside the muddy waters of the Teetsa , and through forests of teak and saal. We eventually found our new hotel: the Himalayan Hotel which consists of apartments in several detached houses all surrounded by beautiful gardens. Red-vented bulbuls fly from tree to tree. Sitting in the gardens is relaxing. Now don't ask me why but the cacophony of noises - dogs barking, cars and motor-bikes hooting, kids laughing, cockadoodledoos doing what they do, bells ringing, and Buddhists chanting - all seem so relaxing. The same din out at the farm would send me crackers but here we just love it. The same goes for a walk down the High Street! You don't walk on a pavement - no you walk on a narrow road, always listening and watching for cars or motorbikes coming from the front or behind; dog-poohs; loads of other pedestrians; dogs; cattle; or parked cars or bikes. We had occasion to walk in the Gangtok shopping plaza the other day, and I hated it; it was sooo European!
In a weak moment, I bought a thangka: a Buddhist religious hand-done painting on cotton canvas in natural pigment + gold. It's quite a large one, and probably took an expert painter 4 weeks to produce. The cost: 50 quid, and it'll cost me more to have it framed behind glass! Alison bought a lapis lazuli + silver necklace and it cost 54 quid.

---