Blogs from West Bengal, India, Asia - page 8

Maintenant on dirai "Oh Kolkata!" mais le sentiment est le même. On aime bien cette ancienne capitale. C'est un mélange de grande métropole occidentale avec une très forte touche indienne. Et par endroits c'est un village indien! Il y a des grands boulevards, des statues, des splendides bâtisses coloniales, des superbes maisons en ruines. C'est assez propre et les rabatteurs sont énervants seulement dans les endroits très touristiques. Le nord de la ville est plus pauvre (nous n'avons pas encore visite le cartier universitaire et intellectuel qui se trouve aussi au nord), le centre est colonial et le sud est élégant et chic indien. Pas loin du centre c'est le "village" touristique des backpackers. C'est vraiment comme un village: petites ruelles ou la vie se déroule directement dans la rue, les femmes font la cuisine et ... read more

Packing for our trip. If all goes as scheduled, we should land in Kolkata, India at 10:25 pm on Sunday (Kolkata time). India is 11.5 hours ahead of EDT. On Monday, we will visit Mother Theresa's Missionaries of Charity as well as other sites in Kolkata.... read more

Chattakpur is one of India’s secrets, a remote unexplored hill rich in biodiversity and indigenous cultures. It is a small village located in the eastern part of the Himalayan Range, in the north of West Bengal. It is a 180 years old ethnic village with 18 houses and a population of about 90, and is at an altitude of 7888 ft. It is about 20 kms from Darjeeling and 72 kms from Siliguri. Globalization and change in the outside world does not seem to have affected this small pristine village much, as the Locals chose to maintain their ethnicity with their original Nepalese culture, food and hospitality. Chattakpur has been gifted with rich Flora and fauna. One can go for Bird Watching, Butterfly viewing. Chattakpur hill is a part of the Sinchal Wild Life sanctuary so ... read more

Darjeeling 'the queen of hills', awesomeness is the word falls short for this place. Though bit overcrowded but everyone will surely have something in the store for this place. Darjeeling is at an altitude of almost 7000ft and is situated in West Bengal (A state of India). Darjeeling is internationally acclaimed as one of the best hill resorts and it is also a paradise for trekkers and adventure seekers. I have travelled Darjeeling during the month of December. This was the first visit of any north-eastern part of India. We, my wife and I, flew from Delhi to Bagdogra airport. Quite pleased to see the tranquility in the airport. I was sure that the journey will a life time remembering one. We booked a government controlled taxi from Bagdogra to Darjeeling for Rupees 2000. Travelling through ... read more

For an adventurer such as myself, travel is everything. I have a deep love for the road in all its forms, but also one that sometimes holds some small trepidation and fear. For the life of an adventurer can be, at times, one of loneliness, an old companion that I know well. One of the costs of freedom, and one that rises and falls from day to day, but one that I pay gladly. Well, most of the time. But more on that later... Ka ka happens little buddy, ka ka happens... There is something about hanging out the side of a train that we just can't get in New Zealand anymore, with all our safety laws and bubble wrap. Its hard enough just trying to find a decent slide at a playground. Moving from place ... read more