We knew about the two cities beforehand. Afterall we had to make travel and hotel bookings. But we did not expect the mountain to be so special. Kangchenjunga, or Kangchendzonga (as seemed to be a more common spelling), was spectacular. So close, with these photos needing to carry the same ‘objects are closer than they appear’ message as do the side-mirrors on our cars. So imposing, like blocks of ice cream rising out of a bowl of foothills. It is the 3rd highest mountain the world, considerably more than twice the height of New Zealand’s highest mountain (Aoraki/Mt Cook).

Here is the mountain from Gangtok:

A room with a view. This sunrise was enjoyed, from our pillows, each morning.

A zoo with a view. It is the first time I’ve been to a zoo for the view, not the animals.

And a little product placement for the Jain Restaurant, as it’s aloo mattar & chapathi was simply the best.

It looks mighty-fine from Darjeeling too, although we had just one day of clear views.

On the final day, with a variety of breathtaking views planned both in Darjeeling and on the ride back to the train near Siliguri, we were greeted with a wall of fog. Not even cloud. Just close, cling-ey fog.

The road travelled along the Nepali border. Here is Barby enjoying the view of fog from just inside Nepal.

It is a fascinating part of the world.

Take the thin black lines on this section of google maps as an example. The one at the bottom, just below Siliguri, is the border with Bangladesh. The one going down the length of the map, over on the left side, is the border with Nepal. This is the way we drove back to Siliguri (via Mirik, a lake near where Pankhabari is written). In fact, if you expand google maps, you’ll discover that we drove into Nepal for about 12 seconds (without a visa)! It was so exciting for me. The line to the right of, and above, Gangtok, is the border with China – while the line jutting in just below it is the border with Bhutan. Incredible, eh?!

The overnight train from Kolkata comes into a station near Siliguri and then it is taxis, or buses, from there (although there is a UNESCO-heritage ‘toy train’ to Darjeeling which tends to give the rider a taste of eternity, if it is functioning).

One of the great drives I’ve ever done is this one between these two cities of Gangtok and Darjeeling, especially the section from Kalimpong (or Teesta Bridge) to Darjeeling through Lopchu Bazaar. We had one of those taxi drivers, apparently trying to better his personal time for the Gangtok-Darjeeling stage of some Himalayan rally, who took a bit of stopping. But we managed a few photos along the way:

Much though I love the snowy peaks, not far behind is the delight in gazing at lesser hills, like the Himalayan foothills, as they fold their way into each other on their way to the horizon.

Looking down on Gangtok and beyond, to some folded foothills.

A dawn view from our Darjeeling ‘homestay’, as little settlements atop folded foothills catch the early sun.

Barby and I grew up in Mussoorie, amidst the folded Himalayan foothills on the other side of Nepal (ie to the West, rather than the East). Not too far behind the enjoyment of those foothills is the way villages and towns drape themselves across them.

Gangtok

Darjeeling

Gangtok

Darjeeling [NB: I was quite pleased with myself, discovering flowers of the same colour nearby].

Bakthang Waterfall, Gangtok

Random (very long) ferns, Darjeeling.

Barby enjoyed chatting away in Hindi with this guy in Gangtok, surrounded as he is with products from yak-milk.

One of these Christian initiatives to assist women with skills. Here creating products with jute in Darjeeling.

I have heard about Mt Hermon School all my life. Incredibly, we managed to book a homestay just 10min from the school, without realising it. On the last morning we walked down the hill to visit the campus. Impressive! The senior master, together with his wife, were so gracious and showed us around the campus, emptied as it was of students with the long winter break.

I confess that my main goal was to find some photos/memorabilia. Three names were on my mind. Stewart. Murray. Rongong. Would you believe it? There were only about 8-10 framed photos in the hallways of a school celebrating its 125th next year – and all three names were found. Heather Rongong is in a random photo of student leaders in 1975. She became such a good friend through my University of Auckland years (1978-1980). David & Dorothy Stewart and Graeme & Patricia Murray were also easy to find, both having had times at the school as principals.

The staff in 1963. Within months, Dorothy & David Stewart (seated, 2nd and 3rd from the left) would be picking up the leadership of the Bible College of New Zealand (now Laidlaw College) where they served until 1988. We were invited to join the faculty in 1989 and so we just missed their era. Unbeknown to us, our visit was on the 5th anniversary of David’s death. When we ourselves moved across to the leadership of Carey Baptist College in 1998, we were grateful for the kindness of different ones, among them Graeme Murray (seated, with Patricia on the right). We didn’t see him often but he was so kind to both of us (especially Barby) – and for that reason we wanted to go to his place, to Mt Hermon School.

On that same dreary foggy, final and viewless day, we drove the long trip back to the train near Siliguri. We stopped in Mirik, with its lake. An eccentric little place, trying to decide whether it wants to be a tourist destination, or not.

Mirik

It was the overnight train to Kolkata, for a morning with ‘a little list’ (the focus of an earlier post), some jelabis – and then off to the airport for the flight back to Bangalore.

nice chatting

Paul

Another view from the zoo, but with a couple of humans in the foreground.