Day 2 - New Jaipalguri, A gate to the famous Tea Estate in Hindustan, Darjeeling

5 May 2013 

We run the night at Darjeeling Mail Express. How to book? How It run and any other How that you might have will be explained later on my separate notes in here The Hindustan Train_Logy. But for now, i just want to share my first experience on 10 Hours hoping around Hindustan Train_logy, Darjeeling Mail, Kolkata - New Jaipalguri.

This train run on 22.05 from Syealdah Railway Station Kolkata and arrived in New Jaipalguri at 8 AM at the next day. I took sleeper class (the cheapest sleeper class) when i booked this ticket around a month a go, but unfortunately i got "Waitinglist status". Upon my departure i checked to the counter information and lucky me, my status has been upgraded into RAC. 

Morning Arrival, New Jaipalguri Station

There's 4 condition that might happened when you want to book train ticket in India, Confirmed, RAC, Waiting List or no longer available. For the details, see The Hindustan Train_Logy. 

And since my ticket was RAC, i have to transform my bed into seating class and share with the other passenger. Maybe it was one of the bad experience for other traveler, but since we don't have sleeper class in Indonesia, this kind of thing can't bother my mood to explore more about India. FYI, The batams ticket status also RAC and thanks God they taking care of me till my departure for two reasons, they have to ensure that we have the same rights to board the train and the second to ensure that i'll be safe during my first time experiencing overnight train in India. 

During the journey, i just sitting next to the window and have a short chit chat with some locals. Same as most of my friend, they were asked why i came to India as solo traveler? a woman? alone? But other than that, they are very nice people. Gita, a young woman who sit in front of me has offered me her seat to straighten my legs when i'm tired. Even, she allowed me to have a short sleep in her berth in the next morning. The other one is Anupham, i forgot his full name but he is a master student majoring calculus and statistic. He offered me his seat and offering help by keep asking the ticketing officer whether any bed available for me to sleep instead of having RAC. Yups, being gentle sometimes was really helpful. And i appreciate such a help and kindness as blessing from God. 

In economy sleeper class, train has been facilitated with fan and it was really comforting during this summer. Even, you will not be concerned anymore about air con or fan since the wind was blowing so harshly at night and flew inside the train when we open the window. Sometimes i'm freezing under my thin blanket made of Bali cloth and scarf.  And be sure you bring something to keep you warm since its gonna be a long long journey. 

The train stopped at New Jaiplaguri station in the next day. Its not yet the gate of Darjeeling already. From the station, we have to take share jeep for 3 hours towards the city. Each Jeep can accommodate up to 10 persons excluding the driver. So, you can imagine how full is it ;p 

Inside - Share Jeep 

On the way Darjeeling

After approximately two hours, the driver stop by and take us for take a rest and have a snack in a small restaurant. It was the only restaurant that we can found in this area. A small house with several menu such as momo, prata, maggie and chai. This house operate by small family who's talking in different language other than english and hindi, i found out it was bengali language later. Yups, Indian has so many local language. This place was the first place for me to taste the original milk tea from India, Chai. Its warm, but my mouth still thought that its weird and ignoring the milk taste as usual. 

After around 30 minutes rest, we continue our journey towards the city accompanied with the hard foggy accross the street. No matter with the whether and the road condition, our driver has driving like a pro and we arrived safely at the Mall area, Darjeeling one hour later. 

We have waited The Batams at the New Jaipalguri station before, just in case we have fate to meet again. And now at the Mall, we did the same thing and unfortunately the results are the same. We have informed them that we stayed at Sevenseas hotel, hoping that they will come to find us. But again, it was nil. 

Sevenseas hotel was the cheapest hostel/homestay that accomodate the 3 of us in one room with affordable price. We have tried to book this hostel online, but no online reservation available. My friend has try to contact via email but no response. I put "average" for the room and facility provided at this hostel. But "Poor" for the services. Other than reservation matters, the owner has mistakenly taken care our car booking for our next journey in Darjeeling. I'm gonna tell you later on this. 

Snacking  - On my way to Darjeeling

 

Hotel Sevenseas - Darjeeling

View from our room at Sevenseas - Darjeeling

Minimum Facility at Darjeeling hotel - Sevenseas 

We spent pour first day by have a sightseeing around the city. Foggy and light rainy never stop  our spirit to explore. First, we took a short walk and headed towards Big Mall and found out that there's political election held in the city that causing most of the store closed. Almost all of them. And yes, we start worrying about how to feed ourselves tonight. Post office, food tenant, money changer and groceries, all of them are closed. 

When we stop at the Big Bazar, there's a huge wall painted with a huge letter "Welcome to GorkhaLand." I dont know the meaning, but here the results from wikipedia. 

Gorkhaland (Nepali: गोर्खाल्याण्ड) is a proposed state in India demanded by the majority people of Darjeeling hills and the people of Gorkha ethnic origin in Dooars in northern West Bengal.[1] The movement for Gorkhaland has gained momentum in the line of ethno-linguistic-cultural sentiment of the people who desire to identify themselves as Gorkha.[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorkhaland

Welcome to Gorkha Land

Foggy and Rainy Day at Observatory Hills - Darjeeling

Afterall, we stop by at the observatory hill, Hoping that we can see the city and the hills view from the top. But due to the rain and foggy weather, we trapped and hide our self in a small temple. Some local came and pray around the temple, even some brahmin came by and try to explain some religius thing and speak a shirt pooja (pray), but we ignore. Looks cruel, but you have to do that because its gonna end up with paying some money. 

We go down back to the city when the rain stop. Lucky us, we found one small food tenant that still open even-though the offering menu was very limited. We ordered maggie for our dinner, and without knowing the reason our order came out around one hour later. Yups, one hour for maggie (Indomie, in Indonesia). The taste of maggie are totally horrible for me. It was mixed with onion and spicy things and smell totally Indian food. I know what you were thinking right now!!! Yups, i'm a picky person on food. I'm trying not to be like that, trust me i did. But, still its difficult. So, i end up with chewing chocolate, have a mango juice and take a rest. We have to woke up early tomorrow ^^