Day 4 : Treasure the Holy city, Varanassi

Yeah, its no longer about Darjeeling. Leave it in the past and be ready for the next incredible place in India, the holy land of Hindustan, Varanasi. 

We enter Varanasi by taking overnite train from New Jalpaiguri to Mughal Sarai. In our way, we met with some colony of Indian Doctor that seems very nice and happy to assist us. Maybe you have been familiar with so many touts happened in India, and for stranger like us, meeting and having a short interaction with local not only makes our trip become more colorful and memorable, but indeed they are very helpful. 

So it does with the Doctors, they ask us to join them for having shared Auto (Autorickshaw, Bajaj in India) to ensure that we got affordable and reasonable price. Then we agreed. We got shared auto from Mughal Sarai to Lenka (Varanasi) by INR 150 for the three of us (Me, Alid and Jard). Sounds good compared to the previous one offered by the Auto driver, INR 300. 

However, that kindness seems to be the fake one since what we paid was resembled normal cost for 1 auto from Mughal Sarai to Lenka. Yes, we have paid for the doctors. And we just knew it after we met with our local friends in Varanasi, Arihant and Gaurav. 

Leavin' New Jalpaiguri

Let me introduce our wonderful friend in Varanasi. First, Arihant Barathi. He was a couchsurfing member that allow us to stay at his home during our short visit in Varanasi. He was a final student at agricultural major in Banaresh University, best university in Varanasi and also one of the best one in Hindustan. Alid contacted him by phone when we arrived at lenka and we headed to his House at DLW area by another Auto from Lenka. A cool, warm and helpful guy with wonderful family. 

The second one was Gaurav Mohta, he is a greeter from tourism site of Varanasi, India known as padharoo.com. A site who provide free greeter for tourist for free. You just have to pay their meals and transport. A smart guy from Engineering major of Banaresh University. Again, another smart and very kind guy from one of the fabulous university in Hindustan. 

Having Arihant and Gaurav during our visit was surprisingly turned  the hottest weather of Varanasi more than just an exceptional experience but also built and created another chain of Friendship. It was a great time when we sat, shared and lauged almost about everything on our first meeting. See, travel has created another dimension of living by easily making friend anytime and anywhere.

Visvanath Temple, Banaresh - Hindustan

After having shower and free breakfast (thanks to Arihant), Gaurav take us to sightseeing around Varanasi. Alid has sent him our timetable including list of some places which we intend to visit. Visvanath temple - Ramnagar Castle - Monkey temple and of course the Holy Ganges. 

There's always a good time to visit Ganges, sunset, sunrise or anytime for just have a walk along the riverside or maybe just have a seat and spend a day for relaxing like what i've done while waiting for the Arti ceremony, the daily ceremony or ritual of the Brahmin after the sunset (around 6.30 PM on Indian time). It was a huge even on the riverside with full of praying and religious song, many candles on a leaves and flowers floating in the Ganges at night. One of the best moment that should not be missed when you came to Varanasi.

Another best moment in Varanasi is an opportunity to attend the real Indian wedding. Yeah, our best host, Arihant, invite and let us join the ceremony. Unlike most of Indonesian wedding in our country or some Indian wedding in the hindi movie, this wedding gonna start at night till drop. Yeah till drop!!! At Indian wedding all of guests and family are looks so happy. They dance along with the music. It started from the groom house and i dont know where its end, hahahhaha... Most people were dancing like crazy. No matter they were child, old, young, ladies or man, they shaked each inch of their body and cherish the moment. 

The ceremony was held in the open area like a garden party with the hall at the central. Various foods has been filling the stalls and of course music all along the night hohohoo. At the rooftop of the hall, the promise between two peoples will be held in front of the sacred fire, just like you see in the movie then. But the different is, that moment will be started at 1 AM this morning. Hahahha, just like waiting for midnite movie then...

Despite of the hot weather, i really enjoy my visit in Varanasi and sure never gonna refusing any invitation to visit that place again someday. But from now on, i'm waiting for your visit guys (Gaurav and Arihant), lets start have your own journey. 

Me and our Padharoo greater, Gaurav, at Ramnagar, Varanasi

Alid, Candles and Ganges at Arti event

Evening view of Ganges from the Top

Rooftop of Ganpatti Guesthouse

Indian Wedding at DLW

Lenka, Varanasi

Day 3 - Darjeeling, another gate to Himalaya

Darjeeling (Pron: dɑ:ˈʤi:lɪŋ) is a town in the Indian state of West Bengal. A popular tourist destination, it is located in the Mahabharat Range or Lesser Himalaya at an average elevation of 6,710 ft (2,045.2 m). It is noted for its tea industry and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Darjeeling is the headquarters of Darjeeling district which has a partially autonomous status within the state of West Bengal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darjeeling
Refer to some story that i've gotten from blogwalking, mail list and some travel web i put Darjeeling as one of my destination someday when i have an opportunity to step my feet in India. Indeed i did it, eventhough there's a lil bit wavering at the beginning since i became so selfish to cover all of my destination within the only two weeks of my visit.

Maybe like Malang, Dieng and Puncak in Java, Indonesia; Darjeeling just like a mountain view accompanied with greenness, fresh air and a best place for resting and relaxing. A huge tea estate in mountainsides, similar to Lembang then; Yups, its similar. But you can't have what i have when i get there. Overnite train from the big city continue with three hours shared jeep under the foggy weather, meeting new people from some part of India and some people around the world, keep surprising with anything new and unusual and of course challenge yourself in many aspects. But at the top of them, temptation to enjoy sunrise with Himalayan as the background will defeat all of my argument easily.

So it was so early in the morning when we woke up and went out from the hotel and just noticed that our jeep or whatever in which has booked last night seems to be out of nowhere. We tried to check with the owner but he seems to be asleep and when the hotel staff came out, he lil bit confuse and can't help. After same arguing session, finally we have to satisfy with having personal rent car for the three of us. Additional charges applied by INR 200, we had paid INR 500 to the owner before; so its damn like implicitly being cheated for our 3rd day in India.

Our car headed to the sunrise spot that well known as the popular spot for witnessing sunrise and Himalayan at the same time. The driver was a lil bit quite, he rarely talk to us instead of simply inform us where we are heading, how's the weather and best time to visit Darjeeling. Some 90's song were playing and with a-half sleepy head we try to recite some phrase of the song.

"I want to stand with you on a mountain..." - Truly,Madly, Deeply - Savage Garden

Actually it was rain. Light rain in the morning, or maybe the same rain as yesterday that being postponed for some reason. But yeah, unfortunately i have to realised that it was a bad weather. I'm not sure that we can enjoy sunrise today. Even so, most of the road are covered by fog. What i'm afraid of was actually happening, the main spot has fully covered by the fog. Nothing can be seen instead of white.

"The weather is bad. Yesterday, the sun has been raise nicely at this place." our driver start to talk. 

Yeah, its been our disappointment at that time, however as i always talked to myself, enlightning the burden, "there's always a reason to comeback." We did it on summer actually. However, Darjeeling weather boost into extremely unpredictable. We're nearly freeze when we're here but outside we got 47 degree like a hell.

Foggy Morning towards sunrise which never show up ;p 

Foggy Morning 

Next, we headed to the Ghoom Monastery; Ghoom Gompa, is about 8 kms from Darjeeling. Here a very beautiful statue of the Maitrayie Buddha ( prospective Buddha) is established. The Monastery has also preserved some of the rare handwritten Buddhist manuscripts.
http://www.trekking-in-nepal.com/sikkim_darjeeling/darjeeling_places_of_interest.htmAnd our last destination this morning was Batasia Loop or Batasia Eco Garden. An open area and a railway loop is an interesting example of engineering. At this loop the toy train takes a very unique turn. This loop is just five kilometer from the main town of Darjeeling. This place also has a very good market where you can buy the purses, bags and other decorative items made by the local women at very reasonable price.
http://www.trekking-in-nepal.com/sikkim_darjeeling/darjeeling_places_of_interest.htm

Street Market at Ghoom Monastery

Inside Ghoom Monastery - Darjeeling

Ki-ka : Jard, Alid and Me

Monks - They've been in Borobudur loh ^^

Me at Ghoom Monastery

Toy train railway at Batasia Loop

Batasia Loop or Batasia Eco Garden

There's several things that caught my interest, First, two of three monks that i met in Ghoom Monastery has visited Borobudur - Indonesia, Second, we can try to dress like Nepali by rent some clothes with only INR 30 per person. Yups, and it last; no time limit and also the owner was very kind to assist us taking a picture. And the last one, same as my experience in Japan, i found snack in which the appearance was look like Bakwan (Jakarta) or Ote-Ote (Surabaya). How its the taste? it was sweat for Japan, but in India, maybe its easy to guess, yups.. most taste like curry heheheh...

Dress Like Nepali 

Dress Like Nepali - Me :) 

Morning trip with rent car finished at around 7 or 8 AM. I lil bit forget about it, since we directly have a morning walk to enjoy this town. Most of our scenery this morning filling with students. Yups, student, and they all dressed in very cute, colorful and cool uniform. Even, i have a slight tought in mind that this is not India. Yeah, as intersection of India, Nepal, Tibet and Butan, most of the density in Darjeeling were not look like the common Indian people. Some of them still have a long nose, long hair, dark skin and big eyes, but most of them are looks like Japanese, Chinese and Korean. 

In terms of economic, i just think that their economic condition was quite good. I never met with beggar or anything that refer to the poverty. Most of them wore something fashionable, even i have seen HardCore concert for free in town on my first day. It just proved that there's no barriers for them to living a live with any update from the outside and being part of it. Many vehicles and personal cars running in the street and going to school become the most huge activity in the morning.

Darjeeling view from Batasia Eco Garden

snacking around Darjeeling

Morning activities, Go to school - Darjeeling

Playing around - Darjeeling 

It was a very short trip, and sure gonna visit this place again someday. For the mighty Kanchenjunga, king of the mountains, sunrise and of course Darjeeling tea. We're leavin hotel around 12PM and went back to New Jaipalguri (NJP) with 3 hours shared jeep since we have to catch the train at 5 PM for Mughal Sarai, the next gate towards the holy Ganges in Varanasi. 

Info:

a) Hospitality - Sevenseas Hotel : INR 1500/night for 3 people (1 king bed + 1 single bed); no online booking, just came by since we have dropped email but no response. 
b) Shared Jeep NJP-Darjeeling or Darjeeling-NJP : INR 200/per person - one way 
c) Rent Car : INR 700 per car, you can have INR 500 for 3 people but you have to share the remaining seat with others. 
d) Nepali Dress - Rent : INR 30/person 

Entrance fee:

- Batasia Loop : INR 5/person 
- Ghoom and Tiger Hill : Free

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 ^^