Kinda lethargic and not really in mood to see anything in Darjeeling coming from a place like Gangtok. But surely wanted the ride in the toy train. Hehe yeah. Not just for the novelty also thought would be a nice when some 1 is driving me along after all these days riding on my own.
Went to the train station for the ticket and it was full for the day. A private group runs one more ride in the late noon and their tickets were gone as well for the day. On some requesting was told to come by 2.30 and they would try to get a ticket. Fair enough. Got some miscelanious work done, bills, barber etc. Did not want to take out my bike so did a lot of walking this day. Even had Masala Dosa after quite some time. In a way it felt good walking along the streets.
Was there by 2.30 and they managed a ticket for me. 400 rs on the expensive side. Laze around the platform waiting for the train. Everything was tiny. The height from paltform to the track was 1 feet! Kinda funny. The entire infrastructure of railways there. Infact there are actuall small trains that run till Siliguri and people flock to the ticket counter and fill form like we would for the regular trains! This is regular train service apart from the joy rides.
My train arrives and comfortable seats. Hop in expecting nothing much but some time to relax. The entire coach has like 16 seats. Families exited about the train. Adventrous young lads take every opportunity to jump out of the train and get in. Each kid has a camera. Many were bettor than mine! The trains got a mini steam engine and threw a lot of charcole fragments int he air when it whistles and every time some of them enter the coaches through the windows. It was funny when the train driver told a car guy to wait and let him pass hehe. Reach ghoom and the samosa's from the vender tasted real good. Checked out the Rail musiem as well. Back to Darjeeling by 6 and by now i was really bored and wondered why i took the train ride!!.
Walked on to chaurasta the main square of the city. pass through the colorful Mall Road. No luck to find any maps or travle guide s on Nepal. just then i realized i am on my way to Nepal tomm and i hardly know anyting about the stuff i have to do. Make a few calls to Swapnil and Khaleel, the guys who had been to Nepal on bike. But none of them had been as east as i am supposed to enter. Drain some cash from the ATM.
Get back to the room and get on net for some info and shocked to find some info like the Mahendra highway is broken near Koshi river as it was washed away last year. Not much info on the current condition of the raod. Few updates on indiamike said like people travelling buss as to take a boat and change to another bus across Koshi river! In one of the links updated on jan 09 said like there is not buses that run from kakarvitta to Kathmandu and road has been kinda restored. Mean while pavan at the hotel suggests entering at pashupati which would save me a lot of time. Very confusing and also kinda wanted to rest one more day. But gotta go as my dad would be coming to visit me in Kathmandu by 18 so i got be there well in time. Just crash without thinking much.
Went to the train station for the ticket and it was full for the day. A private group runs one more ride in the late noon and their tickets were gone as well for the day. On some requesting was told to come by 2.30 and they would try to get a ticket. Fair enough. Got some miscelanious work done, bills, barber etc. Did not want to take out my bike so did a lot of walking this day. Even had Masala Dosa after quite some time. In a way it felt good walking along the streets.
Was there by 2.30 and they managed a ticket for me. 400 rs on the expensive side. Laze around the platform waiting for the train. Everything was tiny. The height from paltform to the track was 1 feet! Kinda funny. The entire infrastructure of railways there. Infact there are actuall small trains that run till Siliguri and people flock to the ticket counter and fill form like we would for the regular trains! This is regular train service apart from the joy rides.
My train arrives and comfortable seats. Hop in expecting nothing much but some time to relax. The entire coach has like 16 seats. Families exited about the train. Adventrous young lads take every opportunity to jump out of the train and get in. Each kid has a camera. Many were bettor than mine! The trains got a mini steam engine and threw a lot of charcole fragments int he air when it whistles and every time some of them enter the coaches through the windows. It was funny when the train driver told a car guy to wait and let him pass hehe. Reach ghoom and the samosa's from the vender tasted real good. Checked out the Rail musiem as well. Back to Darjeeling by 6 and by now i was really bored and wondered why i took the train ride!!.
Walked on to chaurasta the main square of the city. pass through the colorful Mall Road. No luck to find any maps or travle guide s on Nepal. just then i realized i am on my way to Nepal tomm and i hardly know anyting about the stuff i have to do. Make a few calls to Swapnil and Khaleel, the guys who had been to Nepal on bike. But none of them had been as east as i am supposed to enter. Drain some cash from the ATM.
Get back to the room and get on net for some info and shocked to find some info like the Mahendra highway is broken near Koshi river as it was washed away last year. Not much info on the current condition of the raod. Few updates on indiamike said like people travelling buss as to take a boat and change to another bus across Koshi river! In one of the links updated on jan 09 said like there is not buses that run from kakarvitta to Kathmandu and road has been kinda restored. Mean while pavan at the hotel suggests entering at pashupati which would save me a lot of time. Very confusing and also kinda wanted to rest one more day. But gotta go as my dad would be coming to visit me in Kathmandu by 18 so i got be there well in time. Just crash without thinking much.
View from the hotel in the morning... the clouds have covered all the mountains...
Streets of Darjeeling...
Clock tower...
They have Inox as well...
The scaled down version of a working railway station...
The train arrives...
inside the toy train...
people exited about the train...
The train driver telling a car to stop so that he can pass!!
me there....
At a brief stop at Botasia loop...
The tiny steam engine...
The tiny train...
At Ghum station...
In the museam...
Returning to Darjeeling...
The Mall road at Darjeeling...
The main evening square at Darjeeling...
Color ful evening market...
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