Darjeeling Trip Report Feb 07

SteamBuff

So many Indian trip reports start with their arrival in India, so I thought I would do something a little different, my trip reports starts from the point I booked my tour!

I have also decided to break my trip report into several sections, the first covering up to my arrival in Calcutta.

First a little about myself, I am a 47-year-old IT Consultant/ Manager/Project Manager, who has a love for Narrow Gauge Steam Railways, two in particular, the Welshpool & Llanfair in the UK where I work as a volunteer and even closer to my heart the Darjeeling Himalayan. I have always wanted to visit but have never got around to it, with diesel taking over the service trains and the treat of oil firing spurred me on, so during May 2006 I rashly booked in a moment of weakness a tour with the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society.

Now the fear set in, what have I done, what have I let my self in for, poverty, scams, beggars and upset stomach etc all sprang to mind? How would I cope on a tour [never been on one before], how would I get on with the others, as a person I am quiet, prefer my own/families company and find it difficult to make friends. I like things to be organised and planned ... How am I going to cope with India. Then there was the issue over food, would I starve? I don’t like chilli, pepper or any food that is overly spicy or hot and not a great vegetable lover.

In addition to that it is my first holiday on my own (well for at least 25 years anyway), I suppose I was also feeling guilty, leaving the wife and children at home. (They didn’t want to come anyway) I have never been to India or Asia before, but have traveled throughout Europe and the US with my family in the past, and on business for up to 6 weeks at a time in Holland, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Colorado and California.

But saying all that I usually adopt fairly quickly to the food, culture, customs of any country I am visiting, I am not one of these people who go on holiday and expect everything to be English.

Sent my passport off to London for my visa in November, came back two weeks later, no problems, now to sort out my jabs, felt like a pin cushion as I had all my jabs during December … yes they were all out of date…. I reacted to the Hib A/B jabs and spent Boxing Day running between the loo and the bed, couldn’t eat anything for 36 hours, was this a sign of things to come. Now that’s sorted…. just have to sort myself out.

As the weeks quickly ticked away, I went through all the usual emotions of panic, excitement, worry, and fear.

Only a week to go so I got everything out, put half of it away again...packed into a bag, unpacked it again as it was too full, threw out some more stuff and then repacked it in a rucksack, which is what I originally planned to use. Time to weigh it Check-in bag (rucksack) was 15kg and hand baggage was 5kg. Phew … that was OK.

At last, Saturday dawned, a typical damp and misty Essex February morning, the day had finally come, and so had the butterflies. Time slowly ticked on, made my last post on IM before leaving for the railway station, and caught the train for London and then the Tube for Heathrow. Went through all the usual formalities, met up with the rest of the tour party and the guide, before we knew it, it was time to board. Our Air India flight was only about 1 Hr late, not bad I suppose. So at 10pm we took off, all my fears, worries were left behind and excitement took over, I was on my way, a holiday of a lifetime. I was soon to learn that it was not going to be a holiday of a lifetime but an experience of a lifetime and that this trip would in all probability not be my only visit to India. (I am already planning my next trip)

As with any long distance flight I set watch to Indian time as soon as I got on the flight, the stewardess (in standard Indian dress and footwear, sandals) asked us if we wanted to move to emergency exit seats... So we stretched out in comfort ... very soon after take off (I am still amazed that something the size of a 747 can actually get off the ground) it was time for dinner, oh the choice European or Indian, Veg or Non-Veg so I leapt in with both feet and selected the Indian non-veg option. It was a very nice meal even by airline standards. Soon after I fell a sleep. I woke up just as we were flying over the Indian border, breakfast time, could not face curry for breakfast, in fact I never could for my entire holiday.

Arrived in Calcutta at lunchtime (Sunday), only half an hour late. Cleared immigration quickly and with no problems or hassles, picked up my rucksack and entered the arrivals hall and waited for the rest of the party. (What a doddle, wish landing at Heathrow was this quick and easy … my wish would come true upon our return) I think that's where the first and only mozzi struck ... On my finger by my wedding ring ouch.

Came out of the arrivals building …… .... and India hit me full on !!!!!

To be continued….

davidp80

Thanks for posting. Soooo....lets hear it!

-Dave

steven_ber

You definitely got me interested.....

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Train information.

somnath

That’s great!!!!
Where is the next installment ? SB, do it fast or ……

ha ha ha….. we are waiting.

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SteamBuff

Came out of the arrivals building …… and India hit me full on !!!!!

There was no buffer zone between the airport and India; it seemed to come right up to the door; the humid heat, noise, smells and Indian life. We battled our way through all the local porters and children all hoping to make a rupee or ten, to our coach, old and battered by our standards but sheer luxury by Indian standards, once our luggage was loaded we all boarded and were on our way. My first view and taste of India, as we traveled through the outskirts of Calcutta I started to wonder what all the fuss and worries had been about…it was not what I had been expecting. Yes there were people living by the side of the road in makeshift homes, they were poor but they seemed happy, clean and content with life, even giving us a friendly wave, some of them were even watching television, I did not look or think about where the electricity came from, no doubt somewhere in the overhead rats nest of cables which seemed to be everywhere in Indian towns. As we made our way to the Tollygunge Club I began to wish I had brought some ear-plugs with me, the sound of the horns was deafening, I think they have their horns wired the opposite way to us … press for off!

We eventually arrived at the Tolly, oh what an oasis amongst the chaos of Calcutta. We quickly settled in, and we were soon all in the outdoor bar for an peaceful evening of eating and drinking. (I wish I had brought shares in Kingfisher) A quote by a member of our party when asked which was our waiter … “I don’t know, but he had dark skin and black hair!” The next morning dawned all to soon, after a leisurely breakfast and a stroll around the grounds, we departed for the airport for our flight to Bagdogra, I soon realized that yesterdays journey from the airport was quiet … oh the noise … the traffic, but we were soon in the peace and quiet of the airport, and before long on our way to Bagdogra, I have heard off speed dating but not speed eating … how Jet managed to serve a full dinner on a one hour flight I don’t know, but they did. Jet lost a lot of their in-flight magazines on that flight as it contained articles of transport systems in India including the DHR.

Upon our arrival we seemed to have a armed military escort off the plane, Bagdogra is a military base. We were met by the hotel staff who took all our baggage off the conveyor belt and loaded it on the mini-coach, how they knew which was ours I don’t know, but they managed it without leaving anything behind (It was explained to us that this was the biggest vehicle that could get up the Hill Cart Road). The drive from Bagdogra to Siliguri was more like my initial idea of what India would be like. Upon our arrival at the Cindrella Hotel we discovered that there was a wedding party going on that night, to which we were invited as honored guests.

We had an hour (Just time for a Kingfisher.) to relax before heading off to Siliguri Junction Sheds. Once Fuzz (Our tour guide) had introduced himself to the Shed Manager and got permission for us to enter, we were free to wander around and take whatever pictures we required. I think that I took a picture of every loco and coach in the sheds that I could. Amongst the hive of activity, our evening dining train was being prepared; the new oil burning ‘B’ class was also in the sheds No B1001 (as well as the earlier conversion of 787). We watched the down service train (D2) pass through, only two hours late.

We then boarded the Dining train, since there was only 12 of us plus Fuzz we could all eat at a leisurely pace in one sitting, although Fuzz had to sit at the bar. So as the train trundled through Sukna and through the Jungle to Rangtong, we all eat an excellent meal again washed down with Kingfisher. Upon our return to the hotel the wedding party was in full swing. I don’t think any of us slept well that night what with the noise of the party which seemed to go on all night, the hotel was lit up by thousands of small lights that seemed to flicker all night just outside our windows, very romantic but not conclusive to sleep, it was like having a bonfire just outside.

The next day, we set off for our first real ride on the DHR, we took the service diesel (D1) from NJP to Siliguri Junction. Well we did want to ride the entire line, and steam trains are not allowed on the NJP to Siliguri Junction section, so diesel it had to be. We joined the steam charter at Siliguri Junction and as we made our way up the line we swapped between the train and the bus, each trying to out-do the other. We all eventually arrived at Rangtong where we were greeted and welcomed by the ladies of the village with momo’s. Our next stop was the loco works at Tindharia, where we were made most welcome and were showed around, our guides explaining what was going on and plans for the future. We then had samosa’s and chai for lunch (as we did most days) during which we looked at the workmanship of some of the modelers before making our way up to the running sheds to see what was lurking within. We then took the train/bus up to Kurseong, arriving in the dark. The bus then took us to Cochrane Place (10 minutes from Kurseong) our hotel for 2 nights. Where we were made most welcome, I was thankful that I had packed my warm jumper, as it was very cold, I was also glad that I had a double room to myself (well except for the hotels teddy-bear) as I could have 2 quilts.

The next morning I was the only one of our party to get up at 5am on a freezing cold wet and foggy morning. (Everyone else said that I was mad … even Fuzz stayed in bed) and the reason for this madness was that I had a ticket on the school train (Steam hauled) which left Kurseong at 6am bound for Darjeeling, the rain soon stopped but the mist and fog remained as we struggled, slipped all the way to Ghum, getting colder as we climbed, where we had to wait for the service train (D2) to pass, we eventually arrived in Darjeeling at 11:15, only two and a half hours late. I spend the day wandering around the bazaar, the mall and the mountaineering centre before making my way back to the station for the return departure at 16:25. The weather was bitterly cold and misty all day, thankfully no rain, but that changed soon after I arrived back at the station, the heavens opened up. The return train left on time but was soon losing time, we passed the delayed up train (D1) at Ghum (17:30) and coasted down to Kurseong in the driving rain, how I feel sorry for the crew on days like this, especially as it was running footplate first, we finally arrived in Kurseong at 20:55 a mere hour and forty minutes late, and then made my way back to the hotel, thankfully the rest of the party had saved me some dinner. I think that overall I had a better day than the others.

Thursday dawned dry and misty, today was the second of our steam charters, this time from Kurseong to Darjeeling, and once again as we made our way up the line we swapped between the train and the bus. The falling mist made photography very difficult, and in the end we all rode on the train as rain and hail thundered on the roof as we left Ghum. We eventually arrived at Darjeeling and made our way up to the Cedar Inn, some of us went shopping in the afternoon before our second dining train, from Darjeeling to Sonada. We were to be guinea pigs, as this was the first dining train to be run from Darjeeling. Congratulations to the waiters who did an excellent job. We had to stop a few hundred yards before Sonada station as the school train was in the platform, the up D1 train had de-railed just below the station, it was very late night for those passengers.

Friday dawned dry and clear, opening the curtains at 6am I could see the mountains for the first time, I quickly got dressed and armed with my camera made my way down to the hotel balcony … What a view, absolutely fantastic, one of my highlights of the trip. I just sat and looked at the view of Mount Kanchenjunga unfolding in front of me for the next two hours before I had to go in for breakfast. Were we going to get the classic view at Batasia loop? We took the morning Joy train from Darjeeling to Ghum, and yes we did get the classic view, although the sun was behind the clouds behind us for most of the time, we spent the rest of the day looking around Darjeeling before setting off for the long coach ride down to Siliguri and we were glad of the tea stop at Kurseong. (Wish I had packed a cushion!) Back at the Cindrella Hotel for 9 nights. This is a vegetarian hotel (No meat, fish or eggs) so if I start looking lovingly at the cows in the street, someone please give me some meat!

Today was the Broad Gauge charter from Siliguri Junction over the Teesta River out to Chalsa and back, hauled by a WP Pacific Steam Loco, stopping for many photo stops, which seemed to cause a lot of interest from the locals. I spent most of the journey sat in a carriage doorway (except for the time I spent on the footplate) with my feet dangling outside, a bit scary when we crossed the river, seeing nothing below me … time to hold on a bit tighter I think. In the evening the hotel hosted the DHR Lovers Conference, attended by various dignitaries from Indian Railways, Tourist Boards and of course the DHRS represented by Fuzz in his designer suit comprising of Jeans and Tee-Shirt … as we (the tour group) were the honored guests we were server nibbles and Kingfisher while Fuzz and the dignitaries on the stage were given glasses of water … Fuzz’s face was classic … he soon got a Kingfisher though! The speeches were soon over and we got down to the serious business; eating and drinking!

The next day we had our metre gauge charter from Siliguri Junction to Bagdogra; the last of our “Steam on Three Gauges” trains, once again the train stopped for photo shoots, what it sight it must have been, the train drawing to a halt and 12 Brits jumping off to take photo’s. Entire villages came out to look and wave at us, at one stopping point there must have been 500/1000+ people stood in front of the train, as the train started to move they just parted to let it through, all the children along the line were giving us a friendly waves, and the smiles on their faces when we waved back will be a memory I shall remember for a long time. Upon our return we went down to have a look the Siliguri Town Station and the local bazaar.

Monday dawned much the same as any other day but today eight of our party set off for a tour of Sikkim, they will be away for 5 nights, visiting Gangtok, Rumtek Monastery, Changu Lake and spending more time in Darjeeling, but the weather turned against them and the road up to Changu Lake was blocked by snow. Vernon and myself decided to take the train to Tindharia and back, to ride over the mile of track that we had missed the previous week; (Tindharia Works to Tindharia Station), after lunch we ended up spending the afternoon watching life go by at the station as the train was two hours late. Upon our return to Siliguri I had my first (of many in the days to come) tuc-tuc ride … I’m sure that they are like cats and have nine lives, didn’t know that those things could go so fast, we seemed to spend most of the time on the wrong side of the road dodging other traffic.

We left the hotel the next morning to photograph the service train running through Siliguri Bazaar squeezing past all the stalls, we then went by tuc-tuc bus (they are licensed to carry five but the ones we traveled in always seemed to carry eight!) to NJP Station to see Eddie and Enid off to Guwahati and the Kaziranga Wildlife Reserve in Assam, we would not see them again till Calcutta. Now there was only Vernon and myself remaining in Siliguri + Fuzz of course, bet he thought he was going to have an easy week! Spent the rest of the day wandering around and jumping on/off tuc-tucs. After dinner in the hotel we met 3 guys from Maidstone who were touring India, one of them was carrying his guitar with him, so we all sat drinking listening to him play and sing.

14th February – Valentines day was bitterly cold and wet in Siliguri, we heard rumors of snow fall above Sonada; snow in February in Darjeeling; no it just don’t happen, so we had to go and see for ourselves. We took the train to Sukna, and then up the Hill Cart Road by car, just before Sonada we started seeing cars coming down with snow on them, the odd one who two had a snow man on the roof, then the School Train loco passed us returning to Kurseong having left its coaches at Sonada (and presumable the passengers) as we neared Ghum the road got busier and very snowy/icy so decided to turn back, we later heard that the road was blocked at Jor Bungalow. (About a mile beyond where we turned back) Of course we had a snowball fight with other drivers and the local children … they were good shots. We stopped for tea and lunch at Kurseong; we finally succumbed we had ‘Chicken burger!’ well it said Chicken on the menu! The service train from NJP only ran as far as Kurseong, before returning. No trains left Darjeeling either that day or the next.

Back in the relative warmth of Siliguri I spent the next morning Siliguri Junction. (Fuzz and Vernon had a footplate trip on a service train to NJP) while I wandered around the station and then sat with a chai just watching life pass by. In the afternoon we went around the sheds again gathering the information I required for my colleagues in the UK. We then had a wander around the Sevoke Road Area of Siliguri, looking at the buildings, people and Indian life in general before returning to the hotel. Cedric Lodge from the Ffestiniog Railway arrived that evening to start work commissioning the new Oil fired loco’s.

Friday dawned with the news that the train services were back to normal. (The train that went up to Darjeeling on Tuesday, managed to get back to NJP today.) We rode on another tour company’s metre gauge charter train one way to Bagdogra. (They only chartered it one way) I was on the footplate all the way there. Upon our return to Siliguri we found that B1001 was being steamed, so I jumped up on the footplate (with permission of course) and rode on its footplate in/out and around the shed area. (I think Cedric was at lunch, so I beat him to it!!)

On Saturday morning I went down to Siliguri Sheds early with Cedric Lodge (07.30) to watch B1001 being steamed again, Fuzz stayed at the hotel having a lie in … just can’t take the pace! We then chased the other tour company’s broad gauge charter to Shivok and then visited Coronation Bridge before returning back to the hotel to greet the eight members of the party who had been to Sikkim and to spend our last night in Siliguri. The vegetarian meals were excellent all week and not once did we want to go out and have a ‘meat’ meal.

It was not time to return to Calcutta ready to catch our flight home, but we had a full day in Calcutta to look forward to first. We took a charter tram ride from the Tollygunge Depot to the centre of Calcutta, then a walking tour of Calcutta city centre, seeing many of the sights, had a ferry ride across the river to visit the Railway Museum, then back to the city centre via taxi, time for a relaxing lassie and some shopping before returning to the Tolly by metro. In the evening we had our end of tour meal at a Chinese restaurant on Park Street. Reflecting on the day, I don’t know why but Calcutta did not seem the same as it was when we first arrived, not so hot, humid, noisy and I didn’t seem to notice the little tugs on my sleeve from the children, perhaps I have got used to the Indian way of life and now I was part of it! “I want to come back again.”

The next day we made our way to the airport for our flight home, the flight was seven hours late, but I didn’t seem to mind, after all this was India. Air India provided a good cooked lunch and afternoon tea. Sent a text message home to let them know that I would be late … added “I wanna come back” (I wonder if they will take the hint) Landed in London at 01.15, the airport was empty, so quick and easy, so my wish came true. Taxi’s waiting to take us to a local hotel all at Air India’s expense. I must say that I enjoyed the Full English breakfast the next morning. Bacon, sausage. eggs….

After several days at home, while looking at the 2008 tours on the web, my wife looking over my shoulder asked if I wanted to go back. I don’t know if this was her telling me I could go next year or what!!!! We shall see!

Dave

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capt_mahajan

Steambuff, nice writeup.

Bring the wife next time

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SteamBuff

The wife and chlidren don't want to go !!!!!

mk26in

Hats off !! SB. Nice log.
Glad to know you're coming back.

Mk

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LunavadaLad

Great write up Dave. Can't wait until I am there in November

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Bhaswaran

excellent post

lax2205

I was in Darjeeling a week ago. The place is highly overrated. The rod enroute is bad. Darjeeling as a place is too crowded and polluted. The great thing there though is the weather which is very pleasant.
Gangktok would be a much better bet!

pontesnm

I am planning a trip to Darjeeling in early Jan, 08. Good tips about the weather. I am planning on carrying a jacket and a down parka.

pontesmanny

Britishraj

Great travelogue. I can appreciate your love for steam trains. As a young lad growing up in India, I was privileged to go to a boarding school in Darjeeling. The Toy Train was always reserved to take us students up to school. Can you imagine about 200 'mischievous brats' Kids would be jumping in and out of the comparments as the train slowed down to negotiate the zig zag bends. The teachers would almost have a heart attack. The school is located a few kilometers out of Kurseong. The name of the station is Goethals Memorial School Station, and is there to this day. There were still steam trains running until the 70's. I was lucky enough to have travelled on many of them and like yourself a keen enthusiast. I visit India every year, and always pop up to Kurseong for a ride to the school. As luck would have it, I live in Devon where we too have a fantastic steam train which runs from Paignton to Dartmouth.
Thanks for the memories

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Britishraj

I was in Darjeeling this Jan. the temp. was -4 degrees!
Wrap up warm, be prepared to sleep with your clothes on. Hotels are not heated. You may have to pay extra for a coal / wood fire. Note if you get one of those 'coal fires' in your room, remember the fumes can be dangerous.

Be warm but be safe.

machadinha

You can say that again; where I stayed it meant opening up the window (place would fill up with smoke in a matter of seconds), so didn't do you much good one way or the other. Choking and freezing doesn't really beat just freezing.

I think many (or some?) of the higher-end places offer heated rooms (I visited friends in one), but it's good to enquire about before renting a room, and definitely worth it, I know I will a next time.

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