Will you calm down? You're not going to let a little near-death experience ruin your mood, are you? - Antz (1998)

This was probably the best stretch of tarmac

BUMP......

BUMP THUD BUMP.....

BUMP THUD BUMP BUMP....

Alright not the most descriptive way to describe the jeep ride from Jorethang to Darjeeling but I'm sure you get the gist. 

(Not to confuse you but even though Patrick and I shared the same jeep up to Darjeeling, we had two very different experiences. For this reason we'll both give our own accounts)

PATRICK: 

As dangerous and nerve wrecking the drive to Pelling was nothing compared us for what taking the back road to Darjeeling which was long.... very long, uncomfortable and at times down right scary, so needless to say I loved it! Unfortunately the same can't be said for my female companions, who I reassured over the course of 3/4 hours with the lines "just over the next ridge" or when it became dark "see those lights in the distance, that's it" countless times. To be honest I wondered if we would ever get there but we did and not to those lights in the distance (God only knows where that was). No we arrived  to dim, murky streets filled with people marching because oh yes, we decided to arrive during a government protest/power cut.

ELAINE:

It was horrendous. We climbed nearly 5,000 feet in 4 hours on dirt roads that were mostly pothole. On either side the drop was sheer and the jeep was wider than the road. We drove 1/4 in daylight, 1/4 in twilight and the other half in the pitch black of Indian night. There were times we literally thought this is the end. I would have committed murder for a hip flask. It didn't help that Patrick was in his element (which is apparently when he's about to die a horrible gasoline fueled death) and kept turning around saying "isn't this great". The sight of 3 green and murderous faces quickly shut him up. It was only when we got there (shaken legged and kissing the ground) that we learned we had taken THE BACK ROAD. Of course...

View of Darjeeling

Here we part ways with Stephanie and Jenny, as we had booked separate accommodation due it being my birthday and Elaine wanting us to enjoy some luxury (cue fluffy beds, room service and a fireplace).

Aka - Heaven...

The following day we woke (thankful to be alive) and looked out what can only be described as a city in the sky. At an elevation of 6402ft above sea level, we were literally up in the clouds. I don't know how a city could develop in a region like it. So we got up and decided to visit the zoo (when I say decided, it was more forced, as the government protests result in strikes and most business' closing). So off we went, heading it seemed with everyone else visiting Darjeeling, to the zoo.

We're going to the Zoo zoo zoo, how about you?

Patrick reconnecting
with the primitive version
of himself

Elaine doing her
Norman Bates impression

It must be said we have our reservations about zoos,  the idea of a wild animal being confined seems outdated to some extent, especially with how close documentaries can get now-a-days, but this zoo also acts as a breeding & conservation centre so you are funding a good cause. Plus seeing a tiger in the flesh really makes you appreciate the animal and the dangers of it becoming extinct. The zoo was small with bears, leopards, wolves and monkeys, but every animal there was at some stage indigenous to the area before hunting and development took its toll.

We also visited the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute which was founded by Tensing Norgay, who accompanied (yer man) to the top of Mt. Everest. It was small but surprisingly interesting, with displays of the clothing mountaineers used wear back in the day. Two  words - Hard. Core. These guys basically climbed to the top of the world in sub zero temperatures wearing tweed suits. But the award for the most bizarre artifact in the museum was a telescope gifted to India by Hitler. Huh...

Wonders and Treasures to be found

We then spent much of the day trying to find somewhere to eat that was actually open whilst browsing some of the few open stalls. There was a bit of tooing and froing but we did find an absolute gem in the form of Aladdin's cave. We stumbled across this ancient tiny shop, I've seen bigger en-suite bathrooms, that was jam packed with the most fascinating wares; miniature jewel encrusted elephants, hundreds of rolled up tapestries, scary antique Himalayan masks. There was maybe 3 square feet of walking space and the owner told us he hadn't done a stock take in years. Patrick bought an original Gurkha fighting knife. Ancient looking and in need of a good sharpen, we were told the family had sold it in need of the money. Feel bad? Nope, it's really cool! Will be interesting getting it through the various customs in the various countries though...

So time went too fast and soon we were back on the train to Kolkata, back to the heat that we had scorned on the way up but were dying to get back to after six days at 7 degrees. Brrrrr!

Patrick (30th of November 2010)

Post Script: The opening lines "BUMP THUD BUMP....." Elaine wanted to put in a BAMP and a BOMP (Elaine - to emphasise the bumpiness!) Are these words?

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