Oh my....i think i will be writing my own story soon of traveling through India, (i hear SOO many stories)but first getting there: what an introduction.
The riverside hotel sent me East through Nepal to get to Darjeeling: a great and easy introduction to India.
I was told bus then boat then jeep then bus then bus...i wrote it down with the town names and such and took a deep breathe and jumped into the jeep to head for the bus station. I have to admit that going to India has been exciting and nerve racking for me...i hear so many good and bad stories BUT 2 great things about India is 1 - Kurtis is coiming and 2 - Kay is coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO EXCITING - cant wait to see a familiar face.
1 quick side note: saw a guy from Boulder whose fiance lives in Nederland and friends child goes to OTR: SMALL WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!
I am grateful to say first and foremost that there was a couple heading in the same direction and who were experienced India travels. I must admit that they cleared a path for me and once again i pushed through what seem to be impossible.
the first part was a 12 hour busride in the night. very cold very bumpy very local very long and very little sleep. i was told that the road ends b/c of monsoons and i would have to wait for a boat but nobody can prepare you for it or really explain what to expect. We arrived at 4am when we were told to get off the bus and walk 4 km to the river. it was dark and flat and all you could see was little fires here and there and dark images of people. every once in a while you would hear an alarm clock ringing which was a bicyle/taxi coming by. sooo bizaar. finally we reached the end of the road where we had to wait for sunrise to get on the "ship" - so they called it. well fortunately i am now traveling with a nifty couple (Jane and Deniss)that has a little gas burner stove. so we sit in the sand and make tea and look at the golden sliver moon and bright stars as all the nepelese and indians look at us. The sun started to rise and we were put on a "ship" which looked like an oversize old fashion snow shoe with a motor. the 5 boats were packed with people as we waited for enough light to cross the river.
next we walked 5km to the buses that would go for 3 - 4 hours...they tried to put us on the roof but we choose the last seats in the bus instead:) After the ride we got off and walked a while to find our way to the border. we checked out of nepal walked accross a bridge and checked into india. From that point we had to get another bus that would take us and hour to the next town...and from there we had to take a jeep (b/c buses were canceled) up to darjeeling. we probably would have gotten their w/in the next 2 hours but the jeep had to stop for tea time and other errands on the way - a common practice in india apparently. well after 24 hours of little sleep and little food just intime for sunset we arrived in Darjeeling, walked up steep hills (like sanfransisco) to find a cheap guesthouse with views and available hot buckets of water....i slept 11 hours after having a fantastic meal.
and so far India is great...and rumor has it darjeeling really isnt India, so I guess I'm just warming up:)
