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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Mar 30, 2009 02:00 PM 2nd class to Darjeeling...
Lonely Planet is not updated again: the morning train with steam locomotion from Kurseong to Darjeeling do not operate any more. They introduced another one at 3 pm.
Why I want to travel via this hilly railroad? Because it gives very attractive views and gives you the idea how they travelled here more then 100 years ago. UNESCO put this narrow-gauge railway on the world heritage list.
It is also comfortable and dirty cheap if you travel in the 2nd class: the ticket cost me 23 rp - like half of the dolar...
I saw the steam train: it arrived at 1 pm with 2 carriages only - it really looks like a toy!... I have nice pictures.
But... the locomotion generates plenty of smoke - it is picturesque but not very pleasant if you seat is at the open window... That's why I decided to take diesel version departing from Kurseong at 1.30 pm.
Great views on the way, tea plantations, and the other attraction is that in the villages train goes through the main streets - since it goes like a snail you have enough time ti look into the shops, workshops and stalls...
We arrived to Darjeeling late afternoon. I found the cheap room at new Tranquility Hotel up on the hill with grat view. Recommended! The owner invited me for the meal since the businesses close early here - it is more then 2000 m above the sea level and evenings are cold....
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Mar 29, 2009 02:00 PM By Indian railways and junky bus...
It is a great deal to travel around India by rail! They have now computerized reservation system, prices are resonable and they are almost on time...
I just used this mode to travel by experess train from Assam to New Japalnaguri in the West Bengal. Second class berth for 6 hours-400 kms travel cost me 700 rs- like 15 USD. Breakfast and lunch on board was included.
Then I took motocycle rickshaw to the bus terminal in Siliguri. Siliguri is a gateway for travel to Darjeeling and Sikkim.
I wanted to use famous toy train to go to Darjeeling but I decided to board this train in Kurseong - to skip the less attractive part of 8-hours jouney.
Lonely Planet is not updated: I was waiting for the bus not 30 min but 1,5 hour. We also departed with 30 min delay (it is India...) The road goes all the time along the narrow raiway track. Views are the same, but the bus is faster. It is also less comfortable, cramped and the road is bumpy after first 10 kilimeters. I reached Kurseong - little town on the mountain slopes in the dark and mist... Night in Delhi Durbar Hotel cost me 300 rs - they will bring you bucket of hot water to have a bucket shower. Do you know what is bucket shower? :)
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Mar 28, 2009 07:00 PM Guwahati - the capital of Assam
In the mid-day I arrived to Guwahati. The capital of Assam province lies on huge Brahmaputra river. It has more then million inhabitants, crowded streets and interesting state museum. But the highligt of the place is Kamakhaya Mandir - the temple located on the hill above the city. It is dedicated to the first wife of lord Shiva - Sati. People come here to pray for fertility.
I spend more then an hour in this temple wandering around plocal people paying, offering, resting... There are also animals - nobody cares about them.
I had there a great time. Photographs are allowed. But if you want go inside the temple you have to buy a ticket (Like wealthy locals do) or stay for hours in the long line.
I have access to the internet - in Guwahati it costs 25 rs per hour. Tomorrow I plan to take a train to West Bengal Hills.
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Mar 27, 2009 07:00 PM Eco Camp and Mishung Village
On the edge of Naumeri National Park they built nice camp - with big tents under high trees. Monkeys are jumping on the trees, tropical birds singing and the mosquitoes will bite you in the night. That's where we arrived today...
I took a long walk through nearby villages. There are Asameese and Mishung (Mongol origin) people. I had opportunity to see their everyday life, to photograph them (nobody is asking for money - tourists are rare). I had a great time...
In te afternoon we crossed the river to the park - poor place, during 2-hours walk with a ranger I saw only 2 elephants and the birds in the distance - do not expect too much!
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Mar 26, 2009 07:00 PM Tawang - sometimes you loose...
I did not sleep at night. Emotions...
At sunrise - before 6 am I and my backpack we were ready to go. Jungle Travels of course did not suppy the new car (!) but I decided to rent one by myself (the cost Dirang-Tawang is 4500 rs). But... the driver came with a bad news: It was raining here, but up at the pass it was snowing in the evening and the army announced that Se La is temporary blocked by snows... A line of cars is waiting at 3000 m level...
Bad luck...
I cannot wait here more then one day...
Sorry... Sometimes you loose...
Jungle Tours rented little Suzuki Maruti Alto and in the afternoon we went down via Bomdilla to The border of Arunachal...
I did not hear from Jungle Travels Guwahati any apologies, anything about the compensation, any sorry for the supply of a junk car - unable to reach the main destination of the offered tour . This agency is definitely worth a negative recommendation!
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Mar 25, 2009 07:00 PM Only 10 kms to Se La Pass -4176 m
It was sunny morning when we started to climb the road again. I was happy and full of expectations - they said it is 6 hours drive to Tawang Monastery.
On the level of 3000 the motor started to strike, no power, cooling liquid is boiling... Fortunately there was army base (many of them in fact) and with the help of the friendly soldiers they cleaned filter... We started to climb the mountains again... Nice views - the snows are closer and closer...
There are milestones along the road. At the 10 kms milestone to Sela Pass car stopped again. No chance - said the guide - in my opinion it is too risky to continue!.
Sh......! I wanted to go further alone, but there were only 3 cars passing by and all were full...
We went down to Dirang...
Rain in the evening...
I saidto the guide of Jungle Travels: You must supply a new, reliable car and tomorrow morning with you or without you I want to go to Tawang!
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Mar 24, 2009 07:00 PM Hard drive to Dirang
It is not far - only about 200 km from Tezpur to the little village of Dirang in the mountains. First we reached the state border point in Bhalukpong, my permit was checked and registered. Then it is the end if the Assam Plains - the narrow road is climbing the hills in thousands of zig-zags, crossing land slides and mud. Our car: jeep-like tata-sumo was not happy to climb up. I soon recognized that it has already 215 000 kms on the counter and quite smooth tyres. They gave me such a junk car for the route exceding 1000 kms, a mountain road who goes through thousands landslides to the se La Pass on the level of 4100 m, where snow is present very often!
This car was doing this route before - said the guide - Bijoy!
The route is very picturesque, you go up and down, passing little villages and many army camps.
We reached Dirang after 9 hours driving. Dirang is nice Tibetan - Monpa style village made of stone. There are mani walls and the monastery- gompa. I enjoyed great view of snowy Himalaya range. It was very cold at night...
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Mar 23, 2009 07:00 PM I am in Assam...
What brought me to the Northeast India? Few people travel to the states in this corner of India. Some states require special permit to get in because unstable situation and unfriendly borders so close. One of them is Arunachal Pradesh.
I wanted to be there - because the people, the mountains and because Tawang Tibetan monastery - they say it is second after Potala of Lhasa.
Permit is not easy to get - it takes weeks and months to arrange regarding Indian beaurocracy. I decided to go there legally - Jungle Travels in Guwahati (warning!) promised to arrange my permit in advance and offered car and the guide...
They collected me in Guwahati - the capital city of Assam. Same day we drove to Tezpur - tea plantations on the way...
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Mar 22, 2009 07:00 PM Unexpected stopover in Malaysia
Airlines, airlines - they think only about their profit! I was always thinking that Malaysia Airlines are one of the best in the world. No longer! In the evening I took a cheap flight (VirginBlue-recommended!) from Hobart to Melbourne. Then I intended to fly Melbourne-Kuala Lumpur- Delhi with Malaysian. But they cancelled morning flight KUL-Delhi and put me on the evening filght. I have full day to wait in Kuala Lumpur. I plan to be in Delhi around midnight - it will be the second night on the plane. In such a cases you should require from the airline compensation: hotel for few hours and the meals. Be firm! I got them. But since the airport is far from the center and I already well know Kuala this stopover is for me just waste of the time...
Keep your fingers crossed, please - I hope to be tomorrow in India anyway! It is already third month of my exciting voyage, but I feel already the homesick - can you understand that?
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Mar 21, 2009 07:00 PM Bruny Island - Tasmania
So far I had here nice, sunny weather, but today in the morning it was raining, then cloudy. OK - it is my last day in Tasmania... Hobart - the capital city is very compact, so 2-hour walk is just enough to see all places of interest, samples of colonial architecture, docks full of yacht etc.
I pefere the beauty of the nature: 30 minutes drive took me to the ferry to Bruny Island - it cost 25 AUD Rt for the car. Bruny Island has gravel roads, picturesque cliffs and the old lighthouse on the northern end with beautiful panoramic view on Cape Bruny, the sea and coastal rocks. There are in fact two islands, connected by the narrow strip of land hosting another great viewpoint and colony of fairy penguins.
Ooop! Hurry up to be on time in the line for the return ferry - my flight is departing in the evening. It is time to say goodbye to Tasmania!
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