We got a quick start to head to the highest tea plantation at Happy Valley in Darjeeling. It arguably grows the best tea due to the altitude and “because of the happy”, according to the cheery tea lady near the processing room. We shared tea and experiences with monks from Laos and Thailand, who were also recently in Bodhgaya.
After that, we hiked to the other side of Darjeeling to the Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Center. Many older members manning sewing machines and spinning wheels or relaxing in the mountain air. Well stocked store with rugs and other Tibetan handicrafts, all benefitting the community. I picked up a maaza (Coca Cola’s mango nectar in India) and a set of prayer flags at the general store.
We hiked down to the main road to catch a taxi to get to our Bollywood movie, Bodyguard. We were instead given a free lift into town by the Tibetan clinic’s ambulance jeep. Aaron and I can now add ‘ambulance’ to our list of transportation methods in India. The ride was great but the movie was canceled, so we looked around the superstore in the mall. No haggling!
Café Coffee Day, a south Indian outfit since 2006 with premium caffeinated drinks, snacks, and a lounge atmosphere, was a nice place for a break. It feels a lot like the other corporate coffeehouse titans, which it has replaced in India. I had an award winning coffee nirvana-something with whipped cream and sprinkles to get a break from chai and tea.
At night we kicked it with our friendly Irish neighbors. We met them on the jeep ride up to Darjeeling and might join them on the next leg of their journey (up into the Himalayas!)
After that, we hiked to the other side of Darjeeling to the Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Center. Many older members manning sewing machines and spinning wheels or relaxing in the mountain air. Well stocked store with rugs and other Tibetan handicrafts, all benefitting the community. I picked up a maaza (Coca Cola’s mango nectar in India) and a set of prayer flags at the general store.
We hiked down to the main road to catch a taxi to get to our Bollywood movie, Bodyguard. We were instead given a free lift into town by the Tibetan clinic’s ambulance jeep. Aaron and I can now add ‘ambulance’ to our list of transportation methods in India. The ride was great but the movie was canceled, so we looked around the superstore in the mall. No haggling!
Café Coffee Day, a south Indian outfit since 2006 with premium caffeinated drinks, snacks, and a lounge atmosphere, was a nice place for a break. It feels a lot like the other corporate coffeehouse titans, which it has replaced in India. I had an award winning coffee nirvana-something with whipped cream and sprinkles to get a break from chai and tea.
At night we kicked it with our friendly Irish neighbors. We met them on the jeep ride up to Darjeeling and might join them on the next leg of their journey (up into the Himalayas!)
Kangchanjunga above Darjeeling
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