Darjeeling Day one

the original plan was to hunt down a hotel outside of the New Jaipalguri train station and continue on to the next part of our trip to Darjeeling the following morning.
however.
that was dependent upon arrival at said train station at 10 that evening.
we took a chance and ventured out of the station past midnight to locate a hotel.
half of which were not even opening their doors and the others either full or just taken by other arrivals (and at double the normal prices).
so we gave up.
and headed back to the station.
after a delightful tour of Siliguri via rickshaw at nearly one in the morning.

a quick meal of fried egg and chai before we fell asleep, exhausted and scattered, on the waiting room chairs.

6 am and enough light in the sky to try this town out again.
getting a share taxi to Darjeeling itself proved easy enough.
and as we meandered our way back and forth up the mountain road for 4 hours, the temperature began to drop as the sun rose, the forest thickened, and little concrete houses in teals and pinks dotted the roadside.
but the kicker.
truly.
was that people had flower pots on these hills.
flower pots and new eyes.
and wild marigold and little flags of yellow, white, and green on every pole, door, wire, car, store, bike, and window we passed.
welcome to gorkaland.
(or so they call it. im not entirely sure its official.)
full of nepali-indians and those of nepali heritage.
and sprinkle in a few indians, tibetans and those of bhutan as well.
a rather different world.

and as we neared Darjeeling there was a brief glimpse of the himalaya.
entirely too brief.
and breath-taking.
do these folks ever tire of it?
do they not love it still?
could i grow and live in this land and find it commonplace?
i couldnt imagine.
and i still wonder what they feel.
and see it over and over and over again.

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we wandered. after locating a hotel and food and wondering if we really should have worried about the cold considering we both felt rather comfortable on that sunny afternoon (of course we were right to worry). just strolling along. exploring.
the chaos is different here.
still horns and terrible driving. and throngs of people.
but teenage girls and boys stroll along arm in arm.
a dozen different school uniforms fill the sidewalk - of older children and teenagers (not only the littles ones as we have normally seen)
middle aged women in more western wear or some traditional hybrid mix and nepali men in smart leather shoes and gelled hair.
take a staircase up or down from the main road and the world shushes a little.
and its green. so green. thick and misty and moist.
and take a few more staircases up or down and you realize how horribly out of shape you are.
that the old lady hobbling up ahead is moving faster and steadier than you can possibly manage despite being 40 years younger.

we liked this world.
and spent the afternoon walking about, trying the tasty thukpa soup, and admiring the hard work of countless tea ladies and their basket loads dotting the hillside.
as an extra note - it happens to be black tea preparation time.
november being the last month of leaf collection.

all was well.
the air was cool and fresh (when walking far enough outside of the main town - otherwise its all exhaust fumes - only a bit wetter than normal - dripping smoke)
until the sun set and we returned to our room.
freezing and only then did it occur to us that heating systems didn't exist around here. the water would not steam and we were shivering in our underwear, our breath visible puffs in the air.
we dove under the covers, still unclean and dreaming of hot water.
it was over. we knew.
soon to die in our bed. little dirty japanese and american icicles.
and i started actually missing the sweltering heat.