Windows closed, switches off… and my friend who was supposed to pick me up smes-ed me saying that she was on her way.
As I was walking down the staircase to wait for my friend, I turned around to have a look at my little apartment, just to ensure that everything was ok – an acquired habit which is hard to shed.
At the airport, I met some familiar and some not so familiar faces. Yes, once again, I was joining this ‘soft adventure’ group to fulfil another of my many dreams, to visit places which ‘I had been wanting to visit for years but never made it thus far’ – Sikkim in north east India and Bhutan, India’s neighbour.
It was a 16-day trip with 8 days spent in India and the remaining in Bhutan. This section covers the travel in India, including the last day in Kolkata upon our return from Bhutan before we flew back to KLIA. For Bhutan, it is covered under Bhutan (Phuentsholing, Thimphu, Punakha, Paro).
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First Taste of Kolkata
We arrived in Kolkata at 10:20pm local time (12:50pm Malaysian time). After many hours of travelling including the 2-hour transit in Singapore, and with the hot summer heat which was making us rather uncomfortable, we could not wait to get to the hotel, have a nice shower and retire to bed.
About an hour and 20 minutes later, the van came to a halt in front of a rather old and run-down building. I could hear some people asking, ‘This place arh, got cockroaches or not?’ As we entered the building, we found out that we had to climb 104 steps to our rooms!
It is often said that ‘first impression is very important’. Were we disappointed with the experience we encountered thus far? Were we still looking forward to the rest of the trip? We were about to find out.
104 steps up to our hotel room!
Streets of Kolkata (above and below)
People of Kolkata
Very old – but with heritage value – houses of Kolkata
Street-vendors
Selling live-chickens on bicycle!
The market area (above and below)
Away from the hustle and bustle of the market area
Pumping water on the road kerb – a common sight
in Kolkata. Source of water – Ganges River.
Extracting sugarcane juice manually.
Rs10 (about RM 0.80) per cup.
Served in disposable clay-cup.
Different Means of Transports in Kolkata
The yellow cab
The hand-drawn carriage
The tuk-tuk and the tram
The red bus
About an hour and 20 minutes later, the van came to a halt in front of a rather old and run-down building. I could hear some people asking, ‘This place arh, got cockroaches or not?’ As we entered the building, we found out that we had to climb 104 steps to our rooms!
It is often said that ‘first impression is very important’. Were we disappointed with the experience we encountered thus far? Were we still looking forward to the rest of the trip? We were about to find out.
104 steps up to our hotel room!Streets of Kolkata (above and below)People of KolkataVery old – but with heritage value – houses of KolkataStreet-vendorsSelling live-chickens on bicycle!The market area (above and below)Away from the hustle and bustle of the market areaPumping water on the road kerb – a common sightin Kolkata. Source of water – Ganges River.
Extracting sugarcane juice manually.Rs10 (about RM 0.80) per cup.
Served in disposable clay-cup.
Different Means of Transports in Kolkata
The yellow cabThe hand-drawn carriageThe tuk-tuk and the tramThe red bus Kumartuli – Kolkata
Kumartuli in Kolkata is the biggest and most famous place for making clay idols in India.
Jain Temple
With speed and agility of the fingers,
the piece of work is completed in no time.
The Process of Making Clay Idols
Straw and clay – basic raw materials (above and below)
The finished product
Jain TempleWith speed and agility of the fingers,the piece of work is completed in no time.
The Process of Making Clay Idols
Straw and clay – basic raw materials (above and below)The finished product Mother Teresa
I had always wanted to visit Kolkata, in particular, Mother Teresa’s Home. So when the itinerary was changed from ‘arrive in Delhi’ to ‘arrive in Kolkata’, I jumped for joy…, sort of.
The work of Mother Teresa touches millions of hearts the world over, including mine.
We first visited the HQ where the offices, Mother Teresa’s bedroom cum office, the residence for the sisters / volunteers are housed and two Homes for the children. It is a pity that no photographs are allowed except for a limited and specific areas, as shown below here.
I was surprised to see the room of Mother Teresa. It is, if my estimate is correct, roughly a size of 10ft x 10ft (or may be just slightly bigger), with bare minimum of furniture – one simple bed, one small cupboard, two tables. It is her bedroom cum office. No air-condition, no fanciful fixtures whatsoever, yet the amount of work she had done and contributed to the world was just enormous and incredible. At her death in 1997, there were 5,604 homes in 124 countries!
While we were at the children’s homes, some of us played and carried the young children. When it was time to leave, some clung tight to us and refused to let us go. It was a touching and heartrending moment. The few minutes we spent with them could bring so much cheers and joy to them. It shows the power of human touch! We left, though with heavy hearts, felt comforted knowing that despite their misfortune, they are being well taken care of by the dedicated volunteers from around the world.
The headquarters in Kolkata
Mother Teresa’s resting place
The HQ building
One of the homes
Since no photographs are allowed inside,
I took this for the memory.
The work of Mother Teresa touches millions of hearts the world over, including mine.
We first visited the HQ where the offices, Mother Teresa’s bedroom cum office, the residence for the sisters / volunteers are housed and two Homes for the children. It is a pity that no photographs are allowed except for a limited and specific areas, as shown below here.
I was surprised to see the room of Mother Teresa. It is, if my estimate is correct, roughly a size of 10ft x 10ft (or may be just slightly bigger), with bare minimum of furniture – one simple bed, one small cupboard, two tables. It is her bedroom cum office. No air-condition, no fanciful fixtures whatsoever, yet the amount of work she had done and contributed to the world was just enormous and incredible. At her death in 1997, there were 5,604 homes in 124 countries!
While we were at the children’s homes, some of us played and carried the young children. When it was time to leave, some clung tight to us and refused to let us go. It was a touching and heartrending moment. The few minutes we spent with them could bring so much cheers and joy to them. It shows the power of human touch! We left, though with heavy hearts, felt comforted knowing that despite their misfortune, they are being well taken care of by the dedicated volunteers from around the world.
The headquarters in KolkataMother Teresa’s resting placeThe HQ buildingOne of the homesSince no photographs are allowed inside,I took this for the memory.
Bagdogra to Darjeeling
We left for Bagdogra, about 500km north of Kolkata by plane at 3:00pm and arrived 1 hour and 20 minutes later.
From the airport, we headed for Darjeeling, about 100km north of Bagdogra, arriving about 3-1/2 hours later. The roads are steep and winding, and full of potholes.
It was a respite to be away from the scorching heat of Kolkata!
At Kolkata’s domestic airport
All set for Bagdogra
On the way to Darjeeling (above and below 2)
Beginning to feel cooler now as we
ascended towards Darjeeling, the hill station.
From the airport, we headed for Darjeeling, about 100km north of Bagdogra, arriving about 3-1/2 hours later. The roads are steep and winding, and full of potholes.
It was a respite to be away from the scorching heat of Kolkata!
At Kolkata’s domestic airportAll set for BagdograOn the way to Darjeeling (above and below 2)Beginning to feel cooler now as weascended towards Darjeeling, the hill station.
Darjeeling – the Hill Station
Darjeeling (2,134m), part of West Bengal, was once a British Summer resort where the colonial masters would escape the oppressive heat of the low-lying plains during the summer months. Today, many tourists from the south would throng this hill station in summer for the same reason.
Darjeeling is synonymous with tea and much of the undulating hills are covered in tea plantations.
Nepalese Hindus predominate the region while Tibetans and Bhutanese are present in lesser extent.
We spent our second day exploring the market area, the Chowrasta (large open square) – the focal point of Victorian Darjeeling, the bazaar area besides visiting the Himalayan Zoological Park and the Mountaineering Institute.
When it was not raining, the weather was cool and pleasant with beautiful sunshine.
Darjeeling – view from above (above and below 2)
The street where our hotel is located
Ladies of the trip
Bazaar and Market Area of Darjeeling
The chowrasta (above and below)
Have not seen so many different types of pickled stuff before
Grilled sweetcorn – looks yummy but did not try (above and below)
Darjeeling is synonymous with tea and much of the undulating hills are covered in tea plantations.
Nepalese Hindus predominate the region while Tibetans and Bhutanese are present in lesser extent.
We spent our second day exploring the market area, the Chowrasta (large open square) – the focal point of Victorian Darjeeling, the bazaar area besides visiting the Himalayan Zoological Park and the Mountaineering Institute.
When it was not raining, the weather was cool and pleasant with beautiful sunshine.
Darjeeling – view from above (above and below 2)The street where our hotel is locatedLadies of the tripBazaar and Market Area of Darjeeling
The chowrasta (above and below)Have not seen so many different types of pickled stuff beforeGrilled sweetcorn – looks yummy but did not try (above and below)
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