November 30 Darjeeling to Varanasi

After a grim breakfast, and not a great night, due to the stomach problems, we left for the Darjeeling Station. Surprise...some pics for today...I am doing this Dec 1 as the hotel in Varanasi has decent internet. The three pics below show different parts of the spectacular Himalayan range....not sure of it's name, taken from the station. All the guys were waiting for the train.

 The train is a so called toy train, because it is smaller than contemporary trains, but it is an engineering marvel, and fully operational. It is the DHR or Darjeeling Himalayan Railway to Kurseong. Steam of course, so an antique!!

 Caught the dog resting on the tracks, but further along the line, I saw a group of folks with chairs, sitting right on the rail line...not sure if it was disused, or what but you can expect anything.

 Back of the train with coal....doensn't look much coal....

Loved the view so took more

 Info on the railway...a UNESCO heritage site.

 See below....one of the highest railways in the world

 The rail and road go together. The train weaves in and out of the road, veering from one side to the other. Lots of hooting, and cars do have to wait for this queen of trains!!

 Shows train and road traffic so close..

Inside....

 Time to look outside as the train was slow...took 3 hours to get to Kurseong.

 Gorgeous trees

 I leaned out the window for this one, but you had to be so careful, as the train went so so so close to shops...you could grab washing off people's clothes lines, greet people, wave, and see life along the road upfront.

 The train takes curves well

 At Kurseong, we had descending a lot, and the train stopped there. We had lunch, and got into our van and continued our trip to New Jalpaiguri Rail Junction, which was at Siliguri, and served the huge areas of the north.

 Road construction everywhere, potholes galore, some dirt tracks, many very very steep with almost no guard rails, and you looked down hundreds of feet! Driving these roads takes lots of experience and skill. Westerners would not cope.

 Tea growing on a flat area for a change. We reached the Junction, and waited for the train, overnight to Varanasi. The trip is not for the faint of heart, and many reading this would not cope with upfront second class train. It had AC but was not a time to get a whole lot of sleep....lots of security awareness, toilets were........ to be used as little as possible. Our leader looked after us thank goodness. You don't venture onto one of these trains without a good leader. Overnight to arrive 7:05 AM. No meals...I ate cookies, as my stomach was not yet fixed, although improving.