In the Arms of Nature

Darjeeling, darling of all hill stations, also referred to as the Queen of hill stations triggered my curiosity and excitement to visit the Queen of hills. Also, lucky for me! It happens to be the safest travel option during the Covid19 pandemic with the lowest number of cases.

Our flight took 2 hours to reach Bagdogra, the nearest airport to our destination. The taxi ride to Darjeeling from Bagdogra took 5 hours on the uneven roads in the foothills. As we were on the ascent, negotiating several hairpin bends, the roads became smoother, and we didn’t feel exhausted. The picturesque views of pine and bamboo trees interspersed with a variety of tall trees on the mountain slopes were breathtaking. Setting Sun’s rays through gaps of the thick foliage blinded us intermittently for a while. This was my first interaction with the queen of hill station- Darjeeling!
Midway, we stopped to stretch ourselves, and went for a steaming cup of tea from a local vendor nearby. We met another couple who were heading for Gangtok. Our drivers were chatting, and as luck would have it, they found out that our driver is from Gangtok and their driver was from Darjeeling. We swapped the car!! Smart thinking. Isn’t it? Our driver was happy, as he got to head back to Darjeeling and stay with his family. We were happy as we found our driver very courteous, familiar with the terrain and also a fairly good Guide.
With all the travelling and exertion, my stomach started growling. Right then my nose caught the aroma of momos from a distance. It was a small local vendor who had his hot authentic momos ready to serve. Once my stomach was satisfied, it was time to fulfil my heart's desires - “Lamahatta Eco-park!”

At an altitude of 5700 ft, the  Lama Hatta Eco park , famous for its biodiversity stands tall majestically in the landscape.  As an appendage, a sacred water body, guarded by luscious green pine trees add to the total serenity of the Eco park.  I have never before experienced such a perfect solitude - something ethereal and very sublime.
Finally, I ended my day in the Ramada hotel room, which is located on the mall road. The rooms are spacious and well maintained, but not all rooms have options with a view. While I was here, I visited the mall road frequently. And I must admit, it has its unique aura. Some people also mention this place as the heart of Darjeeling town. Vehicles are not allowed in this location, so you can stroll around the mall. This place is a piece of cake for all the foodies, as there are so many dining options here.
As the local restaurants and cafes close early when compared to Delhi, we rushed to Kunga restaurant, adjacent to our hotel. It was small and looked ethinic. “Chota packet bada dhamaka!!” - this reference goes perfectly with the restaurant. Unfortunately, we were unable to try out the enormous options in their menu that day. So, we went to the restaurant next to it named Dekevas. Although the restaurant welcomed us with open arms, we were not confident about this place. The staff took time to understand our requirements with the choice of food and then suggested the best of what they had to offer. Let me admit, it was a sumptuous dinner and authentic.

After our buffet breakfast at Ramada, we went for a walk on the mall road. As usual, it was as lively as it could be and of course the air was much fresher and calmer. We called Vivek (our driver) for a day trip to tiger hills. The view of Kanchenjunga at the sunrise, mesmerised us. The vibrant colours painted on the horizon over Kanchenjunga kept us spellbound. It is rare to get a full view of the sunrise with Kanchenjunga, as it is often covered in mist.
After the splendid view, we wanted to enjoy the serenity of the place and explore Nightingale park, located at Richmond hills, an ideal place for relaxing and the calmness . We stopped for a while and then moved to our next location - Himalayan Zoological Park & Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.

This is one of the finest zoos we have ever been to and the level of maintenance is admirable. We hired a guide with us who helped in identifying different species which is not seen in most of the Indian zoos. The kinds museum exhibits different equipment which was once used to climb The Everest.

We were amazed to see our history and that so many people have climbed Everest. It's so much which goes behind planning and climbing Everest.
We ended our day by going on a drive with a cup of tea as it was raining which made the weather and our journey more pleasant.

And, now we pack our bags to move back to our home but that was not all. On the way back, we completed our journey by visiting - Margaret's Deck Tea Lounge (Goodricke Tea Pot) where we experienced one of the finest tea along with a beautiful view.