An Impromptu trip to Darjeeling #LastMinute

Geet, my best friend was finally hitched. Last year in June, I was in Siliguri along with my other friends and batchmates to attend her reception.  After the reception was over, somewhere in my heart I felt a void. All of us were so ecstatic for the big day since a year, which finally came to an end so quickly. Late at night, all of our friends went for a night walk when Ronit came forward with the idea of a quick trip to Darjeeling the next day.  We all agreed to it and I was more elated because I've never been to Darjeeling before.
From Siliguri, we booked a car and started our journey to Darjeeling. In Chauk Bazaar, when the driver dropped us, our main concern was to find a hotel. Fortunately, we could find a place to stay in the Mall area.

It was my first day at Darjeeling but this small hill station nestled in the lap of the nature did cast a charm on me already. The receptionist at the hotel told us that we missed the Rhododendron season but the variety of wild flowers are there to compensate for it. The first evening of the trip was spent by sitting at the back Mall, sipping coffee while the chilly breeze touched our naked face. Due to clear weather, our eyes could witness  snow-capped Kanchenjunga turning orange while the sun set in the west. The view of the sun setting down, leaving frail trails of orange hues at the golden hour was magical. The age old Mall from the British Era, the vintage Glenerys, the horse rides, the humdrum of the tourists and the locals, the cacophony in the little colony of street shops selling woollen pullovers to Kashmiri shawls and of course the momo stalls selling hot momos with red chutney brought respite to all of us.

The next day began by waking up at 4a.m. in the morning to see the birth of the new sun from the Tiger Hill. The day was followed by the famous 'Joy Ride'. The toy trains moving slowly past the serpentine roads of the green mountains was absolutely delightful. We, then visited Batasia loop and Ghoom Monastery. The monastery with an air of mysticism filled our hearts with serenity.
On our penultimate day of  the trip, as suggested by the receptionist, we went for sightseeing. Our driver at first took us to the 'Happy valley tea Garden' and then to the Darjeeling Zoo.  From there, we started our journey towards Rock garden. The cascading waterfalls, the wild flowers, and the breathtaking views added more charm to the place.

The destination on our final day of the trip was Mirik. Mirik offers mesmerizing tea gardens with Lake Sumendu being the centre of attraction of the place. Boating in this serene lake, and horse riding in the vicinity of the lake was fun and enjoyable. With a heavy heart, we left this quaint hill station which offers breathtaking views, amazing foods, and humble locals and surely made this impromptu trip a memorable one.