Everest, very chilly weather and a bad stomach!

So ... To finish up my time in Kolkata I saw out the Holi festival relatively unscathed, said goodbye to new friends and got a decent bout of food poisoning

(got a few good shots of kids mid-Holi celebration attached).

I headed by train to Darjeeling .. a tea growing town, which is 2500 metres above sea level ... from the top of the hill, which this town is built on, and up, is a spot where you can see the Himalayan range, including Mt Everest. Of course I got sick on my second to last day in Kolkata before getting a 12 hour train from Kolkata to Darjeeling then a 4 hour jeep ride up a huuuuge hill, you can imagine I was most impressed. I will be writing a letter of thanks to Gastrostop Inc. thanking them. I was joined by my friend Nadia for this leg of the trip, was nice to have company when feeling so ill.

As we drove up the hill in the jeep, you could literally feel the temperature dropping at each turn. Starting at around 32c at the bottom, and ending up around 9c at the top. Now, one of India's strong points is not its roads ... this was also the case up a 2000mt hill. It was like someone took a ruler, and drew a line up the side of the mountain and decided it was a perfect spot to "build" a road! (Shearers, Echunga hill was NOTHING on this incline!). Was very full on and quite nerve racking. But absolutely spectacular ... the sides of the hills littered with houses, tea plantations and shacks selling the famous Darjeeling tea. I thought of Nan heaps, tea always has that effect (she was watching me in that jeep Im sure of it .. someone had to have been responsible for getting us up there safely!!!).

One of the mornings in Darjeeling, I hauled ass out of bed at 4am to head up to Tiger Hill to see the Himalayas. I have never been so thankful to be up at that hour (or to have a public toilet awaiting me up the top of the look out ... still very crook!). Following a truly brilliant sunrise (photo attached), we heard this huge cheer erupt from all the locals around the look out tower ... we looked around and realised that the entire Himilayan range behind us was alight with the sun ... and glowing a magnificent organge/pink colour. Many travellers Id spoken to that day had said not to bother taking the 4am jeep trip further up the mountain to try see the range, as it was just too cloudy... when I showed my shots to one such sceptical kiwi traveller, she burst into tears and headed up the following morning. As you all know, trecking and that sort of jazz has never been my cup of tea, and thats not about to change I assure you. But I can imagine for the first time what the fuss might be all about.

My photos dont do the mountains justice, how beautiful it was and how amazing it felt to be fucking freezing but also warm with excitment and privledge.

Im in a town called Patna now, and making way across land to Delhi for a coulpe nights before heading to Rishikesh, for the 12 year festival in Haridwar.

I feel good.

I feel happy.

I miss baked beans on toast with hashbrowns for hang over breakfast.

I feel reflective.