After taking a rickshaw back to the Ghat and boat over the Ganges to Nabadwip Dham to board a 8:40 train to New Jalpiguri (NJP) train was pretty uncomfortable as i had to sleep with the guitar and my small bag. not too bad, managed to get quite a few hours sleep. trains are easy to sleep on.
Darjeeling Fail
Arrived NJP at 7am on Sunday the 13th Dec, changed platforms to wait for the narrow gague 'Toy Train' that goes to Darjeeling. Met a couple from London Marie and Russel. Marie was an ex-pat Aussie. The train arrived, a tiny three carraige train that did literally look like a toy. One man approached us and told us that Darjeeling was going to have a strike. My gut feeling was bad, but everyone jumped on and i figured, hey if we're all in it together then it's not a problem! The train travels VERY slow and snakes its way up the mountain travelling 88km in 7.5 hours with multiple switchbacks. The views were pretty incredible, however what i imagine to be the greatest views at the top just prior to reaching darjeeling were obscured by darkness and most of the journey was limited to (relatively) short distances by a light haze. I imagine the views in the middle of summer to be much much better. Our carraige was mostly travellers two other couples and after some time we all ended up talking, myself getting along particularly well with a German couple Marie2 and David. While we were optimistic about the strike not affecting things, upon arriving in Darjeeling we spoke to a few hotel operators who gave a pretty dire scenario... stating we would have to get food that night (it was already after dark) enough to last 5 days and that all the transport around and out of town would shut down and operators from out of town would charge exorberant prices (like 5000rps/AU$125) just to get down. Our group was split, people who had time to kill and didnt mind waiting it out, and people who were on a slightly tighter schedule and didnt feel like wasting 5 days doing nothing, regardless of the scenery. Myself, David and Marie being in the latter group flagged down a ricketty looking jeep and after organising 200rp/$5 fare for the 3hr ride down to Siliguri (adjoining to NJP) jumped in the back and bumped up and down while our driver rushed us down overtaking whenever possible for pretty much all of the way other than the 40 or so minutes we were stationary due to traffic jam on the practically single lane cliffside road.
Exhausted and sore the three of us searched for some hotel rooms but as the Darjeeling exodus had beat us down it was near impossible to find something cheap and decent. so for 1000rp/$25 we split a really nice room with a HOT WATER SHOWER!! Keeping in mind that other than the few hours sleep in my clothes on the train i'd been up since sat morning at 3.30am and it was sunday evening at 10.30pm I was pretty keen... It was the first dose of hot water and the first shower I'd had since arriving in India (cold bucket baths til then.. and mostly since) my God I enjoyed it. A quick meal ordered to our room from the handy attatched restaurant and I was out like a light.
Mr Helpful
Punarikaksha, a devotee I'd met who shared a room with Adam at the Bramhachari in Mayapur was returning to visit his home, a small traditional village about 100km outside of Guwahati, the capitol of Assam, one of the North Eastern States. He had mentioned this to me and told me I'd be welcome to come and check it out with him so i called and he said it was fine. Down to the nearest Internet cafe, I searched and booked a train the following day at 0840 to Guwahati the following day. returning to the nice hotel to moved next door to two separate rooms in the scummy hotel. David had spoken to the owner about organising some train tickets but when we went past the office a different Indian man was sitting on a chair out the front. We asked for the manager but he said the guy was not around but that he was able to help us in every way, he also added that the manager would take our rupees but that he 'loved foriegners' so he wouldnt...
David and Marie needed to send a package and buy train tickets which he promised he could help with. My susdar was going haywire but David was more patient and let him lead the way, my Lonley Planet guide said the Post Office was due South about 2kms. We headed North. Assuring us he knew what he was doing, we stopped several times for him to speak to differnt people who pointed us along, I was convinced we were heading to a friend of his who owned a courier company or something he could get commision from but to his credit we did end up at some form of Post Office. Unfortunately they couldnt send the parcel David wanted to send and after 20 minutes we were directed to the Head Office (due South). I wasnt being over critical of this guy, but my intuition detected a stink of desperation in his need to help/please us, I immediately knew there had to be some motive. Deciding I really didnt have the tollerance for the helpful fellow, nor for the Indian Postal System, I stopped the Autorickshaw and jumped out halfway promising to meet up with them later. I'd noticed a number of music shops earlier I wanted to check out and I kinda wanted to just enjoy the freedom of just cruising a city on my own, it really was the first time alone in a place since leaving liam's good company. So i bought some Pan*, looked at some instruments, nearly bought a new guitar cover, browsed some clothing stores, etc.
When I felt hunger come on it had been a long time since leaving the others so i contacted them and we met up, they'd just left the post office... Mr Helpful was still in tow. I'd noticed a cheap nice looking veg joint but when we told Helpful we wanted to eat he insisted on some place he knew which just happened to be the establishment directly in front of his eyes. *sigh* so we go in, I say 'we want to see the price list first', he gets us a table, we insist the prices are too high and leave, it almost seemed like he was bitter about it. The other place was great, pure veg and cheap :)
Later on he takes David to look for tickets while Marie and I go back to the rooms, they'd stopped in at a bottle shop on the way back and got some beers and some 'wine' that david had asked for. turns out Helpful's idea of wine was cheap whiskey which he drank faster than anyone i've seen drink whiskey, alongside the beer. After a short while, the motive i knew was lurking spilt out, he wanted a visa for either Germany or Australia. *sigh* I'm not sure where he had the idea that befriending someone from a country would assist with immigration.
The manager of the hotel had spotted my guitar and asked us to join them for a jam (which was great!) but Helpful was dead against the idea. It was so easy to see through him at this point, he didnt want any attention taken away from him.. we jammed away playing beatles numbers and a few others while throwing back a few quiet brews while helpful sulked in the corner downing 'wine'.
Hunger struck again and we decided to move on and get something to eat. Helpful in the lead we wandered off towards some restaurant he'd decided was best for us. here's where things started to go really down hill. Turns out he'd been drinking quite heavily during the music session and was getting pretty hammered. Like a teenager at formal dance he pulls out his hipflask from somewhere in his crotch region and pours it into a half filled glass of water at the table of our unlicensed restaurant, then chugs it so feverishly it really really was quite disturbing. This happened 3-4 more times during the course of the meal. Also when his food was delivered he tried to give it to us. The service mood in india is strong, but in my experience most of it come from the heart, this came from somewhere else completely and instead of appreciating it in any sense it was the biggest turn off, the guy was seriously desperate and we all had so much pity for it.
Able to detect that he'd freaked us out there were a number of times on the way home that he drunkenly burst into tears, Marie commenting at one point "You're a grown man, stop crying". A sad case all round. The three of us had planned to retire to our room for some post dinner chilling out, but knew it would be a struggle to lose Helpful. and it was. but after a few hugs, some more tears, we lied and told him we were tired and crashing out. i'm think he spied on us after that but cant be sure.. I was relieved, as i had my ticket out the next morning well before he would wake from his drunken coma but dread to think what the other two had to put up with for the next three days *shudders*
I feel sorry for the guy, truly I do, but this sort of personality just sucks energy and time from you which i just cant spare. Next time my intuition flares up with someone like it did in the first few seconds of meeting Helpful I'll be insisting rather than suggesting we part ways.
Thus ends the story of the failed Darjeeling expedition and Mr Helpful.
Photos
See, it really is like a Toy Train...
Darjeeling Fail
Arrived NJP at 7am on Sunday the 13th Dec, changed platforms to wait for the narrow gague 'Toy Train' that goes to Darjeeling. Met a couple from London Marie and Russel. Marie was an ex-pat Aussie. The train arrived, a tiny three carraige train that did literally look like a toy. One man approached us and told us that Darjeeling was going to have a strike. My gut feeling was bad, but everyone jumped on and i figured, hey if we're all in it together then it's not a problem! The train travels VERY slow and snakes its way up the mountain travelling 88km in 7.5 hours with multiple switchbacks. The views were pretty incredible, however what i imagine to be the greatest views at the top just prior to reaching darjeeling were obscured by darkness and most of the journey was limited to (relatively) short distances by a light haze. I imagine the views in the middle of summer to be much much better. Our carraige was mostly travellers two other couples and after some time we all ended up talking, myself getting along particularly well with a German couple Marie2 and David. While we were optimistic about the strike not affecting things, upon arriving in Darjeeling we spoke to a few hotel operators who gave a pretty dire scenario... stating we would have to get food that night (it was already after dark) enough to last 5 days and that all the transport around and out of town would shut down and operators from out of town would charge exorberant prices (like 5000rps/AU$125) just to get down. Our group was split, people who had time to kill and didnt mind waiting it out, and people who were on a slightly tighter schedule and didnt feel like wasting 5 days doing nothing, regardless of the scenery. Myself, David and Marie being in the latter group flagged down a ricketty looking jeep and after organising 200rp/$5 fare for the 3hr ride down to Siliguri (adjoining to NJP) jumped in the back and bumped up and down while our driver rushed us down overtaking whenever possible for pretty much all of the way other than the 40 or so minutes we were stationary due to traffic jam on the practically single lane cliffside road.
Exhausted and sore the three of us searched for some hotel rooms but as the Darjeeling exodus had beat us down it was near impossible to find something cheap and decent. so for 1000rp/$25 we split a really nice room with a HOT WATER SHOWER!! Keeping in mind that other than the few hours sleep in my clothes on the train i'd been up since sat morning at 3.30am and it was sunday evening at 10.30pm I was pretty keen... It was the first dose of hot water and the first shower I'd had since arriving in India (cold bucket baths til then.. and mostly since) my God I enjoyed it. A quick meal ordered to our room from the handy attatched restaurant and I was out like a light.
Mr Helpful
Punarikaksha, a devotee I'd met who shared a room with Adam at the Bramhachari in Mayapur was returning to visit his home, a small traditional village about 100km outside of Guwahati, the capitol of Assam, one of the North Eastern States. He had mentioned this to me and told me I'd be welcome to come and check it out with him so i called and he said it was fine. Down to the nearest Internet cafe, I searched and booked a train the following day at 0840 to Guwahati the following day. returning to the nice hotel to moved next door to two separate rooms in the scummy hotel. David had spoken to the owner about organising some train tickets but when we went past the office a different Indian man was sitting on a chair out the front. We asked for the manager but he said the guy was not around but that he was able to help us in every way, he also added that the manager would take our rupees but that he 'loved foriegners' so he wouldnt...
David and Marie needed to send a package and buy train tickets which he promised he could help with. My susdar was going haywire but David was more patient and let him lead the way, my Lonley Planet guide said the Post Office was due South about 2kms. We headed North. Assuring us he knew what he was doing, we stopped several times for him to speak to differnt people who pointed us along, I was convinced we were heading to a friend of his who owned a courier company or something he could get commision from but to his credit we did end up at some form of Post Office. Unfortunately they couldnt send the parcel David wanted to send and after 20 minutes we were directed to the Head Office (due South). I wasnt being over critical of this guy, but my intuition detected a stink of desperation in his need to help/please us, I immediately knew there had to be some motive. Deciding I really didnt have the tollerance for the helpful fellow, nor for the Indian Postal System, I stopped the Autorickshaw and jumped out halfway promising to meet up with them later. I'd noticed a number of music shops earlier I wanted to check out and I kinda wanted to just enjoy the freedom of just cruising a city on my own, it really was the first time alone in a place since leaving liam's good company. So i bought some Pan*, looked at some instruments, nearly bought a new guitar cover, browsed some clothing stores, etc.
When I felt hunger come on it had been a long time since leaving the others so i contacted them and we met up, they'd just left the post office... Mr Helpful was still in tow. I'd noticed a cheap nice looking veg joint but when we told Helpful we wanted to eat he insisted on some place he knew which just happened to be the establishment directly in front of his eyes. *sigh* so we go in, I say 'we want to see the price list first', he gets us a table, we insist the prices are too high and leave, it almost seemed like he was bitter about it. The other place was great, pure veg and cheap :)
Later on he takes David to look for tickets while Marie and I go back to the rooms, they'd stopped in at a bottle shop on the way back and got some beers and some 'wine' that david had asked for. turns out Helpful's idea of wine was cheap whiskey which he drank faster than anyone i've seen drink whiskey, alongside the beer. After a short while, the motive i knew was lurking spilt out, he wanted a visa for either Germany or Australia. *sigh* I'm not sure where he had the idea that befriending someone from a country would assist with immigration.
The manager of the hotel had spotted my guitar and asked us to join them for a jam (which was great!) but Helpful was dead against the idea. It was so easy to see through him at this point, he didnt want any attention taken away from him.. we jammed away playing beatles numbers and a few others while throwing back a few quiet brews while helpful sulked in the corner downing 'wine'.
Hunger struck again and we decided to move on and get something to eat. Helpful in the lead we wandered off towards some restaurant he'd decided was best for us. here's where things started to go really down hill. Turns out he'd been drinking quite heavily during the music session and was getting pretty hammered. Like a teenager at formal dance he pulls out his hipflask from somewhere in his crotch region and pours it into a half filled glass of water at the table of our unlicensed restaurant, then chugs it so feverishly it really really was quite disturbing. This happened 3-4 more times during the course of the meal. Also when his food was delivered he tried to give it to us. The service mood in india is strong, but in my experience most of it come from the heart, this came from somewhere else completely and instead of appreciating it in any sense it was the biggest turn off, the guy was seriously desperate and we all had so much pity for it.
Able to detect that he'd freaked us out there were a number of times on the way home that he drunkenly burst into tears, Marie commenting at one point "You're a grown man, stop crying". A sad case all round. The three of us had planned to retire to our room for some post dinner chilling out, but knew it would be a struggle to lose Helpful. and it was. but after a few hugs, some more tears, we lied and told him we were tired and crashing out. i'm think he spied on us after that but cant be sure.. I was relieved, as i had my ticket out the next morning well before he would wake from his drunken coma but dread to think what the other two had to put up with for the next three days *shudders*
I feel sorry for the guy, truly I do, but this sort of personality just sucks energy and time from you which i just cant spare. Next time my intuition flares up with someone like it did in the first few seconds of meeting Helpful I'll be insisting rather than suggesting we part ways.
Thus ends the story of the failed Darjeeling expedition and Mr Helpful.
Photos
See, it really is like a Toy Train...
Mr. Helpful
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