I love Darjeeling! (And not feeling clever)

We've left shillong for a whole lot of adventure times. 

First we went to a jungle resort in Guwahati where we RODE AN ELEPHANT. That's really the main reason we went there. Jill was adamant about the elephant ride. It wasn't, oddly enough, the unbearable humidity, the dining table surrounded by spider webs catching their prey or the beetles the size of mice (I wish I were kidding). Needless to say, it was a memorable night in the jungle resort. 

What followed was an 8 hour train ride to West Bengal. My first experience with Indian railway? Also memorable. There are some times where it's easy to forget that you're somewhere cool

And exotic and then you'll see giant beetles or see hundreds of people piled into a train or watch as men selling everything from memory cards to samosas to other pungent foods come down the train aisle. It was a pleasant journey though. Some beautiful views...and lots of smells. 

Then we drove a terrifying drive up to Darjeeling. It was horrible. Oh yeah, and I was so excited to get out of the jungle and away from the mice with wings...and then...oh man. Okay so because of the lack of public facilities we've gotten pretty used to pulling over on the side of the road. This time we came back to the car only to discover we LEECHES. Jo found 4 on her feet and I only found one. But we both kept checking obsessively. It so didnt help that our driver kept looking back at us like we were diseased. 

But thankfully worth it! This is the view from our hotel. I love darjeeling! I texted my mom almost immediately to tell her she had to come with my next time. It's the land of tea and beautiful mountains and a lot of Tibetan and Buddhist influence. 

Darjeeling is really awesome, were all sad to leave. I've loved the tea and the monasteries and the mountains (even though half the time we've been here it's been too cloudy to see anything). Darjeeling is still awesome. 

We're leaving Darjeeling this morning but for the first time it's clear enough to see the snow capped peaks of the Himalayas! AND our hostel provided apples! The first apple I've had in a month! I'm gonna go pour myself some freshly brewed tea. I'm really livin the dream over here.