It took about an hour for the jeep to fill and then we were off on the
beautiful drive down the mountain. Women waded through seas of green
as they furiously picked tea leaves. Everything looks so magically
beautiful with the striking contrast of green and sudden bursts of
bright colors flowing from women's saris. Even while breaking rocks
with sledge hammers (which is often seen on the road side) women wear
the saris and jewelry.
The train from Darjeeling to New Delhi would have been our longest
train experience yet, so we decided to pay a little more money and
travel on the express train. The Rajdhani Express makes less stops
and serves meals, tea, and snacks for free.
It was our nicest Indian train experience. The food was an Indian
version of airplane food, but it was filling and good. Plus free
water bottles! No steady procession of salemen and people asking for
food or money. Overall it was quieter and clean. The route took us
through rural areas with fields of rice and swollen tributaries. The
remoteness and hardships of rural Indian life is apparent even from a
window of a passing train. Terraced rice fields, banana tree
plantations, and green ponds reflecting clouds lined in water lilies.
Muscular buffalos. People farming and squatting. Always the beautiful
sari colors. The landscapes were rich in beauty.
We have a brief Delhi interlude before heading down south.
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