Himalaya Adventure: DAY 9 SAT. OCT.11 DARJEELING

Three in the morning is a horrible time to wake up. But we did, all for the purpose of driving through the dark streets of Darjeeling to the Tiger's Hill to observe the sunrise on the Himalayas. So our trusty band of travelers motored to join thousands of Indians who were enjoying a holiday weekend to watch the show. In the first light of a new day we were prepared to be disappointed. A very cold fog loomed before us. Oh well, we thought, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Then a breeze came up and the clouds started to move. Finally, like a curtain being drawn open, the clouds parted to reveal a range of massive snow-clad mountains. The lofty peak of Kantajanga glistened a light gold in the early morning sun. Lou said the moment was rather like the mists of Avalon.

But the early rise and damp cold brought on a cold in my head that worsened steadily. A visit to a lovely monastery followed by an informative visit to the Happy Valley Tea Plantation ( who knew there could be such an art to tea? ) and a Tibetan Refugee Craft Co-operative, while informative, were lessened by my worsening condition. By the time we visited the Darjeeling Zoo, I was out of gas and very ill. When we reached the hotel, I collapsed in a feverish haze, skipped dinner completely and slept fitfully.

In retrospect, the tea plantation was truly a good experience. I enjoy tea, but I learned that the stuff we drink in Canada, made from tea bags, is dreadfully inferior to the type of tea available to people in India, or to clients around the world who are willing to pay for the truly good quality, loose leaf brew. The tea we drank throughout India, Nepal and Sikkim was really delicious.... even the tea in Tibet was good.