Day 2, Ghoom

In Darjeeling however, the rain was only just about to make impact. We checked into a hotel (Aliment, Rs300/night for a double room, free library, backpackers galore and helpful owner who refered to himself as Uncle), bought an umbrella and then a winter waterproof jacket. Ate the momos at Penang's, had high tea with shortbread at Glenary's and next morning gorged on the sausage platter at Keventer's. Darjeeling turned out to be more about the food than anything else.

The centre was Chaurasta (where we didn't go for a pony ride) and a walk upwards lead to the pubs, eating joints, Mahakaal mall and Inox. Down was the way to the main bazaar and taxi stand, both less friendly and less picturesque. We discovered it on our way out to Kalimpong.

The rain discouraged us from walking around and the mist prevented us from enjoying the view so we didn't bother to get up in time for the 4 o'clock Kanchenjunga view sunrise at Tiger Hill.

Getting to the our hotel included a 10-15 minute uphill walk from Chaurasta and the first time we climbed Janice immediately abandoned all plans of ever reaching the Kanchenjunga base camp. For two months I had laughed at her determination to trek but didn't laugh (as much) now. To her credit she had quit smoking and vowed to start excersising. Every day.

T-shirts were bought and a general gift buying spree happened. While planning, we didn't realize that shopping takes occurs in such great extent at Darjeeling. Gangtok was our final destination and place to spend all the money left over. It turns out people from Gangtok make shopping trips to Darjeeling.

Buzz turned out to be a disappointment. The live bands we had heard so much about had stopped playing over six months ago. Gorkhaland* flags and Bimal Gurung posters everywhere made me wonder if it had anything to do with that.

The next day we went to Ghoom and took a look at the Sampten Choling Gompa - our first of several monasteries on the way. Sampten Choling is the only one to depict the future Buddha. We walked back and stopped at the Japanese Peace Pagoda on the way. The road signs said it was 8km back to Darjeeling and Janice was extremely proud at the amount that we had trekked until someone pointed out that we took a short cut. 2km was probably as far as we had travelled.

*The only thing I knew of the movement was because of Kiran Desai. We later found out that her book told only one side of the story. Darjeeling once belonged to Sikkim. In the mid 1800s, the British bribed the king of Sikkim for the hills and planted tea estates. After partition, Darjeeling and Kurseong hills were part of Bengal and Bangladeshi immigrants were told to treat Siliguri as their new home. Gorkhas were always second class citizens. In 1975, Sikkim became part of India and benefactor to an annual budget for its development. Citizens got ration cards immediately, secure government jobs, education in English, roads, electricity, water and later DTH even in the smallest of villages. Their cousins in Darjeeling suddenly realized how much they were missing out on and the cry for Gorkhaland began in earnest. Subash Ghising with the Gorkhaland National Liberation Front was the first to get enough people mobilized that the rest of the country took notice. Later he was bought off by the Bengal Government which gave autonomy to the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. Ghising now owns houses in different countries. Gurung used to be Ghising's man until a fall out. But it was Prashant Tamang at the Indian Idol finals that brought up the issue of Gorkhaland again. Farmers sold their cows and SMSed Tamang to national popstardom. Bimal Gurung's Gorkha Janamukti Morcha rode on his success and the coming election was to be a cruncher. Or so we were told.