Destination: India

Photos: David_photogallery_CalcuttaBookFair

Thu, 28 Jan 2016 | By davidford | Photo Gallery

Im(Puri)

Thu, 28 Jan 2016 | By davidford | Views [505]

A moment ago I looked up at the blue/grey evening sky to see around a dozen buzzards circling over the stretch of fisherman's beach here at Puri. On my first morning I took a walk along this same stretch, stepping over and around mooring ropes, and counted ... Read more >

Tags: beaches, books, filth

Photos: David_photogallery_Namchi2

Sun, 24 Jan 2016 | By davidford | Photo Gallery

Bye Bye Namchi, Te Ta Sikkim

Sun, 24 Jan 2016 | By davidford | Views [378]

Roman has been trying to teach me some Nepali. Dog is koocur (?), thank you is danyabad, how are you? is costachia (?), tea is chia, good bye is bye bye or te ta. So Te Ta Sikkim and thank you for a good stay.  I am now in Silaguri and on my ... Read more >

Photos: ambaji

Sun, 24 Jan 2016 | By mandg | Photo Gallery

Holing up in Namchi

Fri, 22 Jan 2016 | By davidford | Views [358]

I arrived in Namchi in the early afternoon and selected the Rough Guide hotel least difficult to find. This being on the plaza, which is like a market town shopping centre. For the last 3 days I have been holed up Clint Eastwood style (well!) with my ... Read more >

Tags: nothing much, waiting

TW(&W)M - 5 - Tashiding, a Step Too Far?

Thu, 21 Jan 2016 | By davidford | Views [427]

Another long night of unbroken and dream rich sleep over, a bowl of runny porridge (part) consumed, Mafa and I started on another, of course, steep climb up stone encrusted paths and concrete steps to Tashiding monastery, the most sacred of all Sikkimese ... Read more >

Tags: farewells, monasteries

TW(&W)M - 4 - It's a (relatively) Long Way to Tashiding

Thu, 21 Jan 2016 | By davidford | Views [445]

After a comfortable and warm night and a copious Rani breakfast of Millet porridge and fruit, buckwheat pancakes and tea I set out with Mafa for a mooch around Yoksum starting with a visit to a(nother) local gompa. Gompa having been bypassed we continued ... Read more >

Tags: forests, monasteries, mountains, trecks

Smooth as silk

Thu, 21 Jan 2016 | By aceite4 | Views [598]

  While California gets drenched with rainstorm after rainstorm (yay!), I have had a nearly rain-less time while traveling in Asia. Until yesterday.    It was misting a little when I left the hotel at around 11am to go silk scarf ... Read more >

TW(&W)M - 3 - Where it all started

Wed, 20 Jan 2016 | By davidford | Views [393]

Waking up this morning I was left with a choice whether to stay another day on the hilltop and maybe make my way to Gyalshing the following day for the weekend market or to head on for Yoksum to be reunited with my bag and possibly with Mafa. Consulting ... Read more >

Tags: hills, walking

TW(&W)M - 2 - Tara's Footprint

Wed, 20 Jan 2016 | By davidford | Views [481]

The second morning in Pelling entailed a relatively early rise to have breakfast and pack before a 10.30 shared jeep would take Mafa and I to Lake Khecheopalri, a sacred lake for Buddhists and Hindus alike some two hours distant.  Unsurprisingly ... Read more >

Tags: homestay, sacred lakes

Travels with (and without) Mafa - Pelling

Wed, 20 Jan 2016 | By davidford | Views [475]

I'm sitting in an internet cafe in Namchi called Frets. Unsurprisingly it has pictures of Jimi Hendrix, Mark Knopfler et all on the wall and rock music is playing. The owner is called 'Jerry', his father, David, is a minister somewhere. I'm in friendly ... Read more >

Tags: jeeps, monasteries, walks

Photos: David_photogallery_Tashiding

Wed, 20 Jan 2016 | By davidford | Photo Gallery

Photos: David_photogallery_Namchi/Rabangla

Wed, 20 Jan 2016 | By davidford | Photo Gallery

Photos: David_photogallery_Yoksum2Tashiding

Wed, 20 Jan 2016 | By davidford | Photo Gallery