For many, the charm of slow travel is more appealing than the convenience of flights. The experience of interacting with fellow travelers and soaking in the surreal sights of snow-dusted mountaintops, glacial lakes, paddy fields, and imposing viaducts remains unmatched. From catching the northern lights from the comfort of your carriage to watching zebras trotting through green pastures, these train journeys are for those who wish to savor the world while crossing items off their bucket lists.
Tea, a Train and an Epic Sunrise at a Summer Retreat of the Raj
21.11.2023 - 13:01 / nytimes.com
Ever since I was a little girl I’d dreamed of going to Darjeeling. My imagination was captivated by this town nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas in the Indian state of West Bengal. Surrounded by lush, terraced tea gardens that extend across rolling hills, with the majestic snow-capped mountains behind them, Darjeeling is one of India’s most stunning hill stations, known as the Queen of the Mountains.
Originally set up in the 1800s as a summer retreat for British officials, it was leased to them by the Kingdom of Sikkim, and subsequently annexed to the British Raj in India. This history is still evident in its architecture and churches.
Darjeeling sits high above some of its neighbors at an altitude of 6,710 feet. I had visions of myself sipping tea amid the mountains, surrounded by natural beauty and tranquillity.
I visited Darjeeling for the first time in 2014 and it rained the whole time. For years I had longed to return and finally, in the spring of 2023, I made the trip again, this time with my father and sister-in-law in tow, spending four days. The plan was to explore Darjeeling itself, then visit Tiger Hill, famous for its sunrise; take in the tea gardens and the Batasia Loop, where the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway makes its famous 360-degree turn; and then to ride the train on its vertiginous climb through the mountains.
People all over the world associate Darjeeling most closely with tea — but little do they know that the fame of Darjeeling’s tea has come at a price, namely massive deforestation as the tea plantations have expanded.
Today, the population is largely immigrant and migrant workers keep the town’s tea trade flourishing. I learned a great deal about the history and culture of the tea industry from some of the town’s tea estate managers and owners. They explained how quickly the industry had grown and that their security teams kept a close watch over the laborers to keep production levels as intensive as possible. While we take great pleasure in enjoying our tea, it is always worth remembering how such enjoyment can sometimes come at the expense of other people.
Our first stop was the Chowrasta — or mall — the heart of the old town on the Nehru Road. It’s a lively, bustling place: home to a promenade where tourists and locals alike come to shop, eat or simply sit and take in the views. For me it was a great chance to people-watch, sitting with a cup of tea and listening to young people singing Bollywood songs, families bargaining with the vendors and conversations between passers-by.
While taking in the beautiful chaos around me, and surrounded by the heady smell of pine trees, I spotted a few women vendors selling bhuta (corn on the cob). I walked over to one to order some
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
Top Autors
Popular Topics
cntraveler.com
01.12.2023 / 19:15
6 Essential Tennis Vacations in Europe, From Sardinia to Switzerland
Even during the height of winter ski season, you can still hear the rhythmic pop of a tennis ball hitting a racquet around Stanglwirt, a decades-old luxury resort in the Austrian Alps near the tony mountain town of Kitzbühel. While Stanglwirt is now known for its laundry list of world-class amenities (including a fantastic wellness program), tennis is in fact what put it on the map. Through tennis management firm Peter Burwash International, Stanglwirt expanded its entire tennis program in the 1970s and 1980s, including building more facilities to accommodate tennis camps—a novelty at the time.
breakingtravelnews.com
29.11.2023 / 16:18
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS ATTRACTS OVER ONE MILLION VISITORS: JANUARY TO OCTOBER 2023
The Turks and Caicos Islands is celebrating over a million visitors to the destination by air and cruise. From January to October 2023, the Turks and Caicos saw 535,893 visitors arrive by air and 677,943 via cruise.
skift.com
28.11.2023 / 13:24
The UK Has a Housing Problem. Restricting Rentals Won't Fix it
The UK Short-Term Accommodation Association (UKSTAA) conducted new research that identified nearly 2 million homes that local authorities consider “deliverable,” with as many as 1.5 million of them in the next five years.
forbes.com
28.11.2023 / 00:59
The Eastern & Oriental Express Train Returns To Asia
In the 1990s, The Eastern & Oriental Express, a modern version of the vintage luxury trains that once snaked through Southeast Asia, took to the rails. It recreated a decidedly romantic way to travel through the jungles, cities, and riverfront towns of Singapore and Malaysia, which its sister train, the Venice Simplon Orient Express, offered in Europe.
theguardian.com
27.11.2023 / 13:27
20 of the best UK pubs with bedrooms, for lunch and a winter walk
Fireside lunches in cheerful pubs are one of the great pleasures of the UK winter, and this score of snug venues all come with somewhere to stay as well as cobweb-clearing walks from the door.
nytimes.com
27.11.2023 / 10:14
Round and Round We Go: Circular Strolls Near London
When is walking in circles a good thing? When following a trail through villages, forests and fields using open-access paths that begin and end at the same train station.
traveldailynews.com
27.11.2023 / 09:50
How the Al Humaidi Family of Kuwait is changing travel
The Al Humaidi Family of Kuwait, which is headed by Dr. Abdulla Al Humaidi, has launched (and is continuing to launch) a range of ambitious projects via Kuwaiti European Holdings Group.
traveldailynews.com
27.11.2023 / 09:48
Swiss Alpine Center: The Swiss Business School for Hospitality & Tourism Management
Since its inception, Alpine’s vision has been and continues to be, to ensure students gain the specific skills, professional attitude, updated knowledge and practical experiences in the hospitality industry that employers want and need, now and in the future.
traveldailynews.com
27.11.2023 / 09:48
Lošinj Hotels & Villas announces the appointment of a new Executive Director of Human Resources
Dijana brings a wealth of experience acquired globally, having worked in various hospitality and human resources roles in Canada, Germany, Scotland, and Croatia.
traveldailynews.com
27.11.2023 / 09:44
APG appointed as SriLankan Airlines’ Passenger GSA in Ireland
As a proud member of the oneworld Alliance, SriLankan Airlines presently connects its hub, Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, with various points across South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Far East, Europe, the Middle East and Australia.