Oct. 5 - Dec. 11, 2023
Morning prayer on Ganges, Varanasi
Continued from Armenia...
Landed at Delhi airport after flights from Armenia - Georgia through Azerbaijan. This was my 4th visit to India. My first trip was an epic five month long journey in 1998 (when digital photography didn't exist!). I also visited Mumbai, Agra and Lucknow in 2006 and in 2008 with students (school trips I organized) for international mathematics competitions in Lucknow.
India hasn’t changed much since my last visits... Of course, there are now 1.5 billion people living in India (a 45% increase in population since my first trip in 1998), so streets are noisier and busier than before !
The Darjeeling Toy Train, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, moves through the picturesque hills since 1881. A narrow-gauge marvel, it connects Darjeeling to Siliguri, offering breathtaking views of tea plantations and misty landscapes. Riding the choo-choo train from Darjeeling to Ghum (7 km in 1 hour !) becomes a journey through history as it traverses loops and curves, showing the ingenuity of 19th-century engineering. The slow pace train was nice, allowing us to enjoy the scenic beauty (Tea plantations with backdrop Himalayan views).
Rural village, Sundarbans reserve
Dec. 3 - Dec 11: Leaving Sikkim, we spent our last days in Kolkata and visiting the Sundarbans Tiger reserve for three days. We didn't see any tigers, but saw animals like monitored lizards, stocks, snakes, crabs, birds and much more.
We wandered around many places in Kolkata (which I enjoyed more than Delhi). Visiting Mother Theresa`s tomb (where she worked all her life) was really peaceful. On December 11 2023, 5 months after I started my trip, I flew to Bali for some well deserved rest. Continue reading, Indonesia was my next destination.