We decided to wake up early today to get a good glimpse of sunrise from the topmost vantage point of our area - the imaginatively named Observation Hill.

Sunrise in Darjeeling is real early - about 4 to 430 am, which is hell for a late riser like me (i go to sleep at 430 am). Nevertheless, the problem was solved by me not sleeping at all, another great example of the kind of lateral thinking that has contributed many problems to solutions on our trip.

this is a shot of us in the nether period between dark and dawn. it's light enough so you can see our figures but dark enough so you don't see that we are actually freezing our butts off.


this is elgin and me pretending its not too cold to stand around and do nothing.

We actually had to start jumping up and down and running uphill in a bid to get our blood flowing and bodies warm. It was 45 degrees in Calcutta just yesterday. It was about 10 degrees thereabouts this morning. A change of 35 degrees in temperature is funny if you are reading this blog but not so if every breath feels like a mini brain freeze from a hastily drunk slurpee.

Add in the altitude (2000+ metres) and i felt as if i was running with a towel over my mouth and nose. I gave up after 300 metres uphill cos an old man was smiling at me.

This is a surprisingly good shot of player flags fastened to a tree at the summit. we have no idea how they got up there, seeing as there is a ravine between the two points. but i guess the nepalese or tibetian people don't let a minor thing like gravity get in the way of their business.


Finally, what we had been waiting for, the elusive Sun Bird.




As it gradually got lighter, the awesome scenery began to reveal itself. Words cannot do it justice, so i shall shut up and let you guys enjoy the views.




The people who live here rise very early. The streets were quite filled with people out for jogs and exercise in all shapes and sizes. All of them could run faster than us, be they old men with pot bellies or house wives. The kids here climb up half a mountainside to get to school everyday (which is why a lot of them are late) which is why they are so bloody fit. The picture below is the scene at about 430 to 445 am. Yes, it is that bright already.




Shops and eateries however, open much later at about 7ish for street food/makeshift stalls and about 9 plus for normal stores and shops. Hence, its kinda deserted at that time.



Because we had nothing much to do (before the zoo opened) we started wandering around and wandered into some posh hotel on top of a hill. It looks like something out of a european countryside.



We then wandered downwards into the poorer parts of the city. Unlike Calcutta, we were not accosted by any beggars, neither did we have irrational (or rational) fears about our safety.

We found this makeshift stall besides the road selling street food. We were hungry so we ate. 6 rupees for the vegetable roll (which was amazingly delicious) and 4 rupees for a cup of chai (tea). it was great for warming up the system and getting our day going.


A long queue means food must be good - another example of typical singaporean thinking. but we were right and the food was good.



A humble but owning breakfast.



You're looking at 1.80 SGD worth of vegetable rolls below:



Roger and me having a cuppa.



Elgin cannot take it anymore.



And now...i know you guys have been waiting for this: The Dog of the Day!


We caught these 3 snuggling up in the morning when it was freezing.


And also, the sign of the day: