Siliguri....our second Calcutta

12.04.2008 to 14.04.2008 Out of the train station we were attacked by jeep drivers shouting ‘Darjeeling, Darjeeling’...it took us quite some time to convince them that we did not want to go to Darjeeling. Instead we took a pre-paid auto rickshaw to town. The drive was a dangerous one to say the least. The auto-rickshaw is similar to a tuk-tuk which is basically a small carriage pushed by a motor-bike, with one particular feature... the drivers tend to forget that they have a carriage behind them. So off we went, riding like hell, approximately nearly killing three people on our way, in a town where we concluded Shcumacher had had his training before starting his racing career....Siliguri....a miniature of Calcutta....a hateful shit hole full of cars, noise and pollution. No not again!!!! Our only consolation was that this was only for a couple of days until we make our way to visit Jaldaphara Wildlife Sanctuary. Here Janet tried for the very first time her salwar kamazee, but unluckily, nothing changed, the staring was there to remain. We managed pretty easily to find the tourist information office where we learned that we could easily take a train to Jaldaphara...this option attracted us much more than the bus. Back at our guesthouse we decided to take a short nap before going to check out the train times for the following morning. At around six we set off, heading for the booking office. A few metres away from our guesthouse Janet had a small accident. A beggar pushed into Yakof asking for money as Janet was stepping down off the pavement, spraining her ankle badly in the process. The pain was atrocious and she nearly fainted....in fact she barely made it back to the guesthouse. Yakof carried her all the way up to the first floor and left her to get some ice for her swollen foot. He came back with two ice-lollies which served the purpose anyway. Once the lollies melted, we made it slowly up to our room....in the third floor. Janet had to hop all the way up on one foot. Back in the room, she spent the rest of the day and the following one, in bed for her foot to heal. This meant that we did not make it to Jaldaphara the following day, but luckily, the foot was healing quickly, so we made it there the following day. The train ride was an enjoyable one. We had to spend the first thirty minutes seated on the floor as there was no place....after that a local gave up his seat to let us sit and from there it was a very comfortable ride. As we approached our destination some kids came on the train. One of the girls sat next to Yakof....she looked like a little woman, with her salwar kameeze and jingle bangles. Her ways was very relaxed as well as she eased herself comfortably with her hand on Yakof's foot. Janet, from her end, shared her seat with two small girls and a boy. Once at Jaldaphara we were up for a dissapointment....we were too late to get a jeep or elephant ride....all we could do was a 12km tour sort of thing which was not worth it at all. So we decided to head back to Siliguri, straight away since and overnight stay threre was incredibly expensive. Unluckily the bus ride was not as comfortable or picturesce, especially considering the fact that for all the way, around four hours in total, the bus screened a Bollywood movie, at full volume. We arrived in Siliguri at around 4 o'clock, starved. We headed towards Monarch restaurant and had some very nice indian food there. Back at our guesthouse we packed everything to prepare for our next destination......Darjeeling.

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