Tea for Two ...

I don't think I have EVER walked so much in my life!!!! Darjeeling is like Sheffield - loads of hills and steep ones at that. My general exercise back home, is to walk to my car, so if my bum isn't smaller and firmer by the time I get back to the UK, from all this hiking, then something is not right with this world!!!

This morning we all went down to the boys orphanage. (Yet another long walk down hill. And as we all know, what goes down must come up!!). The Orphanage is run by a group of Tibetan Monks and the boys seemed just as well behaved and charming as the girls. However, in this case, their home is at risk!!!

There was an earthquake here in September and horrendous cracks have appeared all over the building which actually sits on the edge of the hillside. There is not enough money to repair everything, so we all went along with the trust to take photos of some of the boys that were there today and interview them for some of the publicity to help promote fundraising for them all.

Today is a Sikh holiday so a handful of the boys were not in school,  therefore we managed to photograph the small group. Considering they were young lads of all ages, they were surprisingly all so well behaved and respectful. No giggling or punching/pinching each other as they sat in silence waiting for their photo to be taken.

So here is the plug again: www.darjeelingchildrenstrust.com - please take a look. If any of you feel like you want to do something worthwhile, come and volunteer out here for a bit. Darjeeling is stunning to see and the children are so loving and happy! If volunteering isn't your bag, then what about sponsoring a child?

After the Orphanage, Claude and I tried to book tickets for a 'short' two hour ride on The Toy Train, aka known as 'The Joy Ride'. My nephew Joe (a three year old train spotter in the making) would be in his element!!! Receiving its World Hereitage Status by UNESCO in 1999, it is the oldest steam train in the world and apparently well worth the trip along the Hill Cart Road. However, by the time we arrived at the station, there were no tickets left!!! And tomorrow is our last day in Darjeeling! And so, I will just have to settle for a few photographs of the station. Sorry Joe none of the train for now ;( 

Right that is all for now, gonna put some lippie on as a few of us are off for "afternoon tea' at the renowned Windham Hotel. Tomorrow as I said is our last day here in Darjeeling then we prepare ourselves for an overnight train ride to Varanasi!!! Watch this space ...