Day 29 to 33: Darjeeeling, Himalayas and bloodsucking bugs in your backside

Reuben

Good old wonder bearded Reuben Benjie Stafford, an Ozzie of defiant principle, habouring a detest for the Palm Oil market, with a stringent commitment to vegetarianism in the face of a delicious chicken dinners, a lover of landscape and photography, with an unquenchable thirst to see the world and indulge in its multitude of different cultures and customs…

Oh yeah and a massive desire to smash a car up with a baseball bat.

There were 8 strangers and 2 guides who embarked from Darjeeling on a 4 day trek of the Himalayas, and when me and Vasker left them all sound asleep in Sankhapur to make our way back to Darjeeling, we were 10 firm friends.

I won’t attempt to divulge every nuance and details of each step we took – well maybe a little – cos I just don’t want to bore the shit out of you.

But suffice to say that it was a challenging, magical experience that will live long in the memory

So will I say about it? Well photos should say it all (good old facebook), but when I was on the top of Phalut standing at 3600 metres at sunset, with an uninterrupted view across the Himalayas, with Everest to my left and Kanchenchunga (the worlds 3^rd highest peak) to my right, life doesn’t get much better.

It can get a fuck of a lot warmer though.

But from scaling huge valley walls, swinging bridges over countless wild rivers fed by driving waterfalls, wide exposed Himalayan ridges, random wild Yak encounters, the joys of rocking up to our camps of Gorkhay, Phalut and Sankhapur, huddling and laughing in smoky huts with no ventilation to keep warm, drinking Tongba (Himalayan beer made from millet) through bamboo straws, warming ourselves with Rhododendron wine and 75% proof rum, waking up with hangovers at high altitude, passing wild Marijuana plants, getting locals to slaughter us a ‘Bale’ (chicken) for dinner, tasting the delight of momos, playing football with local kids by sheer valley drops (bagsie not getting the ball), watching Diwali fireworks light the Darjeeling night sky 50 km away on a mountaintop wrapped in blankets…

… it doesn’t get much better.

And as for looking up at night, it’s a yawn-some, tired old line to say, ‘I’ve never seen so many stars’…

…but by God, I have NEVER seen so many stars.

Mind you, waking up on the 3^rd morning with what I thought was a mole or spot loose on my skin to sleepily check it in the kitchen of our camp…

…and find a non insignificant tick embedded into my backside was a bit of a shock. The stubborn little bugger clung on for dear life, but thankfully – albeit with a girlie yelp from me– we pulled it off, and the blood sucker has sucked its last.

But swings and roundabouts and all’

So to the friends that I made – and I’m sorry if this is a little indulgent…

Of course, you know Reuben – who could miss him with that beard? – but what about his lovely partner Ainslie, the goddess of the loose leaf tea. I hope to see you both in Brisbane.

To Kari and Karin, the baggage handlers from Minnesota, may your travels together be as harmonious as your friendship seems, and remember: Birmingham is the greatest city in the world – just ask Telly Savalas.

To Francois – welcome to the magic of Roald Dahl

Alastair – may your super power never dwindle.

Our guides, and friends, Arpan and Vasker – your enthusiasm and drive made every tough step and brutal climb easier. I thank you both.

And finally, to my belle sorelle Amelie – don’t ever let your sense of adventure die x

This was to be my ‘training exercise’ for Base camp, and it certainly loosened up a few dormant muscles (and a few untimely bowel movements). But it became a wondrous adventure in itself – a significant chapter in its own right.

And to walk through the Himalayas will simply take your breath away.

It took mine, and I’m more than happy to let them keep it.

It’s been a fitting end to my time in India, and to have gone from the Delhi dust to opulent temple and monument, lake palaces to Mumbai madness, Goan seduction to Varanasi spirituality, and finish up in the mountain charm of Darjeeling, I can safely say I’ve seen a lot.

However I’m happy in the knowledge that in the grand scheme of things I’ve seen very little. Just means that India hasn’t seen the back of me.

Nepal, here I come.