Tea leaves lie above fans that dry them for use. You can’t see or hear the fans but put your hand over the leaves and they’ll shoot up all around.

That is the name of the tea we tried yesterday.  Orange Pekoe is easier.  Today was the last full day up on the Darjeeling stair master.  After 4 1/2 days I now have calves of thunder.  Apparently it’s not uncommon to get charlie horses in the middle of the night and last night I woke up a few times needing to pop extra strength advil to help stop the burning.  All of us have also developed a strange scratchy throat with cold-like symptoms.  I think it’s from the altitude and breathing in jeep fumes through hairless nasal passages.

It’s a good time to leave, not because it’s bad but because of the following:

1.  Always leave on a high.  Darjeeling is awesome – the time here was worth every minute of the journey up.

2.  Saw one of the girls I met puking in a gutter today.  The shopkeeper who’s store was on the gutter came out to say “Vomiting is bad, it’s not healthy.”  Couldn’t tell if he felt sorry for her or was telling her that puking in public is unhygenic.  She could have used some of my VomitStop tablets.  I like that they call it what it is here, what does “Gravol” tell you it does?  Whenever you see the white people puking in public it’s time to move on.

3.  Feels like I’m cheating my trip up here.  It’s not conventional India, it’s rather modern and not nearly as dirty or hot as down below.  It’s great but I need the grit again.

4.  Really looking forward to Kolkata now that I’ve had my break.  Want to see the masses of people again and check out the sites down there.

5.  I have a farmer’s tan from wearing t-shirts.  Those have never been attractive, need to even it out for a new look.

The one sad thing about leaving tomorrow is that me and my two little brothers will be separated.  The guys will head north to Sikkim and then onto Nepal from there.  They’ve been great fun to travel with, very entertaining and they certainly made the journey up here almost bearable.  From here to Kolkata I’ll be with James which is nice since he’s been there before so I won’t feel so totally out of it.

Dave, Me, Andrew

One more quick walk/hike tomorrow to find some monasteries and then sucking back the rest of my VomitStops for the 3 hour jeep ride back down to the plains to catch the train.

That’s it from Darjeeling, one of the finest places on the planet.

Crossing the street or climbing it.

Don’t taunt the lion.

Mist creeping over the temple. Darjeeling, India.

The mist clears for a beautiful look at the shrine. Darjeeling, India.

Up close and personal.