Darjeeling and into Sikkim

Hello Everybody,

Our travels have brought us to Darjeeling, and into Sikkim.

Darjeeling, as the name suggests, is the epicenter of Darjeeling tea. It's a town in the far NE corner of India, and is high up in the mountains.

As a result of its altitude, it's pretty darned cold. The long underwear, hats and gloves are getting used, again!

Yesterday we visited a tea plantation, and the Darjeeling tea here is amazing. We have purchased many packages for friends and relatives.

Within sight are some of the highest peaks of the Himalayas. In the attached picture, you'll see some peaks that are just a little lower than Everest - about 25,000 feet in elevation. Imagine the highest peaks of Colorado - and these mountains are almost twice that high. It kind of boggles the mind the scope of the Himalayas.

Today we made the trek into Sikkim. The Indian state of Sikkim is often compared to the country of Bhutan. It is very mountainous, and the Tibetan and Nepali influence is palpable.

We visited the Buddhist monastery of Rumtek, which is the headquarters of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. It was very peaceful meditating in the monastery of HH the 17th Karmapa.

Tomorrow we'll amble our way back to Darjeeling to do some more scouting. We'll keep you posted with what we find.

Best Wishes,

Scott, Pema and Alicia