Wet day in Darjeeling 0_0

It is raining constantly for the first time since arriving in India - How like Britain Darjeeling is today :)
On a wet day there is little to do but find a comfortable spot to settle down and read. Glenerys is the perfect spot with Internet access for 30r an hour and fabulous cakes, tea and wicker chairs…

Traffic in Darjeeling can get very congested as there is only one major route through the city as you can imagine this causes massive tale backs in both directions!! Of cause nearly all of the vehicles on the road are land rovers and jeeps packed to the brim with goods and people - in fact many of them have people sitting on the roof or hanging off the back with packs strapped all around or under them 0_0

At over 2000m altitude the pressure in Darjeeling is very different to sea level - this is easily demonstrated through looking at the packet of crisps transported from Kolkata… At see level it is flat but here the packet looks fit to burst as the pressure is so much lower here!! Opening a packet is an interesting affair - better to tear than pop… As for descending - as i came down on the last day of the trek from 4000m to 2000m the water bottle i was carrying was crushed by the pressure!!

Finally after 6 weeks of travelling around India my boots are starting to show signs of wear (wierdly especially on the toes!!) but the Merrell’s have been exceptionally comfortable and met every challenge that they have faced. One of my best buys, other must have travel accessories include; Arabic style scarf, which is a fantastic multipurpose tool that can be bought from Cambridge market for £3 :) and a pair of zip pocket Crag Hopper trousers, which remove the need for a money belt which are always uncomfortable and sweaty!!

Hoping for a brighter day tomorrow as the clouds are obscuring the views today...