Welcome to
Darjeeling
When you think of India, you inevitably think of curry, sacred cows, yoga, the Taj Mahal and colorful robes. India is one of the most diverse countries on earth. There are almost all climate zones and conceivable topographies. The country is home to 1.3 billion people who speak 22 different languages and is considered the largest democracy in the world. Even as the seventh largest country in the world, India is a true giant. The dimensions are hard to imagine: the distance between North India and South India, for example, is comparable to the distance between Canada and Mexico.
On my many trips to this wonderful country, I have been able to explore many nooks and crannies and have experienced some of my most beautiful and craziest travel adventures there. 2 years ago I went on a round trip to Darjeeling, in the north-east of India on the border with Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan.
The journey was already breathtaking. After a rough landing at the small military airport near Bagdogra, the car went up the mountain along narrow serpentine roads. The three-hour drive took me past small colorful villages and emerald green tea gardens, over waterfalls and through dizzying gorges. Then a sign on a building with the words "Welcome to Darjeeling" announced my arrival. I couldn't have sat in that car for a minute longer. You wouldn't even want to imagine how difficult the journey must have been hundreds of years ago. My accommodation was a little above the city and so I could immediately enjoy the great view over the city and the mountain panorama, which was unfortunately still somewhat cloudy. You simply feel a very special atmosphere here, as the city is 2,185m above sea level and borders the plateau of the Himalayas. On a clear day you have a clear view of the Kangchenjunga, at 8586 meters the third highest mountain on earth.
Darjeeling is world famous for tea cultivation and almost every inhabitant has something to do with tea, directly or indirectly. As a passionate tea drinker, it was of course clear that I had to see a tea garden up close. After a bumpy ride over muddy mountain roads, we reached the main building of the tea farm. There we were greeted with a stylish afternoon tea. With a cup of freshly brewed “Orange Pekoe first flush” in hand, I experienced my perfect moment of the trip. A spectacular panorama opened up in front of me over the rolling hills of the tea garden. An intense green that reaches to the horizon, almost vibrant and yet so calming that it almost has a meditative depth. A moment for eternity.
It's trips like this where I can't imagine any other bag than one of my DRAKENSBERG bags. On this trip I had a duffel bag and my travel wallet with me. I love the duffel bag because you can fit a lot in it and it's so wonderfully uncomplicated. The travel wallet from DRAKENSBERG helps me keep things organized on my trips, at least where it really matters. I also keep my passport and frequent flyer cards in this handy bag at home. Unfortunately, I get wanderlust every time I pick up my wallet.
It is these moments for eternity that make every country special and every trip unique. When you can feel your own presence and understand the world around you. For these big and the numerous small moments, I always get wanderlust.
Daniel
Tell us your story
Tell us your personal story. From a thrilling travel report from Asia, meeting
exciting people on the way to work or a weekend trip to a long-distance relationship - which
Drakensberg accompanies you?
