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We in Darjeeling for 3 days off before teaching in Siliguri. The 3 hour drive up here by Jeep was spectacular around switch back curves with vistas of beautiful tea plants on the hillside. We are staying in a Homestay with a lovely elderly couple who can't do enough to please us.
It's cold here and very wet, as the clouds roll in it gets very dark and chilly; Justine and I have bought wool shawls and in bed we have been snuggled under thick blankets. We have yet to see a clear view of the Himalayas but we are hopeful that the sun will shine!
Darjeeling is set on a hillside perfect for tea growing but incredibly hard on my legs! I have been revelling in tea tasting and have enjoyed learning all there is to know about tea production; in the tea room where I am using the internet they have over 50 types of tea to try! Teas are graded according to their flush (which is when they are picked i.e. Spring is first flush, Summer is 2nd flush etc). Black tea is fermented i.e it is left to dry on a slab in a 3 inch layer for hours, green is not and white tea is the most pure and rich in antioxidants but tasteless according to our guide! Oolong is a grade in its self. From the time the tea is picked it takes just 24 hours to be ready to drink but it is left to mature for 4 months. The lady tea pickers pick from the bottom of the hill up which saves their backs, the bushes lie about a foot off the ground so they are teeny weeny ladies, they are required to pick 4.5 kg a day, any extra they get a bonus for, as they come off the hill their baskets are weighed. The tea factory was rustic but delightful in its simplicity.
The people groups here are dominantly Nepalese, Burmese, Bangladesh and Bengalis so it's nice to have some Chinese food and to enjoy the beautiful smiles of the Nepalese who seem to have gentle spirits and never hassle you in the markets!
We are back down the mountain tomorrow into the heat, this little jaunt has been a welcome break from the sun and smog.
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Victoria So having been there now are you going to still drink English breakfast?