So I had my first overnight train experience getting from Calcutta to Darjeeling near the Nepal border. Ann and I booked tickets yesterday and arrived at the station an hour early. The station was bustling with excitement, people coming and going in every direction. We climbed aboard and found our seats. We had been warned by many people about the potentially unsafe train but luckily we were with a family and businessman. I got more sleep than expected and work up in a whole new India.
One of the problems with travel here is how you have to wait a long time to get anything done. Case in point: sharing a jeep for the 3 hour drive to Darjeeling. We paid and loaded in the car thinking we could leave but oh no, we had to wait for 7 others to join us. After about an hour and 6 others in the car, Ann and I chipped in the extra 50 cents to bribe the driver to get started on our Himalayan adventure.
Darjeeling is the jewel of the Indian Himalayas. It is a large town that is set up like a ski hill. A central point at the top of a large mountain and streets that run down all sides. It is beautiful but takes A LOT of energy to walk places. We checked into a guest house of the side of a hill and started to explore. It is amazingly different here. People are simple and beautiful. The mountains surround us in every direction and their shear intensity is quietly present. We found the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (anyone looking for a good gift for me - a mountaineering course would be PERFECT:) and grave of Tenzing Norgay, the first Sherpa up Everest with Sir Edmond Hillary, the zoo and Tibetan Self-Help center. We had dinner with a guy traveling from Australia and called it a night. It is cold here and we had to buy hats and mittens. The guest house owner brought hot water bottles for our feet during sleep - oh so nice.
This morning we got up at 0430 to see the sunrise above Tiger Mountain. It was spectacular, truly an experience I will never forget. The world's highest mountains were within eyesight. We decided to walk back to town (took about 3 hours) and visited a Buddhist temple. The whole area is serene. The streets are lined with prayer flags and merchants. Colorful cashmere scarfs and wool hats dot the sidewalk. I could stay here forever. We are off to visit the famous Darjeeling tea plantations and hopefully catch up on a little rest. Overnight train tomorrow back to Calcutta and the heat.
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To learn more about the Sherpa tribe that makes climbing Everest possible, read Beyond the Summit by Linda LeBlanc. Details of Sherpa culture and religion are interwoven in a tale of romance and high adventure. The story has something for everyone: a love affair between an American journalist and Sherpa guide, conflict between generations as the modern world challenges centuries of tradition, an expedition from the porter's point of view.
Below are selections from reviews. To read the complete ones and excerpts go to www.beyondthesummit-novel.com
Beyond the Summit, is the rare gem that shows us the triumphs and challenges of a major climb from the porter’s point of view. The love of two people from diverse cultures is the fiery centerpiece of a novel that leads its readers through harshly beautiful and highly dangerous territory to the roof of the world. Malcolm Campbell, book reviewer
A gripping, gut-twisting expedition through the eyes of a porter reveals the heart and soul of Sherpas living in the shadows of Everest. EverestNews.com
A hard-hitting blend of adventure and romance which deserves a spot in any serious fiction collection. Midwest Book Review
LeBlanc is equally adept at describing complex, elusive emotions and the beautiful, terrifying aspect of the Himalayan Mountains. Boulder Daily Camera
LeBlanc's vivid description of the Himalayas and the climbing culture makes this a powerful read. Rocky Mt News Pick of the Week
A rich adventure into the heart of the Himalayan Kingdom. Fantastic story-telling from one who has been there. USABookNews.com
This is the book to read before you embark on your pilgrimage to Nepal. The author knows and loves the people and the country, and makes you feel the cold thin air, the hard rocks of the mountains, the tough life of the Sherpa guides, and you learn to love them too. This is a higly literate, but also very readable book. Highly recommended."
-- John (college professor)
Memorable characters and harrowing encounters with the mountains keep the action moving with a vibrant balance of vivid description and dialogue. Literary Cafe Host, Healdsburg, CA
This superbly-crafted novel will land you in a world of unimaginable beauty, adventure, and romance. The love story will keep you awake at night with its vibrant tension and deep rich longing. Wick Downing, author of nine novels
The book is available from amazon.com, chesslerbooks.com, Barnes & Noble and Borders Stores, and the web site for an autographed copy.
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