Wednesday 16 December 2009

Stuartholme A - India


Team A, Stuartholme,

After two long, eventful flights and one not so eventful stop-over, Stuartholme girls Team A finally landed in an airport and a world not quite like our own… Kolkata, India. With cats in the airport, dogs on the streets and school-boys banging nonstop on our windows, the teachers certainly had their hands full, and us girls were loving every minute of it. Kolkata was an experience that was filled with a lot of firsts. Our first time roaming the busy streets, our first one on one with a begging mother, our first squat toilet and our first attempt at bartering. The Indian food was memorable, but perhaps not as spectacular as our meal at Gaylords, with brownies and ice-cream for dinner…

We moved out of Kolkata and on to our next destination, Darjeeling, by the overnight train The Darjeeling Mail. After expecting Harry Potter style sleeping carriages, or at least something not unlike Darjeeling Limited, we were a bit dazed to be greeted with transvestites, beggars and eight people/bags crammed into a 12 meter cubed compartment. All in all the train ride was a spectacular experience and one that neither the girls or Mr. Ulcoq will forget in a hurry.
 
After fearing for our lives, and writing final letters to loved ones we made it through the 6 hour jeep ride along the mountain ridge to Darjeeling unscathed. The 2 days we spent in Darjeeling were some of the most magnificent of our lives, from the amazing shopping to the friendly people and the immense amount of peace flags draped across Observatory Hill. We were greeted at our Hogwarts-style hotel with hot tea, a lit fireplace, and best of all, the comforting shoulder of Mama Norbu. Aside from Toy-Train trips, zoo visits and shopping-frenzies, the most memorable of mornings was spent on Tiger Hill, watching the sun rise and taking millions of photos with countless Indian men.
 
The hike, the most daunting part of the trip was soon upon us, however we managed to trek the hills of the Himalayas without anyone dying, mainly due to the help of Mr. D-Dawa, who was a definite favorite amongst the girls. With a few minor injuries, the trek was one of the most rewarding and magical experiences of our lives. It’s doubtful that we’ll ever fully be able to explain watching the sunrise over Mt. Everest on a sea of clouds, or attempting to shower out of a bucket in -30 degrees; nonetheless, the hike was worth every minute of pain, cold and bush-peeing.
 
After the completion of our trek, we spent the night in festivities with the cooks and crew who accompanied us for the 5 days. We spent Harriet’s birthday on a 12 hour bus trip through the mountains, one she won’t be forgetting quickly. Currently we are in Ravangla, working long and hard on our basketball court, picking up the slack from Team B and all sleeping in one room. It’s a party and we’re excited.

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