Shimla - the Hill Station

Visiting Simla, a really quaint town perched on a narrow ridge with breathtaking drops on either side, is the major reason I wanted to visit India.

Its history is fascinating.

In the early 1800's at the end of the Gurka wars, the British decided to use some of the hospitals and sanitoriums they had built in the area as summer houses. More houses were built and by mid 1800's they used Shimla as their summer capital, moving up from Calcutta (and later Delhi) in April and returning in November, each year. So from 1864 to 1947 a large part of the world (about 1/3 of the world's population at the time) was ruled for more than half the year from this little hill town.

In the run up to India's independence and the partition of Pakistan in 1947, many of the negotiations took place here too, so it was visited by Mahatma Ghandi, Pundit Nehru etc etc.

Statue of Ghandi on the Ridge.

Nowadays the town is still a very pleasant and popular holiday resort, with a good climate and amazing views.

On the main shopping street, the Mall.

To reach the Mall from below, the taxi drops you on a low road, and you take two high public lifts -

 The lower lift.

Shimla, like much of the rest of India. seems to enjoy excellent religious tolerance with Hindu, Christian, Muslims and Sikh all coexisting peacefully in the main.

Mosque on the Lower Bazaar from the Mall -

And Christian Church built mid 1800's, as seen from the Mall -

And everywhere awesome views of the forested high narrow ridges of surrounding mountains.

Amazing view from our hotel room in lower Shimla





Note - I have added extra pics to the Shimla Toy Train and Coach trip posts - by special request from Jen !

Indian travel is not for the faint hearted - 1. Lower Himalayas

Spent all yesterday travelling in a "luxury" tourist coach around some of the villages up here in the Lower Himalayas.

The bus rocked and rolled ( defective shocks ?) and juddered and screeched when slowing down slightly ( dodgy brakes ?) at full speed around narrow single track partly tarred roads with U turns every few metres, occasional passing places and a sheer drop on one side all the time - with occasionally a sheer drop on BOTH sides. The road was a combination of the worst of Sani Pass and Prince Alfred Pass with a kami kazi driver at the wheel.

...But the views were awesome. Deep deep valleys, villages and crops perched on steep slopes and China apparently just over the mountains.

In the first village we went round the mini-zoo and saw their Snow Leopard - looking really furry and soft and cuddly - and localbrown and black bears, deer and pheasant.

 Black bears

At the next stop we went round an old Maharaja's palace now a tourist hotel. Lovely lawn spread out for afternoon tea, but out of season the monkeys were sitting hopefully there, and got really excited trying to grab our bag - with a couple of bananas in it.

Decided it was more like a fun fair ride than road trip !
Great value - 8 hours travel in coach and stops - all for less than four quid / R45 !

Shimla Toy train awesome experience

From Kalka we caught the Shivalik Express - a World Heritage Mountain railway.

It climbs over 2000 metres in its 95 km, has 102 tunnels (longest over 1km), about 900 bridges (some of which are impressive high viaducts) and over 900 bends many of which are complete U turns.

Seated in an "A/C Chair Car" in the cute narrow gauge tiny carriage we were served with tea and marie biscuits first, then later omelettes, jam bread and butter and more tea. Stopped half way for a ten minute walkabout.

For four hours we were treated to amazing views of steep pointy green mountain ridges towering above us, neat tidy tea plantations and sheer drops below the railway track.

Arrived in Shimla and greeted at station by local schoolkids putting garlands round our necks, red spots on forehead, flower petals in hair and nutty coconutty sweets popped in our mouths. AND they weren't selling anything - it was lovely.

Old Delhi indescribable - New Delhi full of Tourist touts

Views arriving early morning in Old Delhi made Slumdog millionaire scenes look like pristine English countryside. Old Delhi station relic from days of Raj still with "Tiffin room", "Deluxe Dormitaries" and the "Upper Class Waiting room"which we got to know very well over the ensuing 20 hours. (We promise never to moan about lengthy airport waits again in future).

Escaped the station area with very surly unhelpful tuk tuk driver. Abandoned him a few ks away and picked up with very helpful chatty young tuk tuk guy. But the rest of the morning he kept trying to take us to "tourist information offices" which were actually private travel agents and who promptly tried to rearrange your plans and sell you different hotels and drivers etc. When he realised we were not buying, we were dumped at a Metro and told to find our own way back to our station !

Did manage to see many of New Delhi's landmarks however before we were abandoned.

Also survived the heat in the Upper Class waiting room until about 2.0 am when the 'Kalka Mail' train finally decided to arrive.

I take it all back - great tourist day today !

Climbed up to the Amber Fort in Jaipur and walked round ornate hilltop palace.
Well worth the entrance - and being Saturday most others climbing with us were friendly local families.

Rest of day driving round in Tuk tuk weaving in and out of cows, pigs, buses, cars, bicycle deliveries, other tuktuks over roads which were more pothole than road. Views of "small businesses" en route eye opening. Steel beam wholesalers, with bicycle delivery, sewing machine and tuk tuk repairers, handmade carpet wholesalers with the camel being shaved for its carpet wool outside.

Sleeper train out at midnight through to Delhi. Hoping we get the 2 berth cabin again?

We really don't do "Tourist"

Much more into exploring and discoving more about the country and especially the people here.
Chatting to two schoolboys on the train, watching businessmen at lunch, discussing birthday cakes with a mother in the bakery, observing the food varieties for sale and saying hi to bunches of friendly students on the beachfront.

You can keep the tramping around ancient beautiful palaces with overpriced entry fees alongside coachloads of other visitors.

Some pics

Breakfast       In Mumbai station

 Great looking market stalls in north Mumbai

 Beautiful palace in Jaipur

Mumbai

First day in Mumbai walked for miles on Durban beachfront......sorry Mumbai beachfront. But it could easily have been Durban. Even the headland looked like the Bluff.
Dennis thought he was back at work and kept saying hi to the guys as we walked past.

Mumbai IS crowded, dirty, crowded, smelly, croded, noisy and crowded. But all the people we have met have been incredibly helpful.

Caught the train into Mumbai and jumped into the first carriage - and promptly out again. It was a ladies only carriage. The luggage van next door was also for ladies but we stayed there anyway.

Today, Thursday the train was really CROWDED, but all really helpful - even with our suitcases jammed between them.

Sitting in Captain Cook's airconditioned pub near to Mumbai Central station, drinking ice cold Kingfishers with a never ending supply of papadoms as snacks.

Soon to board the first overnighter, express to Jaipur

Last minute shopping done

We have 15 train trips booked in India and the majority are overnight journeys ........So had to run off to the shops to buy Den a pair of sleep shorts. We may have to share a compartment on some of the routes and didn't think some respectable Indian couple would appreciate Den in his usual "pyjamas" !

Visas collected, all booked up and ready to go !

Tried to order some Rupees today. However neither Bidvest Bank or FNB Forex stock Rupees. Bidvest told us that they'd had too much trouble with forged currency !!!
This is really going to be a fun adventure !


 Dennis now says he's going to the land of the Call Centre and isn't sure that that's a good thing !

This time next week we wake up in Mumbai.