Darjeeling: Toy Train & Tea Gardens

• When I landed in the town of Siliguri from where I had to catch a cab for Darjeeling, I was told there was a ‘toy train’ as well which one could use to travel to Darjeeling. The catch was that it would take about nine hours instead of the one hour it takes by cab. After thinking for a moment, I decided to take the toy train. And believe me, when the train was winding up the vertical track of blind curves, I thought to myself, I liked the slow moving journey of the steam miniature train.
  
  Amongst the views I got to see from the train, I particularly liked the tea gardens which blanket the slopes of the hills. I remember two gardens in particular – ‘Happy Valley’ and ‘Lopchu’ for their special fragrance. Darjelling tourism has really done a good work with respect to maintaining this old charm of the British Raj. The toy train provided me an opportunity to slowly savor in the freshness of the Queen of the Hills that is Darjeeling.