Thursday 7th Nov 2013 and up bright and very early to catch the first train on our way to Shimla (the official summer residence of the British till independence in 1947) up in the foothills of the Himalayas - 400 kilometres from Nepal. Delhi is still noisy, smelly, bustling and the station is heaving with people even at 7am in the morning....its not quite St Pancras but everyone is smiling (if not apprehensive at the same time) and ready for the journey....4+ hours to Kalki in an air conditioned coach with breakfast included!
Off one train across the platform and all aboard the TOY TRAIN for the next leg of the journey...96 kilometres up into the mountains to Shimla on a single gauge railway in tiny compartments for 5 hours....it all goes well for 4 hours and then we break down....no real panic the locals come out of the small hill village nearby and help repair the train... we are off again inside an hour. Arrive in Shimla 7 hours after boarding to a dark and very cold (in comparison to Delhi) but brightly lit town built into the sides of the mountains.
Well rested after a good nights sleep in the very lovely British colonial style Clarke Hotel, we make our way in a convoy of cars to the very top of the Shimla to visit Hanumans Temple (the Hindu God of Monkeys)....much to the surprise of many of us the place WAS actually teaming with monkeys (don't know what else we were expecting). Roaming loose, sitting, jumping and swinging around everywhere....stealing tourists sunglasses right off their heads and throwing them back in exchange for food...most fascinating to see, as was the massive statue of the Monkey God Hanuman and the temple itself. A visit to the old Viceroys Lodge, Military Museum and Polo Club are followed by an afternoon downpour complete with hail stones. Its winter in Shimla and snow is due in one months time and they even have a ski resort, something we never thought likely in India!
Day 2 in Shimla greets us with bright sunshine and crisp cool air....a tour of the town confirms the very British influence that remains in this wonderfully quaint Indian mountain resort.
Off back to Dehli...no Toy Train just a 3 hour drive down the mountains through villages to Kalki and the 4 hour return train journey.
Off one train across the platform and all aboard the TOY TRAIN for the next leg of the journey...96 kilometres up into the mountains to Shimla on a single gauge railway in tiny compartments for 5 hours....it all goes well for 4 hours and then we break down....no real panic the locals come out of the small hill village nearby and help repair the train... we are off again inside an hour. Arrive in Shimla 7 hours after boarding to a dark and very cold (in comparison to Delhi) but brightly lit town built into the sides of the mountains.
Well rested after a good nights sleep in the very lovely British colonial style Clarke Hotel, we make our way in a convoy of cars to the very top of the Shimla to visit Hanumans Temple (the Hindu God of Monkeys)....much to the surprise of many of us the place WAS actually teaming with monkeys (don't know what else we were expecting). Roaming loose, sitting, jumping and swinging around everywhere....stealing tourists sunglasses right off their heads and throwing them back in exchange for food...most fascinating to see, as was the massive statue of the Monkey God Hanuman and the temple itself. A visit to the old Viceroys Lodge, Military Museum and Polo Club are followed by an afternoon downpour complete with hail stones. Its winter in Shimla and snow is due in one months time and they even have a ski resort, something we never thought likely in India!
Day 2 in Shimla greets us with bright sunshine and crisp cool air....a tour of the town confirms the very British influence that remains in this wonderfully quaint Indian mountain resort.
Off back to Dehli...no Toy Train just a 3 hour drive down the mountains through villages to Kalki and the 4 hour return train journey.
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