Tuesday, May 1, 2012

From beaches to mountains...

Still alive... and no giardia!!

We've just finished a blessedly glorious week on Havelock Island in the Indian Andamans.  The sea was divine, people beyond friendly, the fish fresh and delicious, beaches from postcards, coconut to die for, and life we witnessed while diving the coral reefs from a kaleidoscope dream.  (I tried to upload a photo, but the internet cafe where I currently am is preventing me.)

From the Andamans, we flew to Kolkata, took a sleeper bus to northern Bengal, followed by an adventurous 5 hour jeep ride into Sikkim.  Nestled in the Himalayas, Sikkim is India's smallest state and our home for five days.  So far it is an interesting mix of Bengalese. Tibetan, Chinese, Nepalese, Bhutanese, and all other manner of cultures in India - but no Sikhs!  We're currently trying to find a tour that will take us deeper into the Himalayas...  The cool mountain climate is proving a wonderful escape from the heat and squalor of Kolkata - a place that will never find its way onto my "perhaps to return to" list.  I now wholly understand Dan Simmons' viewpoint on the city in Song of Kali...

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