I was long uncertain about what to do after Delhi, initial idea was to head northbound again, to Kashmir, where I was sure I could have been able to ski. So I booked train tickets to Jammu (very close to Pakistan). The day before departure was scheduled, I checked the weather in Kashmir, and realized that it had started to snow more than usual, and that virtually all roads were closed. Only way to reach the area was flying, and of course Indian airlines knew that, so flights were way too expensive, if not simply overbooked.
I managed to get my ticket refunded and booked another one towards Kolkata, in the far east of India, without really knowing the reason why I was going there. I would have seen later!

30 hours later I reached Kolkata, crossed the mighty Ganges river by ferry and started walking around the city. It seemed to me that Kolkata is one of Indian cities where cricket is the most popular, indeed at every street corner there was a cricket game played by young men, adults and elderly.

I stayed in Kolkata for 2 days resting from my freezing beginning of 2014, and looking over India's map for my next destination. By looking around Kolkata, I noticed a name that I already saw a few times in the past: Darjeeling. I also noticed that Darjeeling was located in a small part of India trapped between Nepal, Bhutan and China. That was enough to convince me, the day after I was aboard another train towards Himalaya again...
Darjeeling being actually 2500m high, and normal trains doesn't climbing that high I had to take a shared jeep for the last 4 hours ascent.

There used to be a very famous toy train doing the last climb (Darjeeling Himalayan Railway), but due to some recent earthquakes it now only serves as a tourist attraction for short trips through the mountains.

When I arrived I was hit by something I had never seen in my life... From Darjeeling there is a perfect and clear view of Mount Kangchenjunga, world's third highest mountain: 8586 m, on the border between India and Nepal. I swear that all the mountains I have seen so far, suddenly looked like tiny sandcastles. By very clear weather one can also see mount Everest from Darjeeling, unfortunately current season is a bit foggy up there.

Because of the breathtaking view on the almost top-of-the-world, I decided to find a room with view on it. Luckily most of tourists left this popular touristic area shortly after new Year's celebrations, which made prices drop to a more affordable level. I found a really nice accommodation, and if it were not for the negative temperatures inside the room, I would have put it in my Indian's top 3! Well, I am now pretty much used to sleep below zero, and no hotel provides any heating system, so only criteria was really the view.
I spent my first afternoon under 3 blankets, all windows open, watching Mount Kangchenjunga for a few hours! Kind of the things that makes you feel really small and vulnerable, can't imagine the challenge of climbing such a giant made of rock and ice.

My following two days in Darjeeling, I simply walked around city's steep streets, crowded bazaars and quiet surroundings. And of course I tried the famous local tea, which is indeed, delicious. I talked to some locals who explained me few things about what they define here as Grew in Darjeeling, envied in whole world:

Tea is collected three time each Year: March, July and October, most precious is the earliest one, which gives the purest leaves. At the end of each cycle, all the unsold tea is simply throw away, to start with the new one. I must say I have my doubts that all the Darjeeling tea found elsewhere than in India is, first really from Darjeeling, and second always less than one year old. I ended up buying some tea, of course January and February are the most convenient months to buy it, since everybody tries to empty his stocks!

Anyway, Darjeeling is truly a lovely place, beside being in the middle of the mountains, it also offers a brilliant mix between Indian, Tibetan and Nepalese cultures and people.
All the inhabitants really look beautiful, from babies to elders, and they also are very friendly and smiling. Varieties of food are also pretty vast, and I discovered that regardless of what is ordered in the various restaurants, it is always served with a cup of hot soup! Yes, it's very, very cold here!
Worst moment of the day is actually stepping out of bed in the morning, plus hot water being rationed out, every time I need to heat up, I have to ask hotel's owner to switch on hot water.
In ended up giving a call to owner as soon as I wake up, waiting 1 hour under blankets until water heats, and running from bed to shower to start my day in good conditions.