True to our social media roots we are a friendly bunch at STA travelbuzz and one of our most recent connections is with the lovely Shyma. She’s 23 and works in London web designing. Besides this she has a huge love for travel and the intention of visiting all the countries she possibly can. Below is her experience of Darjeeling, India…

Home to the famous Darjeeling tea, Darjeeling has been nicknamed the ‘Queen of the Hills’ – and as we began our drive up the Himalayan peaks, I soon realized why.

We had first landed in the airport of Bagroda and were instantly surrounded by local airport workers, all keen to help. We soon found ourselves a taxi and driver to take us the 3 hour journey up to Darjeeling.

The journey itself felt like we’d stepped backwards in time, to a simpler world away from the rush and headiness of modern day city living. The villages we passed through were made up of basic huts with tin roofs, with inhabitants working the land or manning the very few street stalls.

Climbing the peaks itself and the view became increasingly breathtaking, which more than made up for the bumpy and petrifying ride. The slopes are very steep and the bends very sharp with drivers come careering down the mountainside with a simple blow of the horn every so often to warn others to make way!

Arriving at the top and we checked in to the Hotel Elgin, a majestic building with stunning views of the scenery and incredibly kind and helpful staff. The temperature in the peaks drops dramatically because of the altitude but we had hot water bottles in our beds each night and hot breakfast the next morning.

Darjeeling itself has a huge amount to see and do. We drove to the top of Tiger Hill where you have a view of Mount Everest – providing you go on a clear day where the summit isn’t engulfed by clouds! Many tourists wake up extra early to watch the sun rise over the glorious mountain. The Buddhist monasteries dotted over the town are a spectacular mesh of colour and architecture and the monks happily show tourists around and tell of their history.

Although it is part of India, Darjeeling is a stark contrast to the heat and noise of cities like Calcutta. It’s free from stress, pollution and the expense you would normally expect to find in a busy town. Beautiful yet unpretentious, it’s a bubble of the world that has escaped all the negatives of modernisation.

Thanks Shyma, superb work. Should you feel a desire to share your experiences of international travel with the STA travelbuzz tribe just get in touch and let us know.