After crossing the several hundred miles of pancake flatness from Dhaka I met the himalayas. During the 7000 foot ascent to darjeeling, an abrupt shift in altitude, thickness of air, and topography was accompanied by a change in the people of the area. Contours of faces, Buddhist prayer flags, and steamed dumplings conjured memories of Mongolia more than those of India. I had entered Ghorkaland, a section of the Indian state of West Bengal whose residents are more closely related to Nepalis or Tibetans. Further into the Himalayas, I reached Sikkim, an independent monarchy until 30 years ago and now India's least populous state.
Harvesting of Darjeeling tea
My Surly Long Haul Trucker
Orchids along the roadside in Sikkim
Great photos Hunter--it's really cool to see not only the subjects, but your improvement as a photographer as well... Looking forward to seeing you soon.
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