Sikkim, India

Advantages: beautiful scenery that will take your breath away
Disadvantages: watch out for the mountain sickness

...Chakra Centre, also in East Sikkim, which although lovely didn't mesmerize me quite as much as the Lingdum Monastery. This is actually the largest monastery in Sikkim and it's based on a hilltop which faces the city of Gangtok. It's quite a long trek from parking your car to entering the grounds and making your way up to the actual main monastery which has an armed guard outside who reminds you that you are not allowed to take photos inside. As if ...
...hanging down from the wall to show what happens if you try to take photos. The Golden Stupa houses statues made of pure gold, so one can understand the need for armed security although you'd have to be superman to be able to carry any of the artefacts out of there on foot! Opposite the Golden Stupa is Karma Shri Nalanda Institute for Higher Buddhist Studies which we weren't allowed to enter. OVERALL I think I've given you a good idea of what ... Read review

Advantages: good quality and quantity of food and comfortable seats
Disadvantages: almost ALWAYS delays, overly laidback staff

...out. I handed back the form to her un-crumpled and uncompleted with a plastic smile on my face resisting the urge to say "I told you so!" EXPERIENCE ON INDIAN AIRLINES During my visit to India I went to Sikkim for 4 days, I flew out to Bagdogra Airport via Deccan Airlines whom I had never heard of but was very impressed with the efficiency of their staff in the domestic departures part of the airport and during boarding the plane, exactly at the right time, during the flight and disembarking at the other end. The tickets had been booked for my cousin and myself via a family friend. On our return to the airport I wrongly assumed that we were returning on the same airline but we were directed to the Indian Airlines counter to check in. My cousin (who lives in India) seemed rather grumpy and once we checked in I asked why she had... Read review

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Advantages: Beauty of the Himalayas, Tea gardens, Trekking, Rafting, Physical and natural History
Disadvantages: Poor drainage. Unclean drinking water, so always drink bottled mineral water

...infrastructure. LOCATION ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Darjeeling is situated on the north-east border of India in between states of West Bengal and Sikkim. The jurisdiction of the place belongs to West Bengal state government. It was very convenient for us to travel there as it is a short flight from Calcutta (Kolkata). The town is based on a ridge and is backed by mind blowing views of the Himalayas. HISTORY ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Darjeeling was built by the British as a summer camp but soon expanded into a huge flourishing tea producer and its still produces one on the finest teas on the planet. If you haven’t tried it, you are missing out on some of the finest natural tastes. Darjeeling got the name from a famous Buddhist monastery called Dorje Ling. Sherpa Tenzing Norgay who was a native of Darjeeling made this place more famous after being... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful