I stayed a night in a guest house close to New Delhi train station, and had an early rise the following morning to catch the 6.00am Himalayan Queen (I’m learning that no Indian trains depart at sociable hours) heading north toward the mountains of Himachel Pradesh. I can assure you that despite its exotic sounding name this train is the standard ramshackle, overcrowded Indian train. I boarded the second class chair section of the train having booked a ticket the previous day, however, I was soon to learn that pre-booking a seat, doesn’t give you exclusive rights to that seat. At times I would find myself sharing my seat with half the male population of India (The Women stand (Quite right too!!)). Going to the toilet, or visiting a Chai stand at one of the stations, sends a clear signal to everyone else on the train that you want them to sit in it for you.

As we pulled out of Delhi with the morning mist (pollution) lingering over the vast sprawling slums, I noticed something that really tickled me and made me laugh out loud. Slum dwellers all seem to migrate to the track side at this early hour in order to take their morning ‘Dump!!’. I’m not talking about a few here, literally hundred of men and boys all squat proudly next to the train line shitting in unison. I didn’t really know where to look! but it was clear that to the locals this was a normal thing to witness; no one on my carriage battered an eye lid. I’m sure there's a good comedy sketch there somewhere!

The first leg of the journey took us 6 hours north across the plains until we reached the foothill of the Himalayas. Here it was all change, and on to what is affectionately known as ‘The Toy Train’. A narrow gauge train similar to a children’s train you might find at the Zoo. This narrow gauge line was constructed by the British and is quite an Engineering feat, winding around the Himalayas and rising to 2500m, it travels through over 130 tunnels. It was certainly a novel way to travel although after over five hours sitting in rather cramped conditions the novelty did start to wear off. As we headed further up in to the mountains and the temperature started to drop, all of the Indian Tourists started rummaging in their bags and pulling out the most bizarre array of home knitted multi colored Tank Tops I have ever seen. The temperature had barely dropped below 25 degrees and out came the wooly bobble hats and gloves. This was obviously their Idea of a Winter holiday.

We arrived in Shimla as the sun was starting to set and the temperature starting to plummet. Its was now becoming clear why the winter garments were coming out (still no excuse for the fashion crimes being committed though!) Shimla is perched on a ridge high above the train station and motor vehicles are prohibited, so the only way up was to walk.

I stayed in a YMCA Hostel which I think had been untouched since it was built. Although a bit rough round the edges the hostel was cheap and had a certain charm. It’s the first place I have ever stayed where upon check in you are requested not to leave your window open as the monkeys might get in and steal your stuff!

Shimla, a hill station built by the British, is a strange place. Architecturally it could be any hilly town in England or Scotland with its Mock Tudor buildings and Christian Churches. The prohibition of traffic seems to also prohibit the real India from venturing up the hill, although back on the roads at the foot of the hill it is the normal hustle and bustle, the main town centre seems to be the reserve of richer Indian who come here to holiday and show off their latest home knit tank tops. Trendy Coffee shops and rows upon rows of knit ware shops line the roads. Not a single hawker, beggar, or street seller in sight.

Whilst here I visited the Viceregal Lodge which is a Grande looking Scottish Baronial style building. During the British rule the entire government used to move up here during summer to escape the heat. it was here that many momentous decision’s were made including the agreement of the India/Pakistan borders.

I also visited the Jakhu temple (Something to do with the monkey God) here monkeys rule the place and you have to be careful not to be attacked or to get your belongings stolen by them. In the evening I went to a Hindu festival at the temple where huge effigies were burned and hundred of people took great pleasure in hurling fire works around. Once the festival was over the best of Indian crazed behavior was on display as everyone stampeded towards the narrow steps down from the temple causing a crush. Grown men pushed children and everyone tried to get in to the smallest possible gap. No=one stood back waiting for the rush to pass and no-one seemed to think there was anything dangerous about their behavior, it was all beaming smiles and laughter. On top of this children were given huge pieced of charred wood from the fire to carry down to the village with them, these bits of wood were all the perfect length to take out a 6ft tall westerners eye during the stampede. I made it out alive and retreated to the relative safety of the town.

From here I decided to get a bus across the mountains to Mcleod Ganj, the Tibetan colony, home of the exiled Tibetan government and the Dalai Lama.

Colonial Architecture in Shimla

View from YMCA

Viceregal Lodge

The 'Toy Train'