Living the Life of the Raj

It is April 24 - Another day in Shimla awaits.

We breakfast on more delicious Indian food clearly made by a chef who need have no fear of transportation to Australia! – out into the pleasant morning air – just the early local risers frequent the streets – the children – the mothers – just delightful!

The Guide arrives – “I will take you to this monument!” – “I with take you to this place!” says he – “no” says Bernie – he looks relieved – “where do you want to go madam?” – “the Viceroy’s House and then to the country!” says Bernie– he smiles – “perfect” says he! – “I will take you to my special place first” says he.

Off through moderate but still significant traffic – “it is good we are early – it is not yet peak hour ” says the guide – Bernie looks at her watch – it is just 9.00am – we head to his special place – a hilltop about 15 kilometres from the hotel – views of the Apple terraces and the Himalayas – 8500 feet! “The Apple Farmers are rich – they sell to everyone in India” says he – as we pass new multi-storey terraced houses clinging for dear life on the mountain-side he comments again “These are the second houses of the Apple Farmers – see all the cars on the streets – they are their second cars – rich!” says he.

“This is my wedding anniversary – 20 years” says he –  he opens up about himself – two children – a daughter studying Psychology at a university that is 36 hours away by train but home for the holidays – a boy finishing high school in Shimla – the tourist season is only 6 months long – no tourists in the monsoon season or in snow season! – he was an eye technician for a mobile service that visited the villages across the state - prepared patients for cataract surgery – “education is very important for an Indian” says he – “good schools are very expensive” says he – “I became a tour guide because of the money” says he

We pass St Bede's School - "that is where my boy studies - very expensive" says Sanjeeb - we pass Loretto School for Girls - "that is where mu daughter went to school - very, very expensive" says Sanjeeb  

Cricket gets raised again – “I had an Australian tourist for five days” say he – “One day I picked him up – Sanjeeb! he says – don’t tell anyone I am Australian – tell then I am from New Zealand – I am so embarrassed!” says Sanjeeb.

We arrive at what is clearly a tourist trap – “we are early” says he – “the Indian tourists had not arrived – they come here for horse riding – for amusements rides – for market stalls” says he – “not for you” says he! – “You made a good choice to go to my special place” – ‘It is quite now – lets get a photograph of the Yaks before the tourists arrive!

Off the Yaks in a flash – he is true to his word – we push on - We pass a sign indicating our arrival in Himalayan Apple Country!

We take photographs from his special spot – the Apple terraces – the mountains -  the local temple -  “320 kilometers to the Tibet-China Border” – “8500 feet” – “my special place” says he – he smiles broadly – he clearly does love this place – you would have to pay me a million rupees to get me to live in Delhi” says he.

We return from whence we came – the guide was right – we had beaten the Indian Tourist traffic with their people movers and buses – the Yaks are being ridden and photographed to within a inch of their lives – the on-coming traffic immense – I tell the driver of the comments of his Delhi counterpart about the skills required for a car driver in India:

• ·       Good eyes
• ·       Good eyes
• ·       Good Brakes and,
• ·       Good luck

“No! – no! – no!” – says he – you need

• ·       Good eyes
• ·       Good eyes
• ·       Good Brakes
• ·       Good luck; and
• ·       Great patience

Says he

As we return into Shimla and attempt to reach the Viceroy’s Lodge his patience is tested over and over again – he proves than he has every characteristic of a successful Indian motorist.

We arrive at Viceroy’s Lodge – stunning – the Raj certainly looked after themselves! – the summer administrative headquarters of the Raj! – 400 servants just to keep the Viceroy and his staff going.

Our guide steers us to the side – “just wait here” says he – he sidles up to the official tour guide as he leads a huge crowd through the building – he is greeted with a huge smile – a few words are exchanged – he returns to us – “you just follow“ – “when he finishes he will give you a quick tour where the others do not go” – “my old school friend “ says he

Sure enough we get a quick special tour - It is a pity that we could not photograph inside – walnut wooden paneling – timber entrance stairs – more magnificent wooden paneling – triple-storey atrium - magnificent gardens.

We retire to the aging but still regal Clarkes Hotel! – we return to Delhi early tomorrow morning but I have to say that if anyone travels to India they should come here for some rest and recreation and  to relive the life of the Raj – the Raj could not survive there Indian commission without a regular return to Shimla so why should the modern traveller.  Shimla is clean – hospitable – cool – delightful! – smoke free  – my recommendation – do as the Raj did - take a train from plains at Delhi or Kolkata to the foothills at Kalka – Take the toy train to Shimla – stay in Clarkes Hotel – relax – walk the mall – relax some more.

Finally a special for my super-fit bike riding acquaintances (this includes you Knud) if you believe you have reached peak fitness then see if you can emulate this other acquaintance of mind - I met him today - here is he in action.