Open the window and see the Himalayas right in front of you—what an awe-inspiring moment in Darjeeling!

▲ The biggest highlight of this trip: seeing the Himalayas.

Photos and text by Liao Keyi, excerpted from "Discovering the Silk Road: Liao Keyi’s Big Adventure"

Although we only stayed two nights in Makaberry, I felt completely immersed in the simple life of this tea town. Even my friend, who didn’t usually drink tea, got into the habit. We were all a little reluctant to leave this charming little mountain town. Thinking about it, the emotions during travel are truly subtle—always caught between reluctance and anticipation.

After getting into the jeep, the feeling of reluctance didn’t last long. About an hour later, we arrived at the station in Kurseong, which serves as the train transfer point to Darjeeling. We were planning to take the famous toy train here directly up to Darjeeling. This mountain railway has quite a history and is even listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Riding a mountain railway wasn’t new to me—I’d had a similar amazing experience on Alishan in Taiwan—but I still couldn’t hide my excitement as I boarded the train. I quickly took photos with the director and my friends, recorded some cheerful behind-the-scenes moments, and then enjoyed the scenery, chatted, and relaxed along the way. After more than four hours winding through the mountain roads, we finally arrived in Darjeeling town when night had already fallen.

▲ The little train passes through markets and through their lives.

▲ Along the tracks, you can see the daily lives of local residents.

Since we had booked our homestay online in advance, after getting off the train, we had to search for it in the dark. After calling the host and following their directions, we dragged our heavy luggage through several streets and up a few steep slopes. Just as everyone was about to run out of energy, we finally reached the doorstep of the homestay. The price of this place was very reasonable, so we didn’t really care about whether the facilities were complete or convenient—we just wanted a good night’s sleep. That said, one of the reasons we chose this homestay in the first place was because it was said that you could see the Himalayas just by opening the window.

▲ A view of the Himalayas from Sikkim.

For many mountain enthusiasts, the Himalayas hold a significance similar to that of Mecca for Muslims—one must climb them at least once in a lifetime. In my memory, I first learned about the Himalayas in a geography class. The sense of longing I felt back then was much like the awe I experienced when first reading about the Silk Road in history class—full of wonder.

When I opened the window, there was a sea of clouds before me, and towering behind the clouds were mountains nearly 4,000 meters high. Looking even further, twice as high as those peaks, stood a snow-capped mountain. This was the main reason we came to Darjeeling—to feel the awe-inspiring presence of the Himalayas.

▲ The Himalayas in the twilight.

The morning in Darjeeling was filled with the scent of incense. There were no honking horns or noisy crowds—just young students in uniforms hurrying to school. Of course, simply admiring the view from the homestay window wasn’t enough. After breakfast, we decided to spend some time wandering the mountain town’s streets and alleys, hoping to find the best spot to enjoy the mountains.

The Himalayas lay right before us. For the locals, it might be something they take for granted, but for me, this moment was so moving it brought tears to my eyes—and was worth savoring over a cup of coffee.