Am really glad to hear that you enjoyed this series!

I sometimes think smaller samosas make for tastier ones. Somehow with larger size, out goes the taste.

Pete: Glad you enjoyed the piece. The culinary experiences were fantastic, but the way in which they unfolded really amazed us. Thanks very much for spreading the word about our site.
We are in Darjeeling as I draft this. High tea is planned for tomorrow afternoon. We’ll post a few photos in the next couple of days from in and around Darjeeling. Our other photo essays from the region (northern West Bengal, Siliguri, Darjeeling, and Sikkim) will follow in the coming weeks as time and the availability of electricity and internet permits. We’ll give India the full written and photographic treatment this summer when we “take a break” with a few stops in Europe.
Bhutan had a spot on our initial itinerary. However, the government of Bhutan requires that visitors book a fixed price tour that runs close to $250/person per day for a couple like us – a little steep for our budget pocketbooks. In addition, the Bhutanese government controls which areas travelers can visit, which also puts a damper on our style of travel.
Instead, we decided to visit Sikkim (a semi-autonomous mountain principality in Northern India, tucked between Nepal and Bhutan). On our visit to the villages of northern West Bengal, we also stopped at two border points between India and Bhutan to catch a glimpse of Bhutanese people in traditional dress doing their shopping on the Indian side.
Brian: I was eating a moldy piece of toast the other morning and I thought of you. I’m not kidding…we ordered toast and this 4-stack of crust-cut slices – not much larger than postage stamps – showed up. Apparently, the toast was cut back due to mold. I had to cut away a few more tiny green bits they missed.
Anyhow, if you buy some yogurt now and make sure it will be well-expired by the end of June/beginning of July, we promise to show up in person to cook you our special dal (Indian lentil) dish.
Thanks for compliment, too. It means a lot.

Sharan: Glad you enjoyed it. We’ll write some more about our visit to Chandigarh, but it will have to wait until we are still and have consistent electricity and internet. We also plan to write something about our visits to Varanasi and Kolkata, particularly since we experienced the Ram Navami festival in the former and a strike in the latter!

Harikumar: Thank you for your comment and well wishes. Of course, we remember meeting you on the “mail” train from Chennai to Mumbai. We will try to keep ourselves and our belongings safe. And we’ll be sure to post more photos and stories from India and our travels throughout Asia.

Vikramjit: We hoped to post more often, but reliable electricity and internet have been in short supply as we headed into northern West Bengal and Sikkim. Next up: a few thoughts on West and East Sikkim and a snapshot of four villages outside of Siliguri that we visited while profiling an organization that sets up self-help groups and assists in recovering children unwittingly sold into slavery.
More pieces on Chandigarh (and Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Udaipur, Bikaner, Varanasi, Kolkata) will follow.
As you await our next post, don’t forget that patience is the companion of wisdom.
Joyshri: Glad you enjoyed the piece. Street food and Indian roadside dhabas are a lot of fun. They are also a critical anchor in the evolution of “cuisine”, apparently.