Kangchenjunga sunset.
www.flickr.com user A.Ostrovsky

If you're visiting Darjeeling, it looks like you'll now have to be content with drinking what Darjeeling is most famous for -- tea! The Gorkha Janmukhi Morcha political party has issued a ban the sale of alcohol in bars, restaurants, and shops in Darjeeling from November 7, 2009. The reason? To stop revenue flowing into Bengal state government coffers and thus exert pressure on the government.

If you're craving a drink to enjoy with the sunset over Kangchenjunga, there is an option -- local brew. Since it doesn't attract state government excise duty, local brew doesn't fall under the ban. The most popular type is rakshi, made from chingping and rhododendron. Many trekkers in the Sandakphu-Phalut region drink it.

Travel to Darjeeling on the Toy Train

Indian porter.
Sharell Cook

Traveling to India can involve much deliberating about what to bring, especially if you haven't visited the country before.

I remember the first time I came to India, I wanted to be prepared for every possible situation that could eventuate. However, there were several items in my India packing list that I was thankful to have, and which made my trip easier.

Got any packing list essentials? Share you India packing list here.

More About Packing Lists for India:

• Suggested Packing List for India
• What to Pack for the Monsoon in India

Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.
www.flickr.com user pondspider

An Indian friend of mine just returned from visiting Kanyakumari, one of the top travel destinations in Tamil Nadu, where he encountered a strange situation indeed. As a single, Indian male, he found it extremely difficult to get a hotel room. Hotels in Kanyakumari turned him away, one after another.

Understandably, he was shocked. He is a respectable looking, professional man in his 30s. Why was he being refused a room? To add to his confusion, he found it very difficult to get a straight answer. The employee of one hotel told my friend that he would have to call his home number to confirm his presence in Kanyakumari. Another hotel advised that details of single travelers were now required to be sent to the police for approval -- something few hotels liked to do.

Fortunately, after much searching, my friend was able to locate a hotel that was willing to accommodate him. However, still curious, he did some research on the Internet. He managed to find the tale of another single traveler who faced the same problem. Apparently, the traveler was told that people come to Kanyakumari to commit suicide. Hence, hotels were reluctant to take singles.

To add insult to my friend's injury, Kanyakumari is where Swami Vivekananda -- a lone, wandering spiritual man, once meditated. These days though, it seems that lone travelers aren't looked upon favorably at all there.

Has anyone else experienced this?

It was a special day yesterday at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Sikhs celebrated Guru Nanak Jayanti, the commemoration of Guru Nanak's birthday (the founder of the Sikh religion). The beautifully illuminated temple is an incredible sight to behold at this time.

Do you have a photo of India that you'd like to share? Submit your photo here along with a brief description and it may be featured as Photo of the Week.

Photo courtesy of www.flickr.com user Still Thinking.