Early 5 am start to get to the station to catch the toy train to Shimla – much calmer station and easy walk to it, though half of it is under construction so a bit of a mess

Get on board our carriage right at the front, first class tickets for like £12 can’t go wrong

Out of Kalka in the dark but sunrises as we head into the mountains and see the sights as the train twists and turns up higher and higher through tunnels and valleys and steep inclines

Stop at Bolrag to pick up our brekkies – spicy pakora things, some bread and tea and juice served to us at our seat ????

Carry on up to Shimla through big towns, tunnels, past adorable little stations and up further to the mountain

The latrine is certainly an experience of sorts!

Arrive at Shimla station with a great view across the mountains

Walk over to Hotel Retreat to checkin early – and it’s glorious! A soft bed, nice sheets, 2 plump pillows (each) – luxury

Shower in the luke warm water (well we can’t win everything) and head on out

Walk through victory tunnel and the narrow market streets up some steep inclines and a lot of steps to make it to Cafe 1873 (since 1873 apparently, hence the name)

A minestrone soup for Daisy and Margarita pizza for Dave! (Can you tell our tummies are a bit sensitive?) Packets of pizza spice mix, chilli’s, ketchup, sweetener, good napkins! It’s the little things we miss – so good

Delicious food in a lovely clean and not falling apart establishment with great staff! Just what we were looking for!

After food we walk up the mall road passing all the shops and a nice pedestrian zone we have sorely missed! Can actually walk without getting run over!

To the plaza and church, the ridge view point, down to the waterfall and back to do our own walking tour – church, ridge, British colonial buildings of the town hall, post office, etc – to the scandal point along to the kari temple and to the catholic church of st Michael’s

Finally to the Cafe Simla times for a local cider watching the sunset

We admire the sunset, the perfect line of the horizon, shimla lit up, all the fires starting to keep warm, and feeling nippy head off to the Pyramid bar to warm up

Very jazzy and fancy up on the roof overlooking shimla – £1.50 for a beer yet totally dead, very strange

We head back to Cafe Simla Times for some food and more cider! Fajitas and chicken sizzlers – then stroll along the Mall Road to hotel – dodging monkeys and dogs along the way