A Picture Every Other Day- Spiti Again

Magnificent Spiti- Demul to Lahlung

I need some inspiration as it is death by grading till this weekend. Will catch up with the blog world as soon I am through.

Suhana Safar Aur Ye Mausam Haseen!

View While Walking from Komik to Demul

I don't know how this Spiti picture escaped my notice for such a long time. Komik to Langza was the longest walk on this trek but the day was so beautiful, there were clouds and I think the song 'suhana safar aur ye mausam haseen' (it is a pleasent journey and the weather too is pleasent is the poor translation of the song in English) fits the mood perfectly.

I found the video of the song on Youtube.

Time to Head Out Again

Que (rhymes with Queue) A Dish from Spiti

No, of course I am not heading to Spiti but I am heading out soon and how I am yearning for it. We realized that in the entire 2007 we never took a train (apart from coming back from New Jalpaiguri, from Sikkim). So we are not going to make the same mistake again. We take a train and head out to Uttrakhand this time.

Last few months it seems have been work, work and more work. However much I try, something remains. I have been carrying work home almost daily. I can see things being extremely hectic till the semester ends. So while we are heading out I know as soon as I come back, I will be swamped with work, work and even more work. And even now I have so much unfinished work that it is going to give me nightmares even on vacation. But as Sesha is so fond of saying ... "This too shall pass." I mean I am really tired.

Lazy Sunday Photo- The Chang Story

Chang- The Local Home Brewed Beer from Spiti

Once again, I decided to write about food or rather drinks, this time. I generally do not like alcoholic drinks and stay away from them. Given a choice I like soup over alcohol any day. And both tend to cost a ton in restaurants! I know it is strange comparison but that is how it is.

This changed a little when I discovered chang in Spiti. The locally brewed beer tastes nothing like a Foster brewed in Aurangabad or some such place. I mean I can't stand Foster or Kingfisher. They have such a nasty stink (or so I feel and I know I am alone in this) that after one sip I do not try another. Chang has no nasty sting about it and I liked both the barley and the rice versions.

Then on the trip to Oxford last year we had a dinner hosted by the university (no and this is not the Oxford I am referring to) at a Thai restaurant called Chiang Mai. There were four of us, my colleague from India and two of my colleagues from UK. So when we started ordering soon the question came, "What would you like to drink?" I gave the default option, "Nothing." Then I browsed the beer list anyway and discovered Chang on the list. Not thinking too much, I changed my mind and decided to order Chang. It of course turned out to be a popular beer from Thailand but minus the stink. It was not the Chang I wanted but it was quite OK. The end result was that I ended up trying a lot of beers in UK and now I have to say, once in a blue moon I may pick them up over soup.

More Food, from Spiti this Time

Bread from Spiti- The Taste still remains. And along with local butter it was heavenly

So were these greens.

I wonder why it took me so long to post these images.

And once again, it has been very hectic at work, but we would be heading out soon, though not to Corbett! It didn't work out.

Right Noises about the Incredible India Campaign?

Langza- Spiti, Himachal Pradesh

Finally I saw once sensible and balanced piece about Indian tourism and the Incredible India campaign. I mean who can quarrel with the concept, many parts of India are incredibly beautiful.

As CII and Ministry of Tourism celebrate 'Incredible India@60' in the Big Apple, leading global communication services player WPP's Chief Executive Martin Sorrell said: "If people don't live the brand promise... It's dead. We can advertise a bad product (only) once." India's Tourism Ministry Joint Secretary Amitabh Kant agreed that branding was fine, but welcoming tourists with garbage and filth will ensure the initiative never takes off.

In short, India requires its creaking infrastructure to be set right for the experience to change, experts felt. New Delhi has estimated that it needs USD 492 billion to revamp urban and rural infrastructure, including roads, ports, airports and power sector, besides water and sanitation.

View from a Train near Pathankot, India

I mean who can deny that this is India too. And a site more common than anyone of us would like to see.

Finally, the Spiti Tale!

Magnificent Spiti

Months after I actually trekked in Spiti, my travel tale is up at the Gonomad website. I even got poked by Priyank that it was about time I wrote this tale. Here is a short excerpt from the article-

The walk from Komik to Demul was the longest. It took us 6 hours, though I met a gentleman from Austria who said he did it in 3 hours. Hats off to him, is all I can say. It was the day when I realized that when pushed a lot my back is capable of hurting like mad.

However, the route was so beautiful and the weather pleasant due to a clouded sky. At our lunch point we were visited by Yaks, who came to drink from the same source as us! But at that time, I found it difficult to eat and was lying flat on my back waiting for others to finish the lunch.

Images from Spiti

Mountain Goats

Mountain Goats- On the way to Dkankar

While walking from Lhalung to Dhankar, at this particular point, I was alone and everyone else was ahead of me. It was then I met this group of goats. Now I am dead scared of all kind of animals particularly if they try to come close. But this much even I have learned that mountain goats give you way if you just try walking through unconcerned. And true to their nature they did part way, when I started walking towards them after taking this picture.

Langza, the Most Beautiful Place after Dhankar that I Saw in Spiti

Lagnza- Beautiful Town Village in Spiti

I found Langza to be the most beautiful village in Spiti after Dhankar. If you look at one side, there was Cho Cho Khang Nilda. And on the other this beautiful landscape. There were numerous butterflies on the flowers. What more can one ask for?

From Kye (Ki) Monastery, Kaza, Spiti

Both the landscapes were clicked near the Kye Monastery area. There are a few times when I feel so happy with my wide angled lens. I think I got even more fabulous views at least twice on this route but I did not request the taxi people to stop. That is why I love walking so much. You can stop where ever you please.

Some Say this Post Office at Hikkim is the Highest Post Office in the World

Post Office at Hikkim, Is it the Highest in the World?

Some say the post office at Hikkim is the highest in the world. Vistet, what do you say? After all, when I tried writing about what I thought was the highest ATM it was you who corrected me.

PS. OK, Sesha took this photo.

PS1. These days, either I put pictures and write a few words or let this blog come to a stand still. I somehow feel till I find more time, I will let this blog become a photoblog :(

The Highest Point on the Spiti Homestay Trek- Komik

And I guess if you just take one step after another, you reach somewhere in the end!

Yak, Yak, Yak ...

Yaks at Lunch Point- On the Way from Komik to Demul, Spiti

Flowers from Spiti

The semester has started and it already feels like I have been hit by a bus. Just worried that this blog will come to a stand still. So, to keep it going here are flowers from Spiti. And no, I do not know what they are called.

Day 3- Manali to Kaza

Spiti Trip, Day 1- Delhi to Manali

Spiti Trip, Day 2- At Manali
Practical Information about Home Stay Trek in Spiti
Pictures from Spiti
A Note on Acclimatization

So, at Manali I set the alarm clock to 3.45 and soon fell asleep. It felt as if the alarm went almost the next moment. I got up first, gulped Avomine (anti-nausea medicine for motion sickness on hill roads) and let the others sleep while I captured the wash room. Soon, it was the turn of the others to gulp Avomine and get ready.

The lazy bones made it 4.30 by the time we left. We walked to the bus stand and located the Kaza bus and found ourself three seats. We were given the start time of 5.00 am but the bus moved at 5.30, though at that hour 5 or 5.30 hardly makes any difference.I wake up like a dead fish in the mornings.

We Stopped for Tea at Rohtang Pass, near Manali

I was wide awake till we stopped for tea at Rohtang Pass around 7.30 in the morning. At that hour the place was empty but otherwise it is known for attracting huge crowds. Had a nice cup of tea in the chilly weather and soon the driver gave his customary honk to let us know that he was about to start again. By now the Avomine was taking its effect and I was getting zonked. Yet I remember opening my eyes at Gramphu and I was stuck by its beauty. But I was too sleepy to take out the camera and take a picture on the moving bus.

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Batal- Our Lunch Point

The only time I properly opened my eyes on this was to eat food at Batal. The rice and rajma
tasted heavenly and the tea after it was just what I needed. However, once again the bus started moving and I became aware of myself at Losar, another beautiful village and another stop for tea, some hours later.

I also remember Kunzun-La vaguely and I took a hazy picture too. I became quite awake at Rangrik, and that is quite close to Kaza. Sesha told us that at some point a well built (probably intoxicated too) man boarded the bus and refused to pay his fare and made quite a ruckus. He says, after looking at the man's built the conductor and the driver let the ticket issue pass. Well, I slept through all this.

Finally, around 4.00 in the evening nearly 11 hours after we boarded the bus, we were at Kaza. We saw two hotels quote close to the bus stand and checked in at the first one (Delley Hotel) and it was quite OK. We always promise ourselves that we will explore a lot of hotels before we check in. But the reality that almost always we check into the first acceptable option because we have no energy left.

Later, we went for a cup of coffee and soon had food and once again called it a day.


Other related posts-

Spiti Trip, Day 1- Delhi to Manali

Spiti Trip, Day 2- At Manali

Practical Information about Home Stay Trek in Spiti
Pictures from Spiti
A Note on Acclimatization

Lazy Sunday Photo- On the Way to Demul, Spiti, India

Wild Rosebush is Quite Commonly Found in the Spiti Region. I took this picture on the way to Demul, Spiti.

Spiti Trip, Day 2- At Manali

Spiti Trip, Day 1- Delhi to Manali
Practical Information about Home Stay Trek in Spiti
Pictures from Spiti

So, we finally reached Manali after 20 long hours of starting from Delhi (that account is available from the first link above) once again on a private bus.

The first thing we needed to find was a hotel. We wanted to try our luck at Sunshine Guest House in Manali as it was recommended at Indiamike. Sesha offered that we take an auto (that means he was too tired, otherwise it is always on foot) to the place. However, on reaching there we found it was completely booked.

Sesha once again asked us to guard the rucksacks while he would find us a room. So, off he went and quite quickly returned and walked us to D'Chatel (picture below). When he started paying for our room (he just loves lousy hotel rooms) I was quite surprised that he took out multiple 500 rupees notes to pay. The room was large, had an extra bed for Dilip (my nephew) and I guess it was Sesha's way of saying he was sorry he dragged us through 20 hour Delhi-Manali ordeal.

D'Chatel at Manali

The room was just fine at Rs 1500 and the next thing to hunt for was food. The hotel had a restaurant called Mom's Kitchen and we wanted to grab something quickly. With hindsight I can say we were lucky that the restaurant was not serving lunch at 4.00 in the evening. The people at the hotel pointed out the Shanti Dhaba and we had an excellent late lunch there, of course followed by tea.

The Shanti Dhaba

After lunch, it was time to book tickets for Kaza. We were not sure if the buses had started plying on Manali-Kaza route but our first stop for inquiry was the government bus stand. We were in good luck and buses were running and we bought three tickets for the next day 5.30 am bus.

Cars at Rohtang Pass- Manali

After the booking the bus ticket we were free to roam around but we are not very fond of Manali. It is just way too crowded in the season. And anyway we were too tired to do much. So, we came back to the hotel. Dilip and I had another tea session. Then for dinner Dilip and Sesha decided to have dinner at Mom's kitchen ignoring my advice against it. Well, the food was very ordinary and quite overpriced. The patron too was acting quite pricey and we did not enjoy the meal at all.

After the meal, it was time to read our books (all three of us were reading different books) and set the alarm in my mobile for 3.45 am.


Other posts related to Spiti

Spiti Trip, Day 1- Delhi to Manali
Practical Information about Home Stay Trek in Spiti
Pictures from Spiti

How Does a Typical Home Stay at Spiti (Himachal Pradesh, India) Look Like?

This video has the partial answer. How I wish I had moved the camera gently and not with the jerky movements that will probably give you a headache. The video was taken at Langza, our first day at the Spiti trek. The first room where there are a lot of people is typical of a living room/dining area and the second room is where we would sleep. Usually, all the rooms would have a view. I would often be glued to one of the windows with a book in hand.

PS. Not writing about day 2 as could not find time. I wonder what I do with my days!

Lazy Sunday Photo- Chocho Khang Nilda, Langza, Spiti

Another View of Chocho Khang Nilda at sunset from Langza, Spiti

Spiti Trip, Day 1- Delhi to Manali

The Lousy Private Bus that we Took from Delhi to Manali

After delaying for sometime, I have finally started writing my Spiti trip account. This time, I thought I will record it one day at a time. There are two reasons for this, first, if done at one go, the post becomes too long. And two, there are no travel plans for a long time now, as July is the more heavy semester for me, so I have to make do with my past travels for a long time.

I still very clear remember my excitement that Friday when we were about to head to Kaza. I had taken care of all the office work by Thursday and I was really restless on that Friday, it felt like 3.00 pm will never come. Even indulging in my favorite sport of teasing my colleagues who were not taking a vacation brought little respite.

We hired a taxi to ISBT and left home by 4.30, hoping to reach Manali early in the morning. Dilip (my nephew) asked the cab driver to put a 'Deep Purple' cassette on the player and that is what I listened all the way to ISBT. I keep asking him why he likes to listen to Ghara Bagnee (that is Deep Purple in Hindi) and he acts irritated and makes cute faces.

After reaching ISBT we had two options, to take an ordinary bus leaving immediately (5.30 pm) and reach Manali by 9.30 in the morning or to take a deluxe bus that started at 8.30 at the night. Dilip and Sesha dumped their rucksacks and said they will go and get the 8.30 bus tickets. I sat down with my novel guarding the rucksacks and waiting for their return.

When these two returned after 15 minutes they had a completely new plan! They wanted to take a private bus at 6.00 pm that would reach Manali at 6.00 in the morning. I was not at all keen but I was outvoted by two to one.

We walked with the private agent to the bus. It was a sleeper bus but we had normal push back seats. The bus did not move at all by six. I had started grumbling but then I did not want to spoil everybody's mood by doing so excessively. The bus started moving at 6.45 and just kept on going from here to there to pick up more passengers within Delhi. At 8.30 in the night it came back to same place from where we had started! By this time we all had realized that we were in for a very long trip to Manali.

By 9.30 at night we were still at the outskirts of Delhi. The bus would stop every 5 minutes and wait for passengers as they still had a few vacant seats. Many people inside were really getting desperate and vocal by now. Some shouted that they were given the starting time of 4.30 pm and yet at 10 in night we were still barely outside Delhi.

Anyway, around 10 at night, the bus finally started moving and by 11.30 we were at Karnal and stopped for dinner. After that, I feel asleep, hoping that we would wake up in Manali.

At around 3.30 at night the bus had a flat tire. We got out and thankfully the weather was pleasant, with lot of lightening. Meanwhile, they were trying to change the tire and after 25 minutes of struggling, they decided they have to move the bus a little ahead as it was standing on a slope and that was causing problems. We were somewhere in Punjab and still very far away from Manali. When we started off sometime later we were just not sure of anything anymore. The bus made a few more unscheduled stops for reasons best understood to the driver and the conductor only.

We finally reached Manali at 2.00 in the afternoon, completely exhausted and 20 hours after we had boarded the bus for a journey that takes 15 hours at the most. Sesha tried to make it up to us by finding a big lavish room in a comparatively expensive hotel without any such demands from our side.



Account of some of our other Bus/Road Journeys-

Mandi to Delhi on a Private Vovlo that we had to ditch mid-way

Delhi to the Tunnel at Aut in a Government Volvo Bus

Manali to Leh Road Journey

One Last Diversion before I set to Write the Spiti Account

Sunset at Komik, Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, India

Afterreading so much on photography forums about sunrise and sunset being ideal times for photography, I was very keen to utilize that time for clicking at least a few pictures. The picture above is from the second day of our trek. I was quite tired and Komik was anyway the highest village on the trek. But come sunset, and I ran with my camera to a place nearby from where many peaks were visible. It required a small steep walk but I did manage to do it. And when Dilip (my nephew) say these pictures on the camera diplay, he was like oh! what a glorious sunset!

PS. Sorry for still not being able to write the concrete account, actually I have a lot of stories to share but I wonder where all my time is going!

Hardly a Week and the Memories of Spiti are Already Fading

View from Dhankar, Spiti, India

I know life has treated me really kindly and I really have no right to crib but one week into the plains and all these beautiful memories of Spiti have already started to fade, sigh... I realized it with a start today when I was worrying about trifles, like a perceived slight when probably none was intended, a little of this and a little of that. And how easy it is to forget that just a week before I was in the paradise!

More on Spiti

Pictures from Spiti

Practical Information about Home Stay Trek in Spiti

Lazy Sunday Photo- Hikkim Village, Spiti, India

A View of Hikkim Village, Spiti, India

Acclimatize, Acclimatize and Acclimatize

Chhang- the Local Beer

Spiti is a high altitude region. Kaza, the base of the trek we did this time is situated at 3660 meters. The starting point of the trek is Langza and we were dropped there in a jeep. Langza is at the height of 4400 meters. Langza is beautiful and Chocho Khang Nilda (the mountain below) is a befitting backdrop. You can imagine if we went a little berserk at Langza.

Chocho Khang Nilda (translation: Chocho is princess, Khang is mountain, Nilda is sun facing) at Langza

I head started feeling a slight headache almost within half an hour of reaching there. Still, we had to go to the Gompa and see the fossils at a short distance of a kilometer or two. Sesha and Dilip (my elder nephew) wanted to visit a near by lake too. Our guide Anjan told us it is dry but those two still wanted to go.

A Fossil near Langza- Evidence of Sea Life

After looking at a few fossils I decide to drop out of the lake plan. I was feeling really tired and weird. I told the gang that I would wait for them at the Gompa and headed that way. It was quite windy and I crawled under the staircases of the Gompa to keep the wind out. After quite sometime, Sesha and Anjan came back and Dilip had went back to our home stay. We saw the Gompa leisurely and headed back.

A while later it started. Sesha started complaining of nausea. And soon enough, he started throwing up. It was still evening and we hoped it will stop. He skipped the dinner and went to sleep. At midnight I awoke suddenly and saw Sesha munching on a chocolate cookie. Relieved I thought he is feeling better. But a while later he started throwing up again, anything and everything, including water.

After the fourth time, I was really scared. After all, it feels like being in the middle of nowhere and the last thing I would like is to see Sesha getting really sick. All those horror stories of AMS (acute mountain sickness) started playing in my head. He was much calmer and said if it doesn't stop by the morning maybe he will go back and Dilip and I could complete the trek. Not a merry thought at all. I had started wondering if Ecosphere had a cancellation policy!

I was also reminded of our Ladakh trip where we tried to trek through Markha Valley but had to turn back after three days because I had a badly upset stomach that showed no sings of getting better. I said to Sesha that it seems our high altitude trek attempts are jinxed. Anyway, he took two Avomines, vomited both, and finally went to sleep. He feel asleep quickly and I was a lot relieved. Because even my head was aching furiously at night and I was not sure if I could take a sleepless night without falling sick myself.

In the morning, it was another day, bright and beautiful. Sesha was much better and the nausea of the night had completely vanished. He was raring to go. And here we are after completing the trek.

Moral of the story- don't take the altitude lightly, even if we are feeling fit and fine. If you are not used to it, treat it with a lot of respect.

Oh! and Dilip slept peacefully through the night, never even turning in his sleep!

Practical Information about the Home Stay Trek in Spiti